Skoda Karoq review - Interior & comfort

Cars fitted with the Columbus infotainment system look especially swish, thanks to a 9.2-inch glass capacitive touchscreen – even if it is a bit of a fingerprint magnet. In July 2022, Skoda’s eight-inch Virtual Cockpit also became a standard item, replacing traditional instruments with a digital display. Interior build quality impresses, too – many of the surfaces feel more tactile than those in the SEAT Ateca and the Alcantara 'Microsuede' seats of the SE L seem especially plush.

In late 2018, the Karoq Scout and Karoq Sportline versions were added to the range, bringing unique exterior and interior looks that favour off-road and sporty driving respectively. The Scout got tough-looking bumpers and wheel arch trims, unique alloy wheels and protective underbody trim. This version isn’t on sale any more, but the SportLine is – it gets a sportier look, as you might expect, along with some extra kit.

Equipment

There’s no such thing as a bare-bones Karoq, especially now the SE trim has been withdrawn. SE Drive features LED headlights and rear lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, DAB radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking sensors and even an umbrella under the passenger seat and an LED torch in the boot – two features the Ateca does without. For 2024 it was also upgraded to get a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit display.

Upgrade to the SE L trim, and you get the VarioFlex seats, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry, a heated steering wheel and a reversing camera, Alcantara upholstery, heated front seats and chrome roof rails. This is an impressive haul of kit.

The Karoq Sportline, meanwhile, gets black interior trim instead of silver parts for a more aggressive look, while the bumpers and wheel arches are body-coloured. Inside, there are sports seats with ‘Thermoflux’ breathable upholstery, a perforated leather steering wheel, stainless steel pedals, a black headliner and ambient lighting. It also gains LED Matrix adaptive headlights and a panoramic sunroof. Sportline also gained two tablet holders and ISOFIX for the front passenger seat during 2024.

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While those trim levels should be perfectly adequate for most buyers, luxury-focused customers might be tempted by a pre-owned Karoq in Edition trim. This adds lots of extra features like 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, LED interior lighting, leather upholstery and added safety kit to make Karoq ownership more enjoyable. Edition also includes the 9.2-inch Columbus touchscreen with wi-fi, gesture control and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

Added to the range in October 2018, but now discontinued, the Karoq Scout trim gave the SUV a more rugged look, thanks to different bumpers and side sills with silver scuff plates that were part of a ‘Rough Terrain Package’. The Scout model had 19-inch wheels and black seats with contrasting brown accents, wooden trim, a panoramic sunroof and a powered tailgate.

Options

While it might not be very exciting, we’d definitely recommend the space-saving spare wheel for £170. If you plan on going offroad, the Rough Road package adds engine and chassis guards for £200. The clever VarioFlex rear seats can be added to SE Drive for around £750, but aren’t available on the SportLine.

Most options are now bundled into packages. The Travel Assist package brings additional safety features like traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control, plus a USB socket in the rear-view mirror to plug in a dashcam. There’s also the Light package and Winter packages with heated seats and windscreen washers. A Safety Package was also added in mid-2022, which includes front and rear curtain side airbags and a system that tightens occupant seat belts and closes open windows during an emergency manoeuvre, called Crew Protect Assist.