The Skoda Kamiq is a fantastic all-rounder; it’s one of the first compact crossovers to offer enough space and practicality to feasibly act as a family’s only car. Despite its dinky dimensions, the Kamiq is a credible alternative to more conventional hatchback models like the Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf – both of which theoretically sit in the class above, more closely aligned with the larger Skoda Karoq. The cabin feels well screwed together, and there’s loads of kit no matter which trim you go for. All of Skoda’s usual ‘Simply Clever’ features remain, making this a fantastically adept family car.
While few will criticise the Kamiq’s exterior design, fans of the older Skoda Yeti might think this newer car is just a bit too conventional in its shape and style. Like many of its rivals, it looks like little more than a hatchback on stilts – albeit one that offers a hugely practical interior and loads of really clever features.
It’s built on the VW Group’s MQB platform, and as a result feels stable and secure to drive. That also means it benefits from a flexible cabin with space for five adults. The dashboard layout is easy to understand, if a lacking in flair, but saying that, it’s likely to offer plenty of appeal in the target market of family buyers prioritising practicality. Quality is very good; the Kamiq feels better built and more sophisticated inside than the equivalent Volkswagen T-Cross.
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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The 9.2-inch screen fitted as standard to the Kamiq is superb, with sharp graphics and an easy-to-understand user interface. It responds quickly to your inputs, and while it’s not the quickest system for loading times, it’s fast enough that it’s never frustrating. You get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay included as standard, and these work very well because the screen is so up to date.
Wireless smartphone charging is an option that works well with compatible smartphones, although it’s pricey at £240. This function only costs £105 on a Volkswagen T-Cross, although you have to pay £650 for the privilege on the Citroen C3 Aircross because it’s part of an option pack. Apple CarPlay can work wirelessly in the Kamiq, too.
One of the best parts about the Kamiq’s tech is the 10.25-inch digital dash. It’s similar to the Volkswagen T-Cross’ display, but the graphics look more modern. It’s included as standard on top-spec SE L models – otherwise it’s a £550 option on SE models. You can’t specify the system on entry-level S models.
You’d be hard pushed to call the Skoda Kamiq fun to drive, but that’s not to say a journey in the small SUV is a dull or dreary experience. It handles safely and predictably, with good visibility and a slick manual gearbox. If you’re after a compact crossover that places dynamics at or near the top of its feature list, then the SEAT Arona or Mazda CX-3 are worthy candidates, while the latest Nissan Juke is infinitely more rewarding to drive than its predecessor ever was.
Ride comfort is a Skoda strong point, and the Kamiq strikes a good balance here, too. It’s neither too firm nor too soft, feeling pliant enough over rough roads, yet suitably controlled through tight bends. We’d like a little more feedback through the steering, but the light set-up makes for a car that’s super-easy to park and manoeuvre around town.
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Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
There are four engines to choose from, each of which is turbocharged for a little extra shove. The basic ‘S’ model is only available with the entry-level 1.0-litre TSI motor, featuring an adequate but somewhat lacklustre 94bhp. The 113bhp version is much better suited to the small SUV, and is the engine we’d pick given the choice.
This 113bhp 1.0 TSI model will do 0-62mph in less than 10 seconds – more than quick enough for a car of this type – and hit a top speed of 120mph. This engine is a great all-rounder, offering plenty of punch around town and decent refinement at motorway speeds. It’s available with a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG automatic gearboxes, though we’d stick with the former as it’s light and precise to use.
• Skoda Kamiq vs Volkswagen T-Cross vs Citroen C3 Aircross
Above this, sits the flagship 148bhp 1.5 TSI, which we’ve not yet sampled in the Kamiq. We have tried it in other Volkswagen Group cars, however, such as the SEAT Ateca and VW Golf, and it’s a smooth, punchy performer. It’s not that much quicker than the higher-power 1.0-litre, though, and it’ll cost quite a bit more to buy and run. Be sure you need the extra performance before committing to the additional costs.
The only other engine is a single diesel option – a 1.6-litre TDI with 113bhp. It’s a tried and tested motor from elsewhere in the Skoda model range, and will suit higher mileage drivers.
Skoda has garnered a great reputation with its customers since its rejuvenation in the early 2000s – a trend that is evidenced by the results from our Driver Power owner satisfaction survey.
The Kamiq is too new to have featured in the most recent survey, but Skoda itself achieved a strong 5th-place finish out of 30 manufacturers. Those surveyed praised their cars’ practicality, child-friendly features and great engines and gearboxes, while reliability was also considered a major plus point alongside low running costs.
The Kamiq comes as standard with a good level of standard safety and driver assistance kit – all models get six airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist and blind-spot alert. Other systems available include auto-dip headlights, park assist and rear traffic alert.
