Skoda Kamiq review

Skoda reckons a mid-range 1.0-litre SE manual will be the best seller, so that seems like a very sensible place to start. This is not, it’s fair to say, a car that will make its big sell on how it goes or steers. That’s a pity if you liked the old Yeti, which was a real treat to hustle and yet strangely plush when you calmed down.

But much as it pains us to admit it, the Kamiq’s fine and fit for purpose. You’ll have more fun in Britain’s best-selling Ford Puma, but then again, you’d have more fun not driving a crossover in the first place. And now’s not the time for that argument.

Is it comfy?

The standard chassis on regular wheels is comfortable, body roll is respectable and the steering is well-weighted. Good family cars understand that, at times, driving the car may be beaten in your priorities by other distractions from the back seat, so the car shouldn’t be a hassle. The Kamiq’s good at just blending into the background as it travels along the road.

Speaking of which, the engine is pleasingly refined. Gone are the days when downsized 1.0-litre engines in bigger cars felt like an overworked hamster wheel was coming loose under the bonnet. This 114bhp unit does have enough muscle and remains smooth when revved, hitting 62mph in a respectable 9.7 seconds. You can have a 94bhp version too, but don’t. Not least because it swaps the six-speed manual for a five-speeder. Old-school.

It's perhaps an uncomfortable truth that the Kamiq shines brighter the more you spend; the poky 1.5-litre engine brings this chassis to life, especially with the mostly effortless shifting of the DSG paddleshift ‘box. Even in sopping wet conditions, the power is delivered pretty slickly to the front axle as the Kamiq bounds along pretty keenly.

The ‘MQB’ platform that dozens of smaller VW Group products utilise has always brought sharp reactions, and with enough power to awaken its chassis, it’s pretty impressive here. Even if the focus is on tidy, safe handling as opposed to actual fun.

Any other engine options?

There used to be a diesel, a 1.6 TDI which proved to be well-insulated noise-wise and returned an indicated 45mpg on our mostly motorway-based test route versus 35mpg for the petrol Kamiq on a twisty, hilly trip. However, diesel power is no longer offered due to a lack of demand and a vastly changing marketplace. No hybrids or electric options as yet – expect a small, fully electric Skoda SUV to land in 2025 priced similarly to the Kamiq.