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You can get small USB-C flash drives like this MyMemory 128GB Dual USB-C & USB 3.1 Flash Drive - 200MB/s £20.99 - Free Delivery | MyMemory that will plug into a PC using one end to load your music onto it, then plug into the Karoq using the other end to play it back. They even fit under the sliding lid to the phonebox compartment.

In other Skodas the heated rear window element is also used as the DAB aerial. So the better reception could be because there is a bad connection between the heated rear window element and the radio - or because the aerial is higher up when the boot is open?

As far as I know it's not fitted to Karoqs with the electric tailgate - we just have a choice of buttons to press

All cars have a unique 17 character identity code – their Vehicle Identification Number or VIN. For Karoqs this is displayed at the bottom lefthand corner of the windscreen, on a sticker at the base of the middle body pillar, and stamped into the righthand suspension turret under the bonnet. It takes the form: TMB LJ7 NU 7J5 012345 and can be decoded as follows: The first 3 characters are TMB for Škoda cars. The 4th character tells you the chassis type: J = left-hand drive FWD, K = right-hand drive FWD, L = left-hand drive 4x4 and M = right-hand drive 4x4. The 5th character tells you the engine: E = 2.0 TSI 190PS, G = 1.6 TDI 115PS, J = 2.0 TDI 150PS, M = 2.0 TDI 190 PS, P = 1.0 TSI 115PS, R = 1.5 TSI 150PS. (Anyone know the code for the 2.0 TDI 115PS engine or Russian 1.6 MPI engines?) The 6th character tells you how many airbags the car has: 2 = 2 front airbags, 4 = 2 front and 2 side airbags, 5 = 2 fronts + 2 sides + 1 knee airbag, 6 = 2 front airbags + 2 sides + 2 heads, 7 = 2 front airbags + 2 sides + 2 heads + 1 knee airbag, 8 = 2 front airbags + 4 sides + 2 heads, 9 = 2 front bags + 4 sides + 2 heads + 1 knee airbag. The 7th and 8th character tell you the vehicle model: NU = the Karoq (2017 on). The 9th character is a check digit to validate the code. The 10th character tells you the car's model year: J = MY2018 (ie manufactured between summer 2017 and summer 2018, K = MY2019 (ie manufactured between summer 2018 and summer 2019, L = MY2020 (ie manufactured between summer 2019 and summer 2020, M = MY2021 (ie manufactured between summer 2020 and summer 2021. The 11th character tells you where your car was built: 0 to 4 = Mladá Boleslav, Czechia; 5 = Kvasiny, Czechia; 7 or 8 = Vrchlabi, Czechia; B = Solomonovo, Ukraine; H = Nizhny Novgorod, Russia; J = Osnabruck, Germany; K = Kaluga, Russia; N = Mladá Boleslav, Czechia. Then finally the 12th to 17th numbers are the unique production number for that production line and year. If anyone has a character in their VIN not listed above, please give me the details so I can update this guide. Thanks Chris

Also known as driving according to the conditions!

Indeed, I bought my last two Golf MPVs (a Golf Plus and then a Golf SV) because their extra height made entry and exit much less stressful on my back. And although they were tall FWD cars, I had no problems with wheelspin either! Now I have a Karoq because MPVs are getting rare beasts, and I must admit I pushed the boat out a fair bit when I chose it I doubt I've tested the all-wheel drive system yet, even in the snow this winter, but it's a lovely car to drive and I love the Area View 360 degree camera option!! Chris

Does it have the memory settings to go with the powered seats perhaps? Other than that it could be body coloured rather than black?

The owners manual should tell you if it was possible to connect mobile phones that way, and if so how you would go about it. So if you look for the appropriate settings in the menu system you should get the answer I think.

Yes, I even remember having cars where you could turn the dashboard lights right down - in fact I'me trying to remember if my MG TD (1950 version) even had lights on the dials?!

Well it certainly doesn't sound right! I've never experienced the Front Assist coming on in mine. You should be able to adjust the sensitivity in the menu system (look for driver assistants) but as you've only had it for a month I'd suggest you contact the seller quickly. (I'm assuming you bought it from a Skoda dealer).

