ŠKODA SAYS THE VALUE and appeal of its Karoq medium SUV has been improved by expanding the range into three distinct tiers, headlined by a new value-packed entry point priced from both $39,990 (plus on road costs) and a national $39,990 drive-away.
The range now includes the Škoda Karoq, the Karoq Style and the Karoq SportLine 4×4, each with a unique character and all with the ‘Simply Clever’ brand’s European-best ownership offering – including a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and an affordable seven-year capped price servicing offer.
Škoda is targeting buyers of mainstream medium SUVs who want more features for their money, as well as class leading ownership.
For less than $40,000 the new Karoq includes: 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless start, power folding heated door mirrors with driver-side auto dimming, front and rear parking sensors, rear camera, Side Assist with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with Lane Assist, Front Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, LED headlights, fog lights, rear dynamic indicators, auto-dimming rear view mirror, dusk-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers, leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, 8-inch digital driver display and 8-inch Bolero infotainment with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
This packages together with a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, with combined-cycle fuel consumption of just 6.5L/100km.
Škoda Australia head of marketing and product Kieran Merrigan said the new Karoq directly brings a more attainable price tag, high standard features, excellent ownership value and classic Karoq space utilisation.
“The Karoq is unique in the medium SUV segment in that it combines compact dimensions with the greater space utilisation and packaging intelligence that Škoda is renowned for,” Mr Merrigan said.
“The new Karoq combines a large 521 litre boot volume with much more torque and lower fuel usage than a comparably priced entry Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson or Mazda CX-5 Maxx.”
“Features such as an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and dual-zone climate control air-conditioning are simply not found with new Karoq’s ‘base’ and basic rivals. Add a 7 Year Warranty and affordable seven-year servicing, and you have a compelling value package that undoubtedly earns its place on the shortlist of the savvy buyer who has done their homework, eagerly anticipating a test drive.”
Comparative drive-away prices for a Sydney 2000 postcode are: $39,958 Kia Sportage S automatic, $39,215 Hyundai Tucson and $39,990 Mazda CX-5 Maxx.
Škoda will now ‘step’ customers into the continuing Karoq Style that focuses on smart additions for a $4600 premium: power tailgate with Virtual Pedal, larger Virtual Cockpit, keyless entry with alarm, digital radio, driving profile selection, privacy glass, wireless phone charging, double-sided luggage net and boot nets/cargo dividers, VarioFlex removable rear seats and driver door bin.
The Karoq SportLine remains at the top of the range with a grunty 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) and all-wheel drive.
The new Škoda Karoq is available to order now, with only two optional extras – $770 paint colours and a $2750 Seven Year/105,000km Service Pack. The latter works out at just $393 per service including major intervals.