Skoda

Kamiq

The Skoda Kamiq may the smallest in the company’s trio of impressive SUVs, but it has plenty of bite when it comes to performance. With space for four adults (five at a squeeze) customers can choose from generously-equipped trim levels and a range of economical, yet powerful engines. It also boasts a price-tag that’s very competitive.

The good

Stylish, practical and easy to drive

The bad

Lots of very good competition out there

Tech Specs

Price from

£24,030

Combined Fuel up to

48.6-51.8mpg (WLTP)

0-62 from

8.3 seconds

max speed up to

132mph

co2 from

122-130g/km

Test Drive

Skoda Kamiq – First Drive (2024)

It may be the smallest of Skoda’s SUV line-up, but the Kamiq is big on style, technology, performance, practicality and price. And now the Czech carmaker has raised the bar even higher with a new refresh for 2024.

The Kamiq, which takes its name from the Inuit people, is the company’s second best-selling car and with competitive pricing, it’s still a superb all-rounder.

Customers can choose from three trims called SE, SE L and Monte Carlo with prices starting from £24,030 and rising to £32,065. And there is a choice of three engines too with a three-cylinder 1.0 TSI unit with outputs of either 95PS or 116PS, along with a 1.5-litre option with 150PS.

We tested the 1.0-litre model with the higher 116PS power output, which has increased by 6PS compared to the outgoing model. Our vehicle was European specification which is slightly different to the UK line-up, but it was somewhere between the SE and SE L versions, which cost £24,690 and £27,175 respectively.

Skoda’s design team have worked hard to give the car a more robust appearance in a bid to make it more SUV-like in its styling. New features include a larger, upright grille, slimmer front lights, a redesigned lower bumper, new air intakes and three new wheel designs. At the rear, there are segmented lights making the Kamiq more recognisable at night and the LED fog lights are now integrated into the bumper.

A first for the Kamiq, on higher trims, are LED Matrix lights and, in addition, some models also gain a panoramic sunroof.

Moving inside, the interior is beautifully styled with a fairly minimalist approach. The upholstery has been upgraded and there is a constant eye on sustainability with the use of many recycled materials throughout. Our model featured a nine-inch touchscreen with built-in navigation and this is the access point to a number of on-board features, such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, a DAB radio, Bluetooth, reversing camera (which is part of an optional Convenience Pack costing £1,000) and plenty more besides.

Behind the steering wheel is a 10.25-inch digital driver display with five settings and special mention to Skoda for listening to customer feedback, as the new Kamiq now features a separate panel for all the climate control functions.

The seats are powered so getting comfy is a simple process and these, along with the steering wheel, can be heated to fend off the winter blues.

So, new Kamiq looks the business and has an improved interior with upgraded technology, but how does it handle when put to the test? The answer is rather well.

We drove the front-wheel drive vehicle on an assortment of roads, including motorways, steep hill climbs and through busy villages and towns near Frankfurt and it was up to the challenge on all counts.

With 116PS and 200Nm of torque, it can reach from 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds and tops out at 121mph. It effortlessly cruises on motorways sitting comfortably at 70mph, is agile in crowded streets and proved very capable tackling the testing inclines with confident grip, nicely weighted steering and minimal sign of body movement.

There are drive modes called Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual. Stay in Eco and you are likely to beat the WLTP-tested 49.1-52.2mpg figure, but switch across to Sport, which is more rewarding, and the efficiency will dip a little.

The suspension does a worthy job of smoothing out any unexpected potholes along the way and the cabin is generally nicely hushed, apart from at higher speeds when engine and wind noise becomes more noticeable.

An area where the five-door Kamiq really excels is its cabin space – it is deceptively roomy inside and four adults, of the taller variety, could easily sit comfortably over longer journeys.

The boot can swallow 400 litres of goodies and this capacity opens up to 1,395 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. Elsewhere there are numerous handy storage options, including deep door pockets with a water bottle section, a glovebox, seat back pockets, a small cubby bin, a drawer beneath the front passenger seat and rather small, shallow cup holders.

