Long-term report: Saying goodbye to Skoda’s smallest SUV
Our time with the Kamiq has sadly come to an end, but are we jumping with joy or shedding tears? Cameron Richards reports.
This week, I said farewell to my Skoda Kamiq, which I’ve been living with for nearly six months.
If we cast ourselves back to when I took delivery, I was very saddened by the sight of the empty space in the layby outside where the Kamiq’s larger brother, the Karoq, used to be parked. The reason is because that car does everything you could ever ask it to do. It’s practical, comfortable, well-equipped, refined and is packed full of quirky and handy features. So, when I was handed the keys to its smaller counterpart, I was still full of hope.
However, to start with, the Kamiq and I struggled to get along, and that’s not to do with how it looks, or its practical DNA, which is carried over from the Karoq. No, in fact the smaller 1.0-litre TSi turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine and DSG automatic gearbox weren’t as smooth as the four-cylinder 1.5-litre unit found in the Karoq. Its engine sounded more coarse, the gearbox was hesitant and the acceleration wasn’t going to set the world alight. Immediately, I wanted my bigger, friendlier Skoda back.
The driving experience isn’t the most joyous, with numb steering that lacks any communication and it doesn’t have the quickest turn-in – but this is not a sports car at the end of the day, and the Kamiq feels just as anonymous as the Karoq in the driving stakes.
But, as the months rolled on, and I spent more time getting to know the Kamiq, I started to bond with it a little further. As it’s the Monte Carlo version, you get these rather lovely buddy-hugging sports seats which are very comfortable and do a great job eliminating backache on a longer journey. It also is very refined at speeds, despite the thrum from the three-cylinder engine and when I’m being careful, I can achieve over 55mpg – which is fantastic.
But, one fatal flaw not only with the Kamiq, but with Skodas in general is the wireless Apple CarPlay, which seems to have a mind of its own. Several times I’ve encountered disconnection issues, a blacked-out screen and volume problems. It’s infuriating, especially during a trip up to Surrey when Apple CarPlay did not resume on the screen and instead, I had to resort to the car’s in-built navigation system – which is nowhere near as good as Waze or Google Maps.
Just last month, the sound of doom sprung upon me when I heard the tyre pressure monitoring warning lamp come on – but thankfully it was just a case of resetting the system, which incidentally is very simple to do.
Thankfully, it’s not all doom and gloom and there have been plenty of occasions where the Kamiq and I have got on famously. The first thing was the fact that it’s got a manual handbrake, which is a lot nicer to use every day. Furthermore, a handy umbrella located in the driver’s door card, ice scraper in the fuel flap and a useful reversible rubber boot liner all help make your life that little bit easier day-to-day.
There’s been no issue from passengers, either. I’ve carried a few people in the back and there have been no complaints regarding space and features such as the full-length glass panoramic roof in the cabin helps to make it feel a lot lighter and airier.
As it’s smaller than the average SUV, parking too has been easy. Unlike lots of large SUVs – where you spend most of your time looking for spaces that are big enough to accommodate their large proportions – it’s not the same with the Kamiq.
All in all, as I watched the little Kamiq leave me, I wasn’t as saddened as I was nearly six months ago when its bigger brother left. But, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good car – far from it. If you want a small SUV that’s also brimming with practicality, is frugal and looks good, the Kamiq is an excellent and sensible choice for young families. If you go for the larger 1.5-litre engine, just like the Karoq, it could be the only car you could ever need, while still being economical and having greater performance.