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The Kamiq achieved a full five-star rating from Euro NCAP in its crash tests, with a stellar 96 per cent score for adult occupant safety. It scored 85, 80 and 76 per cent in the child occupant, vulnerable road users and safety assist categories. The closely related Volkswagen T-Cross is technically safer still, however, beating the Kamiq by a few per cent in each category.
Warranty
All Skoda models are covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty that can be extended up to five years and 100,000 miles at extra cost. It’s a match for most rivals’ warranties, but the Hyundai Kona benefits from standard five-year, 100,000-mile coverage and the Kia Stonic gets a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty as standard.
Servicing
Fixed-price servicing means it’ll be easy to figure out how much Kamiq ownership will cost. A minor service is around £170 and a major service around £279; Skoda charges around £99 for an oil and filter change. Skoda offers service plans to help spread costs; payments can be added to monthly finance payments at extra cost.
Despite the fact it sits in the supermini-SUV class, the Skoda Kamiq has the space to rival some models from the segment above. It’s been designed with a focus on practicality, and as usual, its raft of Skoda ‘Simply Clever’ features, make it an incredibly easy car to live with day-to-day.
There’s just one body style to choose from, but don’t let that put you off. It’s a stylish, spacious and kit-laden crossover that should suit family buyers down to the ground. All versions get five seats, and all feature a 60:40 split/fold for the rear bench to help when loading larger items. Unfortunately, the Kamiq doesn’t feature sliding rear seats, but that’s unlikely to matter – both boot space and rear seat room are generous. Cabin storage is good, too, with loads of places to store odds and ends.
The driving position is excellent, with plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel. The raised ride height helps with visibility, as does the large glass house, which allows a good view out in every direction. If you spend a lot of time in town, then we’d recommend the SE as that comes with parking sensors as standard; SE L adds the option of Park Assist.
Size
At just over 4.2m long and almost 1.8m wide, the Kamiq isn’t a particularly big car. That said, it’s marginally bigger in both directions than a Volkswagen T-Cross, and slightly (31mm) longer than a Nissan Juke. The trade-off, however, is the Skoda’s generous 1,395-litre boot.
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Leg room, head room & passenger space
There’s loads of space inside the Skoda Kamiq. Taller people trading up from a supermini like the Fabia or Volkswagen Polo will find the adjustable driving position suits their size and shape, while passengers in the back should seek solace in the high roofline. There’s no sliding rear bench, but that doesn’t really matter – the Skoda strikes a neat balance between passenger space and boot room.
Boot
The Kamiq’s boot is, on paper at least, smaller than the new Nissan Juke’s with the rear seats in place. Here, the Skoda’s 400 litres plays poorly against the Nissan’s 422-litre load bay. However, in reality, the Kamiq’s large, square opening, tall roof and favourable rear window line means it’s much more practical. Furthermore, the Skoda’s maximum 1,395-litre boot capacity with the rear seats folded flat shames the Juke’s pitiful 1,088-litre total cargo space.
The Skoda Kamiq shares much with the wider Volkswagen Group MQB line-up, not least its underpinnings and engine range. There are three petrol options and one diesel: all are familiar and whichever you choose, reasonable running costs are to be expected.
The most frugal engine is the 1.6-litre diesel, which in SE trim and with a manual gearbox returns up to 56.5mpg on average; CO2 emissions of 112g/km are quoted for both gearboxes and all trims.
The prize for lowest CO2 emissions in the Kamiq goes to the 1.5-litre petrol unit with a manual gearbox and in SE trim; 110g/km is good news for private buyers but will be most appealing to company car users who will benefit from a low Benefit in Kind tax rate. Average economy of up to 47.9mpg is completely acceptable too.
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Entry-level S models are only available with the 1.0-litre petrol engine in 95PS guise; emissions sit at 116g/km, while fuel economy of up to 49.6mpg is achievable. If you don’t need a lot of equipment, this model makes a lot of sense.
The Kamiq most will buy is the 1.0-litre with 113bhp, which offers a good balance between performance and economy. In our tests this engine returned 45.3mpg in mixed driving, compared with 43.8mpg in the identically engined Volkswagen T-Cross and 38.3mpg in the equivalent 1.2-litre Citroen C3 Aircross.
Insurance groups
The Skoda Kamiq occupies insurance groups 8 to 17 – exactly the same as its SEAT Arona relative. The smallest petrol engine accounts for the cheaper end of the spectrum while the most powerful is priciest; the diesel sits somewhere in the middle of these.
Depreciation
Our experts predict that the Skoda Kamiq will retain around 43 to 48 per cent of its value after 36,000 miles and 36 months. The slightly more expensive (but broadly similar) Volkswagen T-Cross will hold onto 46 to 51 per cent over the same period, so there’s little to separate the two.
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