Skoda is in the driver’s seat at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL), leading the resurgence of the group in India. This was quite evident at the group night before the expo, where the VW group was out in full force. With Skoda unveiling the Karoq in February 2020, it managed to attract quite some attention through its stylish and robust looks. In this article, we’ll share light on the upcoming compact SUV from Skoda and what the premium SUV has to offer.
The Skoda Koraq was supposed to be launched April, but since the covid-19 scare has grappled the world and with the entire country under a complete lockdown, the Czech carmaker has decided to push the launch date to May 6. Skoda has however started accepting bookings for the Karoq SUV for a token amount of Rs 50,000. Slated to be a low volume product, the Skoda Karoq will be brought into the country as a completely built unit(CBU). Government rules and regulations dictate that manufacturers can import under 2,500 units a year without the need for homologation.
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The Skoda Karoq is a 5-seater SUV that is built on the veritable MQB platform which underpins many other models including the Octavia, the Kodiaq, and the Tiguan All Space among others. The company is currently working on a variation of the platform that will allow for the VW Group to launch India-specific vehicles at competitive prices. The Vision IN and the Taigun will be the first such examples.
A few days ago, Skoda revealed the dimensions and features of the Karoq for the Indian market. The Skoda Karoq measures 4,382 mm X 1,841 mm X 1,605 mm for length, width and height, respectively. Its wheelbase measures at 2,638mm. This brings it to the same league as the recently-launched Volkswagen T-Roc. The Karoq has all-LED headlights with swivelling function, projector fog lights, LED turn indicators as well as tail lights, and what appear to be 17-inch alloy wheels.
In the cabin, one will find beige leather upholstery. The driver’s seat is a 12-way electrically adjustable chair and also has memory functions added to it. A panoramic sunroof is on the features list. In addition to that, there is also the virtual cockpit that is customisable as well and the company has claimed that no two Karoqs would be the same. The infotainment system features Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. There is also Mirror Link which is the connected car technology offered by the company. In addition to this Dual-zone Climate Control and ambient lighting will also be on offer.
The Skoda Karoq has a boot space of 521 litres with all the seats in place. In terms of safety, the Skoda Karoq SUV gets nine airbags, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist and more features. The Karoq also gets a tyre pressure monitor and parking assist called ‘Parktronic’. In terms of mechanicals, there will be a lone petrol engine on offer. The Skoda Karoq will be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 148 brake horsepower and 250Nm of peak torque. The engine will come mated to a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission unit.
Like the T-Roc, even the Karoq will be sold only in one trim. Considering the vehicle is a CBU it could be priced on the higher side. Although we expect it to be slightly lesser than the T-ROC, which was introduced at an ex-showroom price of INR 19.99 lakh. The Skoda Karoq will compete against the likes of the Jeep Compass as well as the all-new Hyundai Tucson in this segment. The rivals, however, offer both – a petrol and a diesel engine. Skoda has assured its customers that deliveries of the Koraq will commence as soon as the situation eases out.