Should you get a Skoda Karoq? And which one?

Here's what happened when we sent Howard out with leasing.com's Skoda Karoq 2.0 TDI for a review. We wondered if it could possibly be as good as all the awards suggest; having recently won the What Car? award for best family SUV for 2021, we were curious, and so Howard got cold and wet.
Skip Ahead:
How much is a Karoq? 0:25-0:42
Karoq Practicality 0:43-3:00
Engines 3:17-4:01
Manoeuvrability 4:01-5:00
Clarkson's farm. 5:04-5:20
Safety and cockpit 5:21-6:33
MPG 2.0TDI & Road noise 6:50-7:30
Canton sound 7:38-8:17
Verdict 8:20-9:14
Thankfully the Velvet red paint was not damaged in this video but he did submerge his microphone pack into a deep puddle, or should that be OUR microphone pack? He's doing well recently having driven over two cameras with our RS6, but anyway.
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Howard's DOPE or NOPE.
👍 DOPE:
The colour.
Seats.
Standard safety kit.
Steering.
Suspension.
Pan roof.
The look.
The SE.
👎 NOPE:
Loud engine, 2.0 TDI.
Hollow door cards.
Sport Line equipment, compared to SE.

[@leasingdotcom]

QUIZ TIME: IF THEY WERE THE SAME PRICE KAROQ OR TIGUAN?

[@MSM4U2POM]

The fuel economy of the 1.5 TSI Edition never ceases to amaze me: took ours from Ledbury in Herefordshire (in the UK) to Worcester via Malvern the other day using the A449. Anyone who knows this route will tell you that it is uphill, down-dale, stop-start driving all the way. Even so, it still returned 50.3 miles per gallon (or 5.62 litres per 100 km, if you prefer). That's not bad from a 150 horsepower beast that propels the thing from 0 to 60 mph in just 8.1 seconds! Part of the reason for its frugality is the fact that whenever it can, the Karoq shuts half the engine down and it fires on just two pots. If you keep it in third in the 30 mph zones, it stays in two-cylinder mode most of the time, and the results speak for themselves. How a tall car that weighs nearly two metric tons can use so little fuel is a mystery to me, but it is testimony to the brilliance of the engineers who make the thing. I take my hat off to them.

[@ramalufc322]

Like the style of the review, spot on in terms of genuine informative comment and dry humour. Good job.

[@paulcrawford5437]

I have the SE L model and I gotta say I love it. Spacious, comfortable all the toys I could want.

[@gregturner_awod]

We own a 1.5 petrol Launch Edition (Australian model) Karoq. It has been the perfect car, drives beautifully and has been 100% reliable. The DSG gearbox is smooth and absolutely suited to the engine. Our conditions are cold (Winter) to very hot (Summer). The aircon is fast to cool in heat and the car heating very adequate in Winter. Our model has leather electric adjustable seats and every add on pack Skoda offered at time of purchase. I don’t think exactly the same version was sold in the UK but the basic car is identical to those sold in Europe.

[@rahimmalekshahi8750]

Would you recommend Karoq over Tiguan ?

[@gregturner_awod]

I would.

[@DM-0072]

Got the 1.5 and its a lovely car. No complaints at all...i will definitely consider getting another Skoda in the future.

[@leasingdotcom]

Looking for an in stock family SUV? We bring you all the greatest deals here: buff.ly/3UbXXJ7

[@kasimkn]

Brill review, thank you! ☺️

[@74Ljay]

Great review

[@dovpauzner5093]

The theme of car safety and security systems is covered . Thanks !

[@tanfosbery1153]

Great review - think you are the first one to mention kangaroo-ing in a review. Don't let that put you off buying one though. My 2019 1.5 SE had this problem when starting from cold, but sorted with a software update from the dealer.

[@chrishext6889]

My brother has one, drove it a couple of hundred miles and is pretty good

[@jasonthompson5526]

I have a Karoq 1.5Tsii DSG 2019 and no lurching kangarooing ect ever. Cant fault the car or gearbox. Just a brilliant car. Excellent. Thanks Škoda 😁

[@Ginge2417]

Good review !

[@tunaboys]

Top review 🥳

[@dovpauzner5093]

Thank you!

[@subramoniams9850]

Would it be same or better moving to Karoq from Yeti 1.8TSI 4x4 version? I own a Yeti 2012 since 2013. Nice car, high seating position, good mileage in Middle East summers and even better in the milder winters. 6 speed DSG is a stunner - I normally seem to stun others if I were first at a multi-lane intersection.

[@sandunjayasinghe6481]

This car very good I like

[@NicoDicken]

Nice

[@cJ-cr8gp]

Is reverse cam standard? How about adaptive cc? And Lane keeping? Which models are these on? Does the SE have the pano roof? How about that seating system where the rear ones can be removed? Is that an option or standard? So many questions? So many other reviewers to watch. Good start though. Thanks.

[@leasingdotcom]

Adaptive is standard on "SE Technology" model optional on other SE models. SE Drive model includes reverse camera. Pan roof is not standard on any car it is £1250 option or add £38pm x 36 months. Specs do change, so always double check.

