Skoda Karoq 2.0 TSI Sportline 11 month review

 

After 11 months of ownership of my Karoq I thought I would write a quick review.

 

I’m very pleased with the car overall, covering 5300 miles in 11 months has been pretty good motoring.

 

Negative points:

 

1. Few bits of interior trim are loose, the plastic surrounding the digital dash rattles (a lot) and the passenger door panel as well. Not the worst issues but will be sorted out by Skoda when the car is serviced in 3 weeks
2. Small fuel tank
3. Pumped in engine noise in sports mode  sounds rubbish
4. Pointless ECO mode, why? Makes no difference at all.

 

Positive points:

 

1. Fuel economy, around town, 33 mpg. Drove from Southampton to Essex few days ago and average was …..45.9 MPG , mixed driving too! I think this is good
2. Car looks great in black and does get admired on occasions
3. Great specification, my next car will need a pan roof, electric boot  and canton, oh Karoq you have spoiled me!
4. The car  is spacious, front, rear and the boot
5. Suspension provides a good ride, firm but still comfortable
6. Basic looking interior but still looks good
7. Interior materials are of a good quality
8. The engine, 187 BHP doesn’t seem alot but you can put all the power down(when needed) because of the 4 X 4. 0-60  is 7 seconds, feels properly quick. On the motor way at 60 MPH if I want to overtake the car is fast.
9. DSG box -manual mode paddles, if you are on the right road for a ‘spirited drive’ the gear change is smooth and quick

 

I will the option soon of changing cars, another Karoq? Maybe in red or blue? I do fancy a VRS Octavia though.

 

The Karoq 2.0 TSI sportline in my opinion  is a great car, I can see the merits in the 1.5 petrol and even the 2.0 diesel versions but the 2.0TSI petrol can provide economy and fun.

 

I've had mine 7 months now, with all of 1250 miles under the belt!

 

I agree that the fuel consumption is better than I'd feared, and am getting from 32 to 42 mpg depending on the length of the trip. I find the driving range fine, and don't have any rattles in mine (except when it was very cold last winter. (Our 2.0TSI cars have a 55 litre fuel tank rather than the 50 litre one fitted to other models I believe.)

 

I turned the stupid Soundaktor noise generator off with OBDeleven as soon as I had the car - but you can also kill it in the customised driving mode if you don't mind it reactivating each time you switch the Sport mode. As I get enough stick from my copilot (wife) when I use Sport mode anyway, I didn't want the extra noise annoying her even more!!

 

I splashed out on the Dynamic Chassis Control, and find the Comfort mode relaxes the dampers and lets it float over most road defects.

 

I intend to keep mine as long as I can, as I don't fancy expensive electric cars with both a shorter driving range and a much longer refuel delay.

 

Chris

Edited 13 August, 20214 yr by CJJE

Nice review. 

 

I've just put an IS38 turbo on from a Golf R/S3/Cupra with a remap. It's a flying machine!

1 hour ago, CJJE said:

I've had mine 7 months now, with all of 1250 miles under the belt!

 

I agree that the fuel consumption is better than I'd feared, and am getting from 32 to 42 mpg depending on the length of the trip. I find the driving range fine, and don't have any rattles in mine (except when it was very cold last winter. (Our 2.0TSI cars have a 55 litre fuel tank rather than the 50 litre one fitted to other models I believe.)

 

I turned the stupid Soundaktor noise generator off with OBDeleven as soon as I had the car - but you can also kill it in the customised driving mode if you don't mind it reactivating each time you switch the Sport mode. As I get enough stick from my copilot (wife) when I use Sport mode anyway, I didn't want the extra noise annoying her even more!!

 

I splashed out on the Dynamic Chassis Control, and find the Comfort mode relaxes the dampers and lets it float over most road defects.

 

I intend to keep mine as long as I can, as I don't fancy expensive electric cars with both a shorter driving range and a much longer refuel delay.

 

Chris

 

That's no mileage at all. I'm on 12500 now 😳

 

I agree on the sound actuator noise, although not turned it off yet with an OBD machine 

1 hour ago, Tim1631 said:

Nice review. 

 

I've just put an IS38 turbo on from a Golf R/S3/Cupra with a remap. It's a flying machine!

 

I'm always interested in someone local to me who's done some mods.  Who mapped it for you and when can I borrow if for a weekend...?  