Being a Skoda, expect to find some Simply Clever features too, such as an umbrella stored neatly in the door and an ice scraper in the fuel filler flap.

When you also take into consideration the comprehensive list of safety systems and driver assistance aids, the Skoda Kamiq is a fabulous family car that seems to grow in stature with every transformation.

Test Drive

Skoda Kamiq SE 1.0 TSI 115PS (2020)

The dynamically-styled Skoda Kamiq is the third and smallest in the Czech car maker’s SUV line-up, but despite its compact dimensions it certainly packs a mighty punch.

Skoda describes the Kamiq as a ‘car for the urban jungle’ and that perfectly sums up this five-door fire-cracker of a model which is very content pottering through busy city centres, but can also hold its own when unleashed out on the country lanes and fast-moving motorways.

Our Kamiq, in mid-grade SE trim, was powered by a spritely three-cylinder 1.0-litre TSi 115PS petrol engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. With 200Nm of torque on offer, it could sprint to 62mph from a standstill in a very respectable 9.9 seconds and maxed out at 120mph. According to official figures, the car could deliver a combined 42.8-47.9mpg under WLTP testing with carbon emissions of 116g/km.

The Kamiq SE is priced at £19,935, but as is the norm with many manufacturers these days, there is a whole range of options available and these bumped the final cost up to £24,460.

That is quite a hefty sum for a compact SUV, but you are definitely guaranteed a lot of car for the outlay. For starters, there’s no denying the fact that the Kamiq is very easy on the eye. It’s the first model to feature Skoda’s new look front end that includes a separate strip of daytime running lights and indicators that sit above the main headlights.

Other eye-catching design cues include an upright radiator grille with distinctive double slats, a raised centre section running down the entire bonnet, a front spoiler, rear diffuser, black roof rails, plus 17-inch Propus Aero alloy wheels as a £420 option over the standard wheels.

The interior is typically Skoda which means it is clutter-free, modern in its design and very driver focused. A fully panoramic sunroof allows light to flood into the cabin and the neatly upholstered seats offer good levels of support, while a heated steering wheel and heated seats are very welcome in the colder winter months.

Despite being the smallest SUV in the Skoda family, the Kamiq is deceptively spacious and even back seat passengers benefit from plenty of leg, head and shoulder room. In addition, the boot can swallow 400 litres of kit – a capacity that rises to 1,395 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped down.

Skoda has equipped the Kamiq with all the latest infotainment systems too, such as a smart eight-inch touchscreen, DAB radio, Bluetooth, an eight-speaker sound system, cruise control, dual zone climate control and Wireless Smartlink for Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity – this will be extended to incorporate Android Auto on later models, but for now they need to be connected via a cable to work.

So the car looks fabulous and is well kitted out, but how does it cope when faced with the open road? The answer is very well indeed. It is not as high-sided as some rival models, so it feels more grounded and balanced out on the uneven B roads, meaning bends can be attacked at pace without any fear of body roll.

It is a very easy car to drive and the acceleration through the six-speed transmission is nice and smooth with a constant stream of power on tap to help tackle steep inclines or overtake slower moving vehicles.

The steering is fairly light which is a real bonus in busy town centre traffic with lots of twisting and turning, but it’s also a car that can cruise effortlessly at 70mph on motorways.

Skoda is renowned for the Simply Clever features in its cars and the Kamiq boasts an umbrella in the driver’s door and an ice scraper that’s located in the fuel filler flap. In addition, the panoramic sunroof has a blind that rolls forwards rather than backwards so it doesn’t compromise on rear headroom – now that is clever.

And when you factor in a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating the Skoda Kamiq is quite the complete all-round package in the compact SUV sector.

And just in case you’re wondering, the Kamiq name derives from the Inuit people in northern Canada and means ‘something that fits perfectly in every situation’ – that sums up this car to a tee.