Just to add my feedback for the masses interested in this car

I currently drive a Superb 2012 4x4 DSG, so i'll compare it to this (i'm sure many of you have the MK2 and can relate to this comparison)

The Karoq driven was FWD 1.5 TSI DSG, Style i think.

 

- Seats and driving position are good, better than i expected

- Electric steering feels much better than the Superb one (but that's where the plus-es relative to the MK2 end )

- The throttle is VERY sensitive, meaning just tapping it slightly launches the car forward.

- Suspension is decent, on the soft side which i like, but not quite as smooth as the Superb (duhh)

- Given that it was a bit wet on the road, the lack of 4x4 was very obvious. Not just when driving from standstill, but also overall "sticky-ness to the road" was lacking. I will never drive anything else than 4x4, it has too many advantages, even when it's not snow on the road. Overall grip, the way the back of the car "aligns" with the front and general feel is supreme.

- For city driving the DSG7 is very good, although the stop&go engine feature can get annoying sometimes (and its constant info popping up on the Columbus)

- It had no "brake hold" (i have it on my Mercedes GLA), meaning you fully press the brake at a traffic light and it activates hold. When you tap the gas, it deactivates. Meaning no lurching forward if you don't keep the brake pressed. Very nice in practice, but not sure if an option on Karoq (or Skoda at all?)

- On the motorway, it is a bit noisier than the Superb and does feel a bit "wobbly" and "lightweight" (lack of 4x4 and less weight i suppose)

- Engine noise on kickdown is very audible and lacks somehow the power you expect from such noise

- Little annoyances: no LED strips on the back doors (wtf, makes no sense). Ventilation knobs are not lit, therefore you have to blindly go fully left/right to find "limits" in order to set to whatever position you want.

- Altough the 10 LED colors are nice, they also affect the color MFD and Columbus background theme, some of which look a bit off. Example: blue LED light is very nice, but blue theme on the huge columbus looks off.

- For my driving position at least, i had to reach a bit forward to the Columbus to touch stuff, it is not quite at arm's length reach, if you know what i mean. Can get annoying.

- PLEASE KILL those cheesy looking "SKODA" projections when you open the doors !!!!! If i'd had the car, i would have put tape over the damn thing!

- I am not a fan of "cold light", therefore the LED footwell lights i didn't like. Why not make them RGB like the dashboard LED ones? I love my warm yellow ones from the Superb!

- The front storage box is quite small, and hits your knees when opened fully (as a passenger).

- The Columbus: very nice screen, excellent interface, but sometimes i miss a constant "back" button instead of having to go to "Home" and then back to wherever i was. Small interface annoyment.

- Lack of buttons makes it harder for the passenger to operate volume for example, has to reach way forward and to the left to get to the +/- touch buttons.

- Boot space is quite decent, obviously less than the Superb.

- Nice, solid "thud" when closing the doors. I like.

- Doors (at least the front ones) look and feel quite large, esp. when opened and you look at it. Glass area could have been a bit larger (or the material area below them smaller, whichever). Let's just say, there's a lot of door

- Controls for windows, etc, on the left armrest are not quite in reach. You have to move your arm "backwards" a bit to open the window.

- The LED front lights are not adaptive, meaning not following the curve, or different driving modes (like AFS on the Superb). Only the LED fog lights light up when turning left/right, which improve the light area slightly.

- The driving modes (sport, eco, normal) do feel different Harder steering, faster throttle response and possibly harder suspension (i felt something different) in sport mode.

 

Well, these are my personal objective impressions, obviously based on a direct comparison with the Superb MK2.

Overall good car, i will test drive the 4x4 DSG 150CP in a couple of weeks and add comments later on to this thread.

 

One more thing: if i was there to buy a car, i would have gotten a Superb 3 190CP 4x4 DSG. It was just next to it, for 3000 EUR less

Not boasting, or anything, but i'm surprised how my 5yr old MK2 still feels like an overall better car than this. Refinement, comfort, space. Still a darn good highway cruiser. Only thing is missing is a 7th gear

 

Edited 14 January, 20188 yr by zice

Thanks for the in depth info, good to read.  My one concern about the car is the FWD vs AWD functionality.  We have an Octavia at the moment and it always wheel spins when pulling away from a junction.  Did you experience wheel spinning in the Karoq?

 

We don't want a diesel, and the Kodiak is too big for our needs so we're stuck with FWD in the Karoq which is now on order, but it does worry me we'll have the same issue pulling away from junctions.   Had a 4x4 before the Octavia and didn't expect having FWD would be a problem on the roads in dry weather. 

Edited 14 January, 20188 yr by Englando
Added to a lne

5 hours ago, zice said:

- Seats and driving position are good, better than i expected

- Electric steering feels much better than the Superb one (but that's where the plus-es relative to the MK2 end )

- The throttle is VERY sensitive, meaning just tapping it slightly launches the car forward.

