After a silence of a few years, Skoda India is now coming back on track and they recently launched three new cars in the month of lockdown - of course, online! Now the Karoq, post the launch, has created a lot of buzz in the market but there came some mixed opinions too - in terms of its pricing. To clear the air, we met the Skoda Karoq in person, clicked a few pictures and made this walkaround video to give you our first look review of the car. You should note that our comprehensive review of the Karoq will follow soon. Also, thanks to Jai Auto, Gurgaon for helping us with the car. You may hit the play button or scroll down for images and info.
2020 Skoda Karoq Overview
The Karoq is often referred to as the spiritual successor of the quirky Skoda Yeti. The Yeti didn't pick up well in the Indian market but it was a practical and capable SUV. The Karoq comes through the CBU route and rubs its shoulders with cars like the Jeep Compass and Tata Harrier. Overseas, Skoda has also started testing the Karoq facelift and its launch is expected this year globally. The Skoda Karoq is only available with a petrol engine coupled with a lighting-fast DSG box. Pricing of the Karoq is fixed at Rs 24.99 lakhs, ex-showroom.
2020 Skoda Karoq First Look Review - Exteriors
In one word, the Karoq, in person, looks lavish! The understated elegance of the Karoq is visible from every corner of the car and it looks really good in this black shade. It surely doesn't look like a big bulky SUV and feels proportionate, despite being bigger than the Creta and Seltos. Skoda hasn't even bothered to give it rugged black cladding on the fenders to accentuate the SUV factor. You can call it a stripped-down iteration of the seven-seat Kodiaq, which this actually is. The front of the car gets the Skoda grille and LED headlights with a very different LED pattern, the DRL also works as the turn indicators. The Karoq rides on 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and the rear sports inverted LED taillights which particularly look nice in the night.
2020 Skoda Karoq First Look Review - Interiors
The interiors of the Karoq are really great and feel premium; this is where the pricing gets justified. The upper part of the dash is covered in soft-touch materials to block the sun reflection and feels great. The lower part of the dash is beige and carries the airy feel inside the cabin. The seats have extended leg support to keep your under thighs comfortable during long highway runs.
Also read: Skoda Karoq Vs Volkswagen T-Roc : Spec Comparison
You, your wife and your kid who recently received the ticket to drive, all will thank the 3-person memory seat for the driver. To further enhance the seamless look of the interior, Skoda has said no to dials and replaced them with a crisp virtual cockpit - one of the Karoq' highlights. And how can I forget the big and most loved panoramic sunroof! All in all, the interiors of the Karoq is a great place to spend time in.
2020 Skoda Karoq First Look Review - Features
Skoda Karoq comes with a ton of equipment and safety features, more than you can even think of. Talking about the comfort and convenience features first, it comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play, dual-zone climate control, electrically adjustable front seats with lumbar support, virtual cockpit, panoramic sunroof, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, heated ORVMs, and a lot more. The safety features of the Karoq are amusing and undoubtedly the segment best. Safety features include ABS, EBD, ESP, 9 airbags, MBA, HBA, MKB, ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) and an electrically lockable front differential. Phew!
2020 Skoda Karoq First Look Review - Engine and Specs
As I mentioned earlier, the Karoq only comes with a single engine-gearbox combination which is a 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine mated to a 7-speed DSG box. The engine churns out 148 BHP and 250 Nm of torque and drives the front wheels. Skoda claims 0-100 acceleration time of 9 seconds and the engine tops out at 202 km/h whereas the WLTP rated fuel economy is 16.95 km/l. As I also mentioned earlier that our comprehensive drive review of the Karoq will follow soon, we will talk about the driving part in detail in that review. Talking about other specs, the Karoq offers a big boot space of 521 litres which can further be extended to 1630 litres by folding the rear bench in 60:40 split.
2020 Skoda Karoq First Look Review - Price and Verdict
Skoda India offers the Karoq in just a single Style variant and it is priced at Rs 24.99 lakhs ex-showroom. It sounds a lot for this segment but as you have read the sheer number of features on offer, you may have started adapting your thinking process. As it is a CBU, it gives complete satisfaction in terms of safety and quality which is uncompromised. At this price, it looks rubs its shoulders with the stellar Tata Harrier, Jeep Compass and its sibling, Volkswagen T-Roc. You can also take the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos into account as they also touch this price point with the top-spec trims. Ending without any big idioms and phrases, if you want a car with best in class quality and safety with a sprinkle of uniqueness, the Karoq should be your next car.
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