Man's car? - target customer base?

[Flatjack]

I know this question is likely to divide opinion but having test driven the Karoq today and sat in a number of others and also seen other customers doing likewise I am left wondering what the target customer is for the model.

 

While the Sportline is well equipped personally I feel its a little female orientated or certainly for those under 35 perhaps.

 

The SE and SEL were getting most attention from customers ages 60+ so it left me wonder whether I am perhaps the 'wrong age'.

 

The same perhaps goes for the small Range Rover and the XC40, nice cars but they do attract a certain age/sex of customer.

 

While the Karoq is great value and has the kit does it really offer an option for male drivers aged 40-55?

 

No offence is made by this post but my two hours at the dealers has left me questioning whether its the car for me.

 

As a Superb driver who is looking to change before the 31st October the lack of options that come up to the standard of the mighty estate are thin on the ground.

Edited 23 June, 2019 by Flatjack

[silver1011]

I'm not sure it matters does it?

 

If the Karoq SportLine suits your needs and ticks all the boxes then its right for you?

 

Now if it was a pastel coloured Fiat 500 we were talking about, then that might be a different story...

[Flatjack]

When one is 40 (ish) driving a car that has a strong customer base of retirees is a bit challenging.

 

Likewise when a 25 year old female is loving the Sportline for the bling.

 

I think there is a gap in the model range that would appeal to someone like me that's all.

 

Maybe the Scout would be the that?

[silver1011]

The Yeti and its replacement, the Karoq have always appealed to an older clientele.

 

It wouldn't influence my decision in any way though. I think the breadth of choice available on the Karoq allows for something being suitable for all age ranges.

 

I'm a similar age to you and have just bought a Mercedes-Benz E-Class,  a car that definately appeals to an older age group. 

[Karock]

Well I am, 74 and chose an SEL Karoq so yes definitely 60 + and retired

 

But then I also drive a TVR Griffith with a 5 litre engine.

 

Perhaps I should sell the Karoq ?

[User2]

Late 30s here. I like the Karoq. Don't care much about what others think

[SurreySlowCoach]

65 retired and Driving a 1L , I think I'm the target demographic for the model I'm driving. 

[agedbriar]

Enjoying the 1.5 DSG 4x4 massively at 75. My being smarter with paddles is the cherry on top of the cake.

[Rem1]

I am 31, love Karoq!

[Hairball]

I'm 54 and so far impressed with my Karoq 1.5 DSG 4x4 although I've only had it a few weeks. I was in my mid 40s when I had the Yeti and was very impressed by that.

[xmike]

35 and enjoying Sportline 2.0 TSI 4x4. It was together with Ateca one of very few models with that size. I park also motorcycle behind it in very short garage and for example Subaru Forester will not fit But first time I sat into Karoq it was decided that this will be that car. Everything is where it should be, nothing needs to be set with touch display during ride, everything has it's own button...

 

 

[Hairball]

3 minutes ago, xmike said:

35 and enjoying Sportline 2.0 TSI 4x4. It was together with Ateca one of very few models with that size. I park also motorcycle behind it in very short garage and for example Subaru Forester will not fit But first time I sat into Karoq it was decided that this will be that car. Everything is where it should be, nothing needs to be set with touch display during ride, everything has it's own button...

 

 

 

That looks like a classic bike, From the view of the tank it looks American, A Harley Iron  head maybe?

[xmike]

@Hairball HD Wide Glide (FXDWG)

[Hairball]

1 minute ago, xmike said:

@Hairball HD Wide Glide (FXDWG)

With the narrow front tyre and the angle not being able to see the forks it could also have been an old springer soft tail from the early 90's  , thank you for correcting me, 

[VAGCF]

As said, if it ticks all the boxes and you like it then go for it. It doesn't matter what others think. Some still think (the uninformed and misguided) that Skoda is an inferior brand.

 

The  Karoq is targeted at younger customers as VWG want to widen the customer base and sell more cars but of course many older folks are going for it as it is probably the closest available to the Yeti at the moment. I was going to for that reason.

 

I'm 65 and have just ordered an XC40 which is definitely marketed towards younger drivers and females and is touted as an urban SUV. What a load of tosh which hasn't stopped me from having one and on the XC40 forum most of the owners are blokes and some are retired. It's a good choice for the demographic. I've also got a TT roadster which some morons still take pleasure from calling a hairdressers car. Of course they've never driven one or probably enjoyed open air motoring.

 

Karoq's advertising shows younger owners going on off-road adventures with mountain bikes etc. which most cars will never be used for. That advertising and that for the XC40 is just marketing nonsense. 

[edwards]

I'm 46 and never owned anything other than an estate car since I passed my test at 19 (Astra, 3xVectras and now a Superb) and the missus is just swapping her Yeti for a Karoq.  I don't really care what anyone else thinks, they work for us.  Perhaps I am just a contrarian, but I quite like owning an allegedly 'uncool' car brand.