[@davidmitchell8490]

I drive a 2016 mk 3 Superb Estate L&K 2L tsi 220 with the Canton sound system fitted as standard. Sound quality even from lowish compressed mp3 (128Gbps) files on SD card, or from the installed 12Gb "Jukebox" hard drive " or over phone bluetooth or over Android Auto, not to mention 'full fat' cd's in the CD player, is terrific and as good as you'll find within the limited confines of any car. Manufacturers car audio systems have since withdrawn all of these playing 4options leaving new cars with only Apple Car Play or Android Auto. A great shame really but it keeps costs down I suppose. Did I hear you say the Karoq you drove had an internet radio or did you mean DAB? How did that work in a car if it is truly an internet radio. I liked your presentation which touched on the main points of the Karoq's nature as well as some other not often mentioned aspects in other reviews. Well done buddy.

[@davidmitchell8490]

Perhaps I was mistaken re. the Internet radio. My apologies for any confusion to other readers.

[@paulgates4083]

someone get this guy on tv!

[@rahimmalekshahi8750]

Hi, Amazing review. I learned new things here about the car. Would you prefer this over Tiguan considering the price difference? Or you choose Tiguan? I am about to buy and need some advice

[@leasingdotcom]

Hmm - Tough call that... really tough. Try and go sit in both if you can and you will maybe feel what feels right. It really is down to that, because they are as good as each other really.

[@rahimmalekshahi8750]

@@leasingdotcom thanks. I will test drive both then.

[@nesam4665]

Nice video...What do you recommend....New Karoq Face Lift 1.5 TSI u Style or Jeep Compas 1.5 MHEV DCT 4X2 130KS + 20KS(15KW) LIMITED?. Compass is little expensive but it is not important...

[@leasingdotcom]

Karoq going by global reviews. :)

[@ITAssasin]

I bet you really missed the umbrella in the door, this time!

[@thezanzibarbarian5729]

Loved that barking duck. It _quacked_ me up 8-[[... And thanks Howard. You mentioned that flipping _Baby Shark,_ song and now I can't get it out of my head. So cheers for that 8-((... But Howard does another great car review on what could be described as a mediocre vehicle. If anyone else made a video of this car, I for one, wouldn't watch it 8-))... _Baby shark, shark, shark. Baby shark, shark, shark..._

[@leasingdotcom]

ha ha

[@Mezzalenko]

I'd love to know what space was like behind your driving position :)

[@leasingdotcom]

Would you like us to ask Howard to do those wavy hand on knee shots?

[@Mezzalenko]

Haha! Yes please :)

[@leasingdotcom]

@@Mezzalenko You'll be in the next one!

[@antonoat]

Can’t believe your mpg, our 2.0 Diesel Karoq always gives us between 50-60 mpg without even trying, our car is manual!

[@edgk490]

Is yours 4x4?

[@philscott4522]

I have 2 wheel drive manual tdi 2 litre seldom gets above 48 mpg

[@petercook2823]

I have a 2018 1.5 and have never had any kangarooing at all

[@ConstructiveMinds100]

I really love the dashboard. However I cannot understand why Skoda has not redesigned its logo. Citroën has done it, Kia has done it. WHY Skoda is reluctant to do it? I personally find the logo bit outdated.

[@tunaboys]

A good logo lasts for ever! Why change something good for the sake of change? A logo should be eternally identifiable.

[@philscott4522]

A logo? Get a grip! How many times have bmw, vw changed!

[@shikhapoonia]

What do you mean by “a bit of kangarooing going on”? Strange phrase not sure what you mean…

[@richscrinsonphonegg8842]

What do you think it means?! What does a Kangaroo do?

[@Fastwunz]

I have the Passat with the 1.5 tsi dsg and in 1 year it had terrible clanking and juddering issues from a slow start - needed a whole new gear box. It’s a very common problem. As are the extremely well documented issues with the dreadfully unreliable infotainment system

[@veronpro1]

"Yes I am wet" 😂

[@SlingBanditMan]

1st gear to 2nd, 1.0tsi..very hard to avoid lurching, changing into 2nd if your not in the turbo zone ie 1850rpm you will be in the no power zone.. So basically you gotts to screw it a bit. Clutch nannies you it releases power on its terms not yours

[@leasingdotcom]

Pinned. Have you been in for software?

[@SlingBanditMan]

@@leasingdotcom no, ive had it 2 months and theres no update as far as im aware, but the massive gap between 1st and 2nd is really starting to grate, as soon as you pull away in 1st it should solidly accelerate in 2nd but unless you gas it over the 2200rpm mark it drops you into the dead zone at 1500.

[@Mike-vw6jw]

@@SlingBanditMan a very annoying fault, we had it on our 2019 1.5tsi. Literally no power and you have to smash your foot down on the accelerator pedal and wait for it to pick up. Had the software updated but it still did it. Swapped it for a 2021 sportline DSG and not experienced the fault.

[@SlingBanditMan]

@@Mike-vw6jw yeah thats it, they should lower the turbo kick in. Id like them to map it better ideally

[@stephenwakeman3074]

The kangaroo has been an issue since the Karoq launched with the 1.5TSI. I had mine in 2019 and got the updates for it which are hard for them to even admit to existing. It's much better on my 1.5 but I think part of it is that I've learnt to compensate for it. It's really poor for such a massive company but then there was dieselgate so, expecting too much?

[@smudger671]

I hate the black body trim and wheels.

[@matej2733]

Please, just read Š as "sh" ... and in Volkswagen V as "f" thnx 🙃