Motoring journalist, Tony Yates, recently tested the SKODA Karoq Edition 1.5 TSI 150PS – 6 Speed.

Every week, I get a few dozen emails asking for suggestions on what is the best small to medium sized car to buy right about now. Well, at first, I always say; ‘pick what makes you happy’. But, unfortunately, that’s probably not what they really wanted to hear. But, in my defence, it’s actually quite hard to give individual advice based on not having the full picture of their needs, and secondly, their budget.

All I will say is that there are about ten vehicles right now, that I consider being pretty good, such as the VW UP! and the Fiat 500. Of course, there are others that spring to mind, such as the Kia Stonic. But, when it comes to small/medium SUVs, it’s a little harder to judge. Well, to make it simple for you, this week’s review of the Skoda Karoq, just happens to be one of those that falls inside my list of ‘Top 10’ vehicles to buy. So there you go, simple really!

Power and Efficiency:

The Skoda Karoq I currently have on test is powered by a 150PS, 1.5 TSi petrol engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox and a respectable top speed of around126mph. It also has a 0-62 time of 8.4 seconds, and with little fuss, I managed a combined figure of around 50mpg. Actually, having 150PS in a Karoq, makes it move along at a really good pace and as I have found out with most of the TSi range of engines, they love to be revved hard, which means you get the best out of it at every opportunity.

On the road:

I like the way the Karoq handles – it feels well balanced, and so it should, as its designed to be a proper family SUV, which I happen to like very much. Also, when the road gets twisty it’s more than capable of holding its own. The steering also feels agile and direct, giving you the confidence to push harder into the corners, which also makes it feel fun to drive because it sticks firmly to the road ahead – something that Skoda always seems to get right when it comes to getting the best out of the chassis.

Equipment, Safety and Technology:

Inside: Some would say that most Skoda interiors seem a little bland, but there is a reason for this, its called being ‘functional’. Let’s face it, how many times have you sat inside a BMW and been overwhelmed with the array of buttons that frankly, you would need a BSc in Astrophysics to work them all out. Skoda does none of this in any of their vehicles, which is something I like because I am the sort of person who likes things to be ‘unfussy’.

Although, I am quite fussy when it comes to seating, but the seating in the Karoq felt well constructed and the support was there in all the right places and even after a long journey I still felt very relaxed. As for all the dials and switches – they are laid out very well and as mentioned earlier, nothing looks awkwardly out of place and best of all, no University BSc required.

Some of the standard equipment on the Karoq Edition includes; 19” Crater alloy wheels, electronic traction control, front assist, drivers airbag, passengers airbag with de-activation switch, Isofix preparation, dual-zone climate control, cruise control with speed limiter, automatic headlight control, driver fatigue sensor, full LED headlights with adaptive front lighting system and LED daytime running lights, blind spot detection with rear traffic alert, Columbus satellite navigation system with 9.2” touchscreen display with maps and integrated Wi-Fi with gesture control.

Plus it doesn’t stop there either - you also get; a DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity, and ESC which includes; ABS+MSR+ASR+EDS+

HBA+DSR+RBS+MKB – if you want to know what all those mean, then I suggest you take a trip to your local Skoda dealer and ask a well-informed salesperson.

To sum up:

I’m going to give the Karoq four stars in this test, not only because I like it a lot, but because I believe it’s a decent sized SUV that will tick all the boxes for someone looking for a vehicle that will fulfil all their needs.

Price: from £27,115 OTR – excluding extras.