I recently read that the SEAT Ateca (the Karoq's sister car) has been discontinued in the UK. It is still being produced for the Spanish market but in one trim level only.

Is it likely that the Karoq will follow suit in the next 12 months or so?

A successor may be coming not very soon, or perhaps not at all:

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/karoq/368846/exclusive-new-generation-skoda-karoq-cards-hybrid-power

And another report:

Autocar

A new Skoda Karoq may be on the way... | Autocar

SUV was launched in 2017 and has racked up more than 100,000 UK sales since

Edited 2 May2 May by mumpsim

SEAT in general are winding down to a 2030 cease in production entirely in favour of Cupra so the Ateca ending production isn’t a big shock.

14 hours ago, Skyl1n3 said:

SEAT in general are winding down to a 2030 cease in production entirely in favour of Cupra so the Ateca ending production isn’t a big shock.

No, but Ateca is made on the same production line as the Karoq - at least, our Ateca was, at Skoda in the Czech Republic.

Edited 6 May6 May by Rory

Unless they will bring back the Varioflex seating, in my mind, the Karoq is already demised and no longer a viable new car purchase. But then, we have owned a Roomster for 14+ years

Edited 6 May6 May by dieselV6

On 06/05/2026 at 16:29, dieselV6 said:

Unless they will bring back the Varioflex seating, in my mind, the Karoq is already demised and no longer a viable new car purchase. But then, we have owned a Roomster for 14+ years

I did use the varioflex seating in my 2018 Karoq, removing all seats to deliver in Covid times.

I have had no need since, never needing to remove a seat in my 2022 Karoq. Even im surprised by this.

I have used Varioflex, usually removing all rear seats, in a Roomster, on average once a quarter over the 14 years, be it to take waste to recycling centre, kids to/from uni, or to bring in furniture / appliances. Every time I do, it saves at least another car drive, or hiring a van. There was also a period of 12 months around 2020 when I've been clearing out my parents house after my father passed away. My father was a bit of a hoarder, so it was about 20 trips to the recycling centre in a fully loaded Roomster with all rear seats removed, over a period of 6 months or so. With a bit of tarpaulin on the floor, no visible wear on the car because of these activities, so Varioflex works for me.

Not to mention a small advantage of having a car with van-like space that does not need a van permit when showing up at a local recycling centre, saves on bureaucracy and possibly cost (have not looked into repeated van permits in detail). Another advantage nowadays is that when the car is used only by 2 people as a shopping trolley, the rear seats can be slid all the way forward resulting in significantly bigger boot for the weekly shopping.

Frankly, yes, you could cover these needs with 2 sizes larger SUV (i.e. Kodiak, because I doubt Karoq with folded seats has high enough boot opening as well as loading space over the folded seats now there is no Varioflex), but it is much more convenient, far less expensive and better on the wear of the (otherwise folded and heavily loaded) seats. Basically, much like Octavia's vast boot for the car class, the Varioflex allows to use a smaller car for things you'd otherwise need a car 1-2 sizes larger. For me at least, this was part of long-term Skoda's value for money offering that is now largely gone from the range. I would have paid an extra grand for Varioflex, just to be able to cover peak loading scenario without the inconvenience of hiring another car every time I need the cargo space.

Just my 2 pence.

4 hours ago, dieselV6 said:

I have used Varioflex, usually removing all rear seats, in a Roomster, on average once a quarter over the 14 years, be it to take waste to recycling centre, kids to/from uni, or to bring in furniture / appliances. Every time I do, it saves at least another car drive, or hiring a van. There was also a period of 12 months around 2020 when I've been clearing out my parents house after my father passed away. My father was a bit of a hoarder, so it was about 20 trips to the recycling centre in a fully loaded Roomster with all rear seats removed, over a period of 6 months or so. With a bit of tarpaulin on the floor, no visible wear on the car because of these activities, so Varioflex works for me.

Not to mention a small advantage of having a car with van-like space that does not need a van permit when showing up at a local recycling centre, saves on bureaucracy and possibly cost (have not looked into repeated van permits in detail). Another advantage nowadays is that when the car is used only by 2 people as a shopping trolley, the rear seats can be slid all the way forward resulting in significantly bigger boot for the weekly shopping.

Frankly, yes, you could cover these needs with 2 sizes larger SUV (i.e. Kodiak, because I doubt Karoq with folded seats has high enough boot opening as well as loading space over the folded seats now there is no Varioflex), but it is much more convenient, far less expensive and better on the wear of the (otherwise folded and heavily loaded) seats. Basically, much like Octavia's vast boot for the car class, the Varioflex allows to use a smaller car for things you'd otherwise need a car 1-2 sizes larger. For me at least, this was part of long-term Skoda's value for money offering that is now largely gone from the range. I would have paid an extra grand for Varioflex, just to be able to cover peak loading scenario without the inconvenience of hiring another car every time I need the cargo space.

Just my 2 pence.