- Suspension is decent, on the soft side which i like, but not quite as smooth as the Superb (duhh)

- On the motorway, it is a bit noisier than the Superb and does feel a bit "wobbly" and "lightweight" (lack of 4x4 and less weight i suppose)

- Boot space is quite decent, obviously less than the Superb.

 

Not boasting, or anything, but i'm surprised how my 5yr old MK2 still feels like an overall better car than this. Refinement, comfort, space. Still a darn good highway cruiser. Only thing is missing is a 7th gear

 

 

Having test driven a 1.5tsi SEL manual I agree with most of the above

-Seats are impressive but rear legroom was an issue for me. I'm 6ft 4" and most adults would struggle to sit behind me as the driver

 

- Didn't find that much difference between the steering. Both the Superb II and the Karoq have electric power steering

- Didn’t notice the throttle being very sensitive - I was in a manual though. Also there was no wheel spinning on setting off, but it was a test drive so I wasn't giving it too many beans.

- I found the Suspension was very comfortable - more so than the Superb II (reminded me of my Superb I)

- On the motorway - yes it did sound a bit noisier than the Superb II , especially re windnoise. It's still a quiet place to be though. I wonder if there is a bit less soundproofing as I was surprised I could still hear the engine at tickover (my petrol Superb II is just about silent at tickover - except if you listen carefully you can just hear the fuel pump)

- The front to rear dimension of the boot is much smaller than the Superb but it has a lot of height (depending on your spare wheel/or not combination)

 

I agree re overall refinement, comfort & space - felt happier when I was back in my Superb. Long term this is an issue as Mrs BJ finds the Superb a bit big to drive

 

Edited 14 January, 20188 yr by bigjohn

RE: "Brake hold"

 

I test drove a 4x4 DSG Auto Edition yesterday and this definitely had "Brake hold", the dealer made a point of showing me how to use it. Said it was standard on the engine/gearbox combo I was driving.

1 hour ago, boff180 said:

RE: "Brake hold"

 

I test drove a 4x4 DSG Auto Edition yesterday and this definitely had "Brake hold", the dealer made a point of showing me how to use it. Said it was standard on the engine/gearbox combo I was driving.

Yes it does brake hold mode, just need to activate it.

All valid points, but in fairness to the Karoq the Superb is a car from two segments above, has a much-longer wheelbase, a lower ride-height, and more-advanced rear suspension. The Superb should handle better. have more space, and feel more solid. It's similar to comparing a BMW X1 to a 5-Series. The Karoq is shorter than a Rapid.

 

It's akin to comparing a Fabia to the Karoq and being disappointed that the Fabia does not stand up. The Fabia is actually closer in size to the Karoq than the Karoq is to a Superb.

 

 

47 minutes ago, Orville said:

All valid points, but in fairness to the Karoq the Superb is a car from two segments above, has a much-longer wheelbase, a lower ride-height, and more-advanced rear suspension. The Superb should handle better. have more space, and feel more solid. It's similar to comparing a BMW X1 to a 5-Series. The Karoq is shorter than a Rapid.

 

It's akin to comparing a Fabia to the Karoq and being disappointed that the Fabia does not stand up. The Fabia is actually closer in size to the Karoq than the Karoq is to a Superb.

 

 

 

Possibly , although it does look big! and more importantly the Superb is looking cheaper than the Karoq at the moment . Drive the deal is showing just over £16k for a 1.4tsiSE Superb

 

 

Edited 14 January, 20188 yr by bigjohn

Well I had my second test drive today.  First one on Sunday afternoon, 1.5 petrol SEL manual, and today 2ltr 4x4 edition with DSG.  My aim today was to compair 18inch to 19inch wheels.  I drove the same route both days, hit the same potholes and speed bumps. To be fair I didn’t think the ride was anywhere as bad on 19s as I’d believed it to be.  I think the car is so much nicer than my 2 1/2 year old Octavia. So going to be ordering the 1.5TSI Edition, DSG. Only extras heated windscreen and space saver wheel. It has just about everything else I’d want in a car.  DMKeiths Wakefield very helpful.  Unlike DMKeiths Leeds orHuddersfield. Both of which I found rude and deicidly un helpful.  

I did a similar exercise, but round the other way - a 1.5 TSI DSG Edition (19in wheels) and a 2L 4x4 DSG SEL (18in wheels) - I couldn't detect any real difference between the two as far as jarring and noise over rough surfaces (there was hardly any), and both were smooth and quiet on better tarmac.

However, I think there was a hint of difference in terms of nimbleness - which I put down to the fact that the diesel plus 4x4 gear can be up to 200Kg heavier than the similarly equipped TSI 2x4 - the equivalent after all, of carrying around 2 1/2 passengers permanently.

 

Having happily owned two 4x4 diesel Yetis it was a difficult choice, but I've gone for the 1.5 TSI DSG Edition as well.

I'll also put a plug in for my local garage, Meadens of Brockenhurst, who have been both patient with my questions and helpful.