 

Oddly enough, we do actually go biking, surfing, climbing etc. but we've never needed an SUV for that, we use the estate car to get us there. The Yeti gets used for t'missus going to work!

[Guest]

On 23/06/2019 at 23:56, Flatjack said:

When one is 40 (ish) driving a car that has a strong customer base of retirees is a bit challenging.

 

Likewise when a 25 year old female is loving the Sportline for the bling.

 

I think there is a gap in the model range that would appeal to someone like me that's all.

 

Maybe the Scout would be the that?

 

I had the same question about what the Karoq's target market is, and I think most 40-55 males don't fit in it for very simple practical reasons.

 

The compact SUVs in general are designed for:

 

- women (of any age);

 

- seniors (of any gender);

 

- couples (with young kids);

 

- singles (with outdoor-focused lifestyles).

 

A typical male at 40-55 is neither of these. And a compact SUV is not much fun in the back for teenage kids or / and elderly parents.

 

Karoq is like Audi Q3. It's most suitable when your children / grandchildren are under 12. If your kids are 13+, then Audi Q5 (VW Tiguan) is designed for carrying them in the back. And Audi Q7 (Kodiaq) is the best at around 50-60, when you want to be able to fit three generations in a single vehicle.

 

I think for a "typical" male, it's Superb / Kodiaq at 40-55, and Octavia / Karoq at 25-40 / 55-70+ in Škoda's range.

 

But nobody has to be "typical".

Edited 5 July, 2019 by Guest

[TheRealExile]

44 with a 1.5 TSi Karoq and really like it other than the kangaroo (MY18) we have a 10 year old, 21 and 22 (all boys) it's rare they are all in the car but they just fit! 

 

I picked it as I had originally ordered a 1.4tsi Superb Esate only to find 2 weeks later the engine was no longer an option, all that was available to order at the time with the replacement 1.5 engine was the Karoq se business tech so that is how I ended up with one.

 

It ticks the box for a company car as it has a lowish list price and quite low overall BIK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ragus]

Well. I’m 40 next week, my wife’s 32. The Karoq looks like it ticks every box. Don’t think there’s a demographic it does or doesn’t work for. There are people it doesn't work for but doubt that’s much to do with gender or age.

[Gingola10]

I'm 54, I had a tick box list of what I wanted from a new car. From the shortlist I went for the Karoq1.5 SE L DSG. It was a purely binery decision and I haven't regretted it.

I'm pretty sure that if you're spending £25k+ on a new car it's because it meets your specification, not because a particular demographic is buying it more than others.  

[VAGCF]

Totally agree with your last paragraph.

[Gomezz]

73 with a 2ltr 4x4 DSG after 3 4x4 DSG Octavias.

All are great cars but the Karoq is a big step up in value for money for me.

It does get used off road most weekends on forestry roads and fields and suits me well, and I can also get my mountain bike in it with the middle seat out and the front wheel out of the bike.

[SurreyJohn]

Karoq (and Kodiaq) seems to be be popular with mothers taking their kids to private schools in Surrey (although there are more BMW X5 and Volvo XC90)

 

So in Surrey best summed up as driven by the Chelsea Tractor brigade

 

. . . . Which rather puts me off

 

[VAGCF]

That's certainly a milestone for Skoda!

[AtEco]

On 26/06/2019 at 11:38, VAGCF said:

 

The  Karoq is targeted at younger customers as VWG want to widen the customer base and sell more cars but of course many older folks are going for it as it is probably the closest available to the Yeti at the moment. I was going to for that reason.

 

I

 

It is simple:  SEAT is targeted at younger customers,  VW is an understated middle-class stalwart,  Audi is for status/image conscious with deep enough pockets and Skoda is for savvy family/older people. 

 

But that's the marketing theory. Reality is way more complicated: we can see pensioners driving SEATs,  working class buying used Audis and younger drivers choosing Skodas.  And VW...  it still is an understated middle-class stalwart. 

 

Why is that? Because marketers target your inner age, not the actual one. They target your perceived aspirations rather than reality. Your inner age is basically how old do you feel. These perceptions make you sacrifice handling for comfort and vice versa, style for practicality and vice versa.  Anyone familiar with marketing strategies knows about things like cognitive cross-cultural perceptions of age identity etc.  As a rule this stuff doesn't work well where complicated considerations are involved - like cars  ( style, price, colour, comfort, image, tyres diameter, long term costs, sound, deterioration, does the rear look sexy, reliability, performance, visibility, practicality, those silly buttons or a complete lack of them  etc etc etc) .  So marketers would never admit it but all those theories boil down here to a simple "Just give them a choice".  Therefore we see the ever expanding VAG group line of vehicles.  

 

As for OP, why not trying a Kodiaq or a Tarraco? They both don't smell of retirees or 25 y.o. women    Tarraco especially is looking quite masculine. 

 

And yes, most of us are "wrong age"