I've had the message saying settings have been changed and do I want to confirm them perhaps once every few weeks recently - which I'd assumed was down to me changing settings in the Connect app but that may be coincidental. But no other problems. I've read that other owners have had to reset the system as you describe so it sounds like that is the way to go. As cars get increasingly computerised we'll just have to get used to rebooting them now and then I guess.

Alas my planned holiday to Brittany to see the first few stages of the Tour de France has been cancelled so I have no evidence of this :( Chris

I'm pretty sure that if you're on the extended service scheme, the oil will last for a year and a half or so, depending on the type of driving you do and the length of your journeys. Unfortunately though the trips I've been making during lockdown - 16 miles a week to go shopping - are bad news for car engines and their oil! The new VW 508 oil with its reduced viscosity are all down to reducing fuel consumption and emissions of course, and we can only hope that there isn't any increased wear in the engine. But others have reported that dealers are still using the old spec VW 507 oils when they replace it. So who will get the blame if engines are damaged by using the wrong oil?? Chris

Just checked the latest UK brochure, and you're correct it's not shown there. Skoda just provide the legally required version. But there are add-on ones from Michelin etc who fit special valve caps with pressure sensors and a display panel in the car. I've always found the ABS -based system adequate and am wary about the extra sensitivity of direct pressure reading systems. Chris

From memory, it's available as an option if you require that. But my only experience with the Renault system was in a hire car in Corsica... when it would light up like a Christmas tree when one side of the car was bathed in sunlight! Chris

I noticed that on mine too. Weird but seems to be consistent behaviour. Chris

I had that today as well. It only updates when the car is stationary and the ignition switched on - mine only took a couple of minutes and when completed said it had corrected a couple of errors and updated the shop. it's not the navigation software as that was unchanged for me.

The tow bar electronics will need to disconnect the rear fog light when anything is attached to it, as well as disconnecting the rear parking sensors etc. A professionally fitted tow bar should comply with these requirements. But if your car was not fitted with the towing pack when built, you may also need to upgrade the radiator. The standard tow bar drops down and round from under the car so that you don't hit your shin on the hook walking behind the car. (From memory that used to be very painful!) No doubt some towing experts will be along soon with more guidance. Chris

OK, so it sounds like they tweaked its behaviour to better meet the latest emission standards? Though it must be pretty marginal. Chris

W hen coasting the gear indicator shows just E rather than E6 or E7 or whatever. In my My21 car it only coasts in Eco mode. Perhaps in your car it is in D7 and not changing down automatically to provide engine braking? I have found in the past with DSG transmissions that as soon as I brake on a descent the gearbox changes down to a lower gear to assist the brakes. Chris

It only coasts in Eco mode surely, not in the default Drive mode etc. But as the engine cuts off on the overrun and doesn't use any fuel the only benefit is that the car maintains its speed better and so needs less throttle when the road levels out or goes uphill? Chris

I've had that a couple of times, and have linked it to making changes in the My Skoda app on my phone. I'd assumed it was because I'd changed my preferred service agent and the car's software was catching up. However this could be a complete red herring Chris

By online he means it is stored in the Skoda servers for any authorised repairer to access. (You may be able to check it via the Skoda Connect app, but as mine hasn't had a service yet I can't confirm this!) For details of what was done at each service you need to ask your dealer to print off an invoice when the service is completed and then store that at home! Chris

The SE L 1.6TDI (116PS) manual and DSG FWD cars were replaced last summer with SE L 2.0 TDI (116PS) manual and DSG FWD cars; and the latest brochure only lists an SE L 2.0TDI (150PS) manual FWD or a 2.0TDI (150PS) DSG 4x4. Previously it looks like all the SE L 2.0 TDI (150PS) cars only came as a manual FWD or a DSG 4x4. (All the SE L 2.0TDI (190PS) cars were DSG 4x4s.) So to get a diesel SE L DSG FWD, it looks like the choice is between a pre-summer 2020 1.6TDI, or a newer 2.0 (116PS) car. If you're towing I'd have thought a 4x4 could be useful (and as it only drives the rear wheels when it senses the front wheels are struggling it shouldn't be too big a hit on fuel economy.) If you're looking to buy a used car with a towbar, then I'd expect most to be 4x4s. And adding a towbar to an existing car seems to be pretty expensive! Chris

Another undocumented change then!! Mine is like this...