A comprehensive, good reasoned argument for the Varioflex - however, it seems that not enough 2024 and beyond purchasers were prepared to cough up the £1k and thus Varioflex got the chop.

Our former 2019 Karoq only had the rear seats removed once (small removal job) and our current model, a 2024 built during the facelift period came with Varioflex but they've never been out.......!

I will say though, Skoda could lose the rear seat trays, I once put one up just to 'see', but then couldn't get the thing back down........dealer quickly sorted it, seems you have to be heavy handed.

Yes the rear seat trays have a particular 'knack' at being lowered. Easy when you know how.

On 10/05/2026 at 09:03, dieselV6 said:

I have used Varioflex, usually removing all rear seats, in a Roomster, on average once a quarter over the 14 years,

Similar for me. The Karoq boot is large, but there are times when you need to remove 1, 2 or 3 seats. I got mine because it was a dealer demo car, so I didn't have to pay extra for them. Which I wouldn't have done.

However, when you need the space or flexibility they are invaluable.

The ability to slide the rear seats forward in a Karoq with Varioflex rear seats is limited by the middle seat not sliding hence the extra boot space gained is limited to a third of the boot's width at each side & no extra in the middle. This means the extra length can only be used for an object less than 1 seat width.

Also if the rear centre seat, or the 1 behind the driver, is tipped forward it is necessary for me to move the driver's seat nearer to the dash.

Rear passengers like the variable recline though.

My Karoq has the full size spare - 215/60 on a 16" wheel, so close to the same width/diameter as the fitted 215/50/18. This raises the boot floor so that if the Varioflex rear seats are completely removed there is a large step down from the boot area to the extra space available. Also the step down if the rear outer seats are slid forward so two 'wells' result.

The two options (full size spare & Varioflex) don't really go together. Not spec'd by me. I bought the July 2024 car used in March 2026.

Reviews of 2026 Karoq on YouTube. Has one of those horrible 'tablets' stuck on top of dash as central screen. A feature I loathe.

1 hour ago, philbes said:

Reviews of 2026 Karoq on YouTube. Has one of those horrible 'tablets' stuck on top of dash as central screen. A feature I loathe.

Absolutely agree. They are appalling, but it seems to be the standard way of doing it in most cars now.
I can only hope that by the time I get my next car the fad has stopped and they do it differently.

@philbes

That would be a major redesign, so I suspect you were looking at another model.

Edit

Apparently AI fakes.

Edited 12 July12 Jul by Rbz5416

33 minutes ago, Rbz5416 said:

@philbes

That would be a major redesign, so I suspect you were looking at another model.

I've seen the video, it claims to be from Autoexpress, looks very much like a AI mock-up.....?

10 minutes ago, Berisford said:

I've seen the video, it claims to be from Autoexpress, looks very much like a AI mock-up.....?

Indeed, having had a look there are several "previews" of a '26 model posted last year & now apparently a different '27 model, all in the same AI showroom & trundling down the road driverless.

Having said that, if a replacement does ever materialise then it almost certainly will have the "iPad stuck to the dash with blutack" look that most of the industry seems to have embraced.

3 hours ago, Rbz5416 said:

Having said that, if a replacement does ever materialise....

The dealer we use, in trying to get us take one of the discounted stock models at the end of last quarter, was adamant that there won't be another Karoq.

Didn't seem a lot of point in changing ours, especially as that means crystalising the horrible depreciation it's suffered. I can't say I've been thrilled with the car, but wife thinks it's absolutely the perfect size for her.

1 hour ago, Rory said:

was adamant that there won't be another Karoq.

you trust car dealers? :-) However, I think he is right because the new "Karoq" is a hybrid according to Škoda (or at least what I remember from the advert in the Škoda app) so effectively new power plant and new transmission and running gear and well, new most of it bar the body panels and seats they haven't tweaked. So effectively a new car hanging on to the old name.

18 hours ago, chills said:

you trust car dealers? :-) However, I think he is right because the new "Karoq" is a hybrid according to Škoda (or at least what I remember from the advert in the Škoda app) so effectively new power plant and new transmission and running gear and well, new most of it bar the body panels and seats they haven't tweaked. So effectively a new car hanging on to the old name.

I should have put a tonque-in-cheek smiley.

However it's a long standing family dealer we've known for a while and I don't think they'd outright lie (but I recognise they couldn't be 100% sure of Skoda's plans and even then things change) but, as you describe, what constitutes "another" Karoq? We had a late mk1 Tiguan and there was a big difference to the Mk2 in 2016. The mk3 in late 23/24 is quite different again.

So Karoq is certainly due a next version but it doesn't look like there's going to be a significant change.

10 minutes ago, Rory said:

So Karoq is certainly due a next version but it doesn't look like there's going to be a significant change.

If they do it I'd expect it to essentially be a shrunken Kodiaq, given that already has the hybrid models they've spoken of. Same chassis/platform & running gear, lots of shared internals, just on a slightly shorter wheelbase.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/karoq/369551/new-2028-skoda-karoq-mid-size-suv-aiming-take-chinese-surprise

tom