Four years after its launch, the ŠKODA KAROQ gets an update: the Czech carmaker has refreshed its second SUV model range to ensure its continued success. In addition to an even more refined design language, the update brings sustainable materials, new technology and more efficient engines from the current EVO generation to the compact SUV. Surpassed only by the OCTAVIA, the KODIAQ’s smaller brother was the second most delivered ŠKODA model worldwide in 2020, as well as in the first six months of 2021. ŠKODA AUTO has continued to develop its design language for the revised KAROQ, making the SUV look even more striking. The wider, now hexagonal ŠKODA grille, slimmer headlights as well as tail lights, and aerodynamically optimised alloy wheels with black plastic Aero trim create fresh visual highlights. The new wheels, rear window finlets and a new rear spoiler all improve the car’s aerodynamics while lowering its CO2 emissions. The interior features new upholstery which, as an option, can be made from sustainable materials. New technology – such as full-LED Matrix headlights and an expanded range of assistance systems – also debuts in the range. Five efficient engines from Volkswagen Group’s EVO generation round off the KAROQ’s update. Two diesels and three petrol engines deliver power outputs ranging from 81 kW (110 PS) to 140 kW (190 PS). The 2.0 TSI producing 140 kW is reserved for the KAROQ SPORTLINE and exclusively with all-wheel drive. The 2.0 TDI with an output of 110 kW is available with front- or all-wheel drive.
The significantly slimmer headlights extend to the ŠKODA grille. Redesigned daytime running lights, which are now split in two, further accentuate the car’s dynamic look. The redesigned rear of the ŠKODA KAROQ is now adorned with an extended, body-coloured spoiler, which makes the vehicle look longer when viewed from the side. Together with side finlets, as seen in aircraft construction, the spoiler reduces air turbulence at the rear, improving the car’s aerodynamics and lowering its CO2 emissions. The restyled rear apron is finished in body colour below the loading sill and the robust black plastic rear diffuser bears a striking sculptured shape. The ŠKODA designers have remodelled the KAROQ’s tail lights too. They are now sharper and come with full-LED technology as standard. From the Ambition trim level upwards, they feature dynamic indicators and an animated welcome effect. ŠKODA-typical design details include the crystalline structures and the brand’s signature C-shaped light cluster. For the optional top-end headlights, ŠKODA is offering full-LED Matrix technology for the KAROQ for the first time. Here, two LED modules are arranged one above the other. They provide low beam and high beam, and create a distinct four-light cluster, particularly in driving mode in the dark. Even the entry-level KAROQ comes with LED modules in the upper headlight as standard, with a separate fog light in the lower housing.
The ŠKODA KAROQ’s connectivity features are state of the art: the SUV is equipped with systems from Volkswagen Group’s third-generation modular infotainment matrix and is always online thanks to a built-in eSIM. Infotainment apps provide weather forecasts and the latest news, and include calendar management. Over the course of 2022, the KAROQ will be offered exclusively with a digital instrument cluster: the 8-inch display will be standard or there will be the option of a customisable 10.25-inch screen. Over the course of 2022, the ŠKODA KAROQ will be equipped with a digital instrument cluster as standard. The 8-inch display will replace the previous analogue instruments. From the Ambition trim level upwards, the digital instrument cluster (or ‘Virtual Cockpit’ as it is also referred to) is available with a 10.25-inch display as an option. This offers five basic layouts and can be configured individually. The Bolero, Amundsen and Columbus infotainment systems are based on Volkswagen Group’s third-generation modular infotainment matrix. Thanks to a built-in eSIM, they offer digital DAB radio and are always online. The Bolero and Amundsen systems come with an 8-inch screen and optionally receive web radio thanks to the permanent internet connection. The system can be operated via the touchscreen, the buttons and knurled wheels on the multifunction steering wheels, or through Laura, the digital voice assistant which, using online data, understands 15 languages. The range-topping Columbus system displays information on a 9.2-inch screen. Map and software updates are installed ‘over the air’. The entry-level Swing radio features a 6.5-inch display.
More striking, more elongated and more aerodynamic: the updated KAROQ is characterised by the refined ŠKODA SUV design language. As with other models by the Czech brand, it now sports a wider, hexagonal ŠKODA grille, which – together with the new front apron – makes the KAROQ look more rugged. The headlights are slimmer, as are the tail lights, and feature a four-light cluster design, now also available with full-LED Matrix technology. The restyled and sculptured bumper is body-coloured while the wide lower air inlet comes in a crystalline mesh-effect design. The L-shaped finishing touches on the sides accentuate the air curtains while a rugged, black-grained spoiler completes the front section. The air curtains direct the air through the sides of the front bumper as well as through the wheels, reducing air vortices and improving airflow. To reduce underbody drag, the all-wheel-drive KAROQ now comes with aerodynamically optimised fuel tank undertrays, which also cover the rear axle. A longer rear spoiler, a front apron with air curtains, aerodynamically optimised fuel tank undertrays and new alloy wheels with a diameter of 17, 18 or 19 inches help to reduce the car’s drag by more than 9% to a coefficient (cd) of 0.30. This makes the KAROQ one of the most aerodynamic cars in its segment.
The revised ŠKODA KAROQ comes with a choice of five advanced and efficient EVO-generation engines from Volkswagen Group, which deliver an output from 81 kW (110 PS) to 140 kW (190 PS). With an injection pressure of up to 350 bar, the three TSI petrol engines are particularly efficient. The nitrogen oxides (Nox) emitted by the two diesels are significantly below the standards stipulated thanks to the ‘twin dosing’ exhaust gas treatment. ŠKODA offers the 2.0 TSI engine with an output of 140 kW (190 PS) exclusively in the KAROQ SPORTLINE in combination with 7-speed DSG and all-wheel drive. For the more powerful diesel, 4×4 and 7-speed DSG are available as options. ŠKODA AUTO has integrated a number of technical measures to make the current EVO-generation engines even more efficient and reduce their emissions. For the diesels, weight-optimised crankshafts and extensive modifications to the exhaust gas routing – as well as the turbo, injection and thermo-management systems – result in lower fuel consumption. In addition, the TDIs are equipped with a further developed SCR exhaust gas treatment system and two catalytic converters. Using what is known as ‘twin dosing’, AdBlue® is injected in front of the two SCR catalytic converters that are positioned one after the other, reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to far below the required standards. As a result, the EVO-generation TSI petrol engines are more efficient than their predecessors. An injection pressure of up to 350 bar ensures lower hydraulic losses and a reduced fuel delivery rate. In the 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI engines, an innovative powder-coated layer measuring just 150 μm (0.15 mm) replaces cast-iron cylinder liners. This reduces internal friction, which lowers fuel consumption and emissions. Through better distribution and dissipation of heat in the combustion chamber, it also lowers the thermal load on the engine. Equipped with Active Cylinder Technology (ACT), the 1.5 TSI automatically shuts down two cylinders when engine load is low, thereby further reducing fuel consumption.