3 hours ago, Tim1631 said:

 

That's no mileage at all. I'm on 12500 now 😳

 

I agree on the sound actuator noise, although not turned it off yet with an OBD machine 

I agree! Mine is just about run in now!!

That's Impressive economy indeed Jasethekaroq for the 2litre DSG & 4wd at that - my 1.0 DSG 2wd doesn't do that much better.  On my last run to Bristol (M25 + M4) it did actually manage 54mpg, my best yet, but that was in the middle of the day, temps around a sunny 22*C with a fair amount of traffic & no hold-ups.  The return on Saturday morning leaving at 6:00am, temps around 13*C average for journey + little traffic slip streaming effect + some rain as I got closer to London, got around 47mpg.  Around town varies so much 30-40mpg, depending on how many miles I do, but then I live towards the edge of built up areas, even if it is hilly.

1 hour ago, croquemonsieur said:

That's Impressive economy indeed Jasethekaroq for the 2litre DSG & 4wd at that - my 1.0 DSG 2wd doesn't do that much better.  On my last run to Bristol (M25 + M4) it did actually manage 54mpg, my best yet, but that was in the middle of the day, temps around a sunny 22*C with a fair amount of traffic & no hold-ups.  The return on Saturday morning leaving at 6:00am, temps around 13*C average for journey + little traffic slip streaming effect + some rain as I got closer to London, got around 47mpg.  Around town varies so much 30-40mpg, depending on how many miles I do, but then I live towards the edge of built up areas, even if it is hilly.

The Karoq has always seemed a big car for a 1.0 TSI, even though I accept small turbo petrol engines have become far more common. My old Golf SV was a 1.4TSI, and performed pretty well, but if it was fully loaded, then the fuel consumption suffered when I worked it hard. 

 

My 2.0TSI is never really working hard, and I suspect the Haldex 4x4 is hardly ever out of FWD mode. So the only penalties are the extra drag and weight of the disengaged Haldex, and the lack of the cylinder cut-off that the 1.5TSIs have. And it's so powerful that I can leave it in Eco mode normally, with a pull back into Sport if I need to overtake in a hurry.

On 13/08/2021 at 23:24, Schtum said:

 

I'm always interested in someone local to me who's done some mods.  Who mapped it for you and when can I borrow if for a weekend...?  

 

Haha 

 

It's APR IS38 and downpipe plus map. About 380 385 bhp and 530 NM according to them. 

 

Not had on the rollers so unsure of the exact amount (Not really bothered) feels quick though. 

 

Next a bee exhaust with the valves in so I can have it quiet or loud 😎😎

41 minutes ago, Tim1631 said:

 

Haha 

 

It's APR IS38 and downpipe plus map. About 380 385 bhp and 530 NM according to them. 

 

Not had on the rollers so unsure of the exact amount (Not really bothered) feels quick though. 

 

Next a bee exhaust with the valves in so I can have it quiet or loud 😎😎

 

Ya hoor Sir, you're a hooligan.  Mind you, if you're used to a Tesla....

 

I'm guessing that the downpipe means a decat which begs the obvious question about MOT time...? 

 

Have you upgraded brakes and suspension as well?   I've just put drilled Brembo discs with Brembo HP pads on madame's Karoq.   Someone had managed to cook the originals by 15K miles. 

If I do remap the car, I think I'll be looking at the Darkside Developments kit to fit Porsche Boxster 4 pot Brembo calipers with the OEM size 312mm discs. 

23 hours ago, Schtum said:

 

Ya hoor Sir, you're a hooligan.  Mind you, if you're used to a Tesla....

 

I'm guessing that the downpipe means a decat which begs the obvious question about MOT time...? 

 

Have you upgraded brakes and suspension as well?   I've just put drilled Brembo discs with Brembo HP pads on madame's Karoq.   Someone had managed to cook the originals by 15K miles. 

If I do remap the car, I think I'll be looking at the Darkside Developments kit to fit Porsche Boxster 4 pot Brembo calipers with the OEM size 312mm discs. 

 

Haha yes I am a little bit of a bit racer. Tesla is no more I have an ETron now. 

 

It's got Racing line MQB brakes and calipers with (I think) 340mm discs at the front. The rear are standard at the minute. 

 

Suspension is standard too at the minute. 

 

As for the Mot I probably won't have it by the time that comes around....