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The Skoda Kamiq SUV launched in 2019 as the smallest SUV in Skoda's range. It's proven to be a great all rounder in the class of small SUVs and doesn't cost too much to buy from new and to run thereafter, which is great news with costs currently rising. Thanks to parent company Volkswagen it shares a lot of technical similarities with the T-Cross but comes at a lower price.
Our Skoda Kamiq review will take you through the model, different trim levels, and engine options to help you make the decision about which is the best option for you.
The low bonnet and long front grille paired with the brand's signature slim headlights makes the Skoda Kamiq instantly recognisable as being part of the brand's SUV family. Skoda have also followed the current trend of having the brand name spelled out across the bumper.
As standard you get 17 inch alloy wheels and body coloured bumpers across the whole range. The higher spec levels upgrade to 18 inch alloys and add in privacy glass too, which is always a nice addition.
Skoda have worked a selection of features into their Kamiq design that they refer to as "clever ideas" which are additional useful things to help you out day to day. These include an umbrella located in the driver's door, an ice scraper slotted into the fuel flap, and an overhead glasses storage compartment.
The interior of the Skoda Kamiq has been designed with the same look as other cars in the range such as the Octavia and the Scala.
The 8 inch touch screen comes as standard across the range and is nicely integrated into the centre console, with an aluminium trim running under it and across the entire dashboard. The screen is upgraded to 9.2 inches with sat nav added from the SE Drive. Across all trim levels there is wireless smartlink for Apple Carplay but Android Auto still needs to be connected with a wire, which is disappointing.
Drivers benefit from a 2 spoke leather covered steering wheel, upgraded to 3 spoke leather multifunction for the Kamiq Monte Carlo trim, and a height adjustable driver's seat with manual lumbar support.
Upgrading your trim level obviously adds on additional features and extras, including a panoramic glass roof which costs £1070 as a separate add on but is included with the Monte Carlo trim.
As a small SUV the Skoda Kamiq has a great amount of room.
The Skoda Kamiq's boot space is a sensible 400 litres with all the seats in use and 743 litres with the rear seats folded down. This does pale in comparison to rivals such as the Volkswagen T Cross and the Nissan Juke which offer 455 litres and 422 litres with the rear seats up respectively. Whilst not the largest on offer, it does mean that you'd still have no issues getting your weekly food shop to fit.
The Skoda Kamiq may be the smallest SUV that Skoda offers but it doesn't mean that it's lacking for space. It's got a longer wheelbase than the other models in the class which allows more room for passengers and is what Skoda have made a priority.
The Kamiq does, however, offer more headroom than both the Juke and the T Cross, with 1051mm in the front seats and 1003mm in the rear seats, making it a better choice if you're tall or regularly have four adults in the car. This is paired with 3 isofix points so that you can travel in whichever combination of adults and children you need to.
The Skoda Kamiq has three familiar turbo petrol engines thanks to the Volkswagen connection to the brand. There's two 1.0 litre options and one 1.5 litre and a good mix of manual and automatic gearboxes.
The 1.0 litre TSI comes only with a five speed manual gearbox when it offers 95PS. This is in line with competitors such as the Volkswagen T Cross and the SEAT Arona and priced between the two. The 1.0 litre TSI also comes in a 110PS version too. This not only offers more power but a six speed manual gearbox and the choice to go for an automatic gearbox with its DSG option.
The final engine option is a larger 1.5 litre TSI which is available again as a manual or an automatic DSG. It gives much more power too, offering 150PS, and is also where it pips the SEAT Arona as it's 1.5 litre equivalent is only available on two trim levels.
Skoda estimate that their petrol engines in the Kamiq will get you anywhere between 44.7mpg to 52.1mpg, depending on which one you go for and how you drive. It's pretty average as far as fuel economy is concerned but definitely better than some of The 1.0 TSI with 110PS in manual transmission will give you the highest whilst the 1.5 TSI, unsurprisingly, gives you the lowest.
There's also the option to add Sport Chassis Control which lowers the chassis by 15mm and adds a Sports mode for driving. This has valve-adjustable shock absorbers to give the car a firmer ride, ideal if you like your car to handle a certain way.
The Skoda Kamiq has four different trim levels available: the SE, SE Drive, SE L Executive, and Monte Carlo.
The entry level SE brings a good range of features to the model. You get 17 inch alloy wheels, an 8 inch colour touchscreen, full LED headlights, automatic headlight control, wireless Smartlink for Apple Carplay, rear parking sensors, and a height adjustable driver seat. You also have cruise control with a speed limiter, ideal for motorway driving and long journeys.
The SE Drive upgrades the screen to 9.2 inches and adds Amundsen sat nav to the system too. It adds privacy glass to the rear windows and allows the mirrors to be electrically adjusted and heated. Interestingly there's also a series of Gesture controls added in at this level, which not many people are aware of.
Upgrading to the SE L Executive adds 18 inch alloys and a rear view camera to compliment the parking sensors. This is also the trim level where the virtual cockpit is introduced as standard. This gives a 10.25 inch screen in place of the dash with physical counters and integrates with the sat nav to allow it to be displayed directly in front of the driver. Additionally, this trim level includes heated front seats and light and rain sensors.
The Monte Carlo is the top spec available for the Skoda Kamiq and gives buyers the sportiest option of the range. The 18 inch alloys are black and finished with a chrome outline for a sleek look and paired with black door mirrors and black Skoda lettering on the rear of the car. It also has cloth covered sports seats for additional comfort and a 3 spoke leather steering wheel. The biggest addition is the panoramic glass roof, which is very rarely a feature that's included as standard equipment, and really sets it apart from the other trims.
The Skoda Kamiq has had a 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating since it's introduction in 2019. In the small off road category it outperforms the Renault Captur and the Peugeot 2008 with their added safety pack but on par with the Nissan Juke.
This rating is thanks to a great selection of safety and driver assistance features. The front assist systems that's standard across all trims uses a radar in the front grille and monitors the traffic ahead to apply the brakes if it senses an impending collision.
Every model also has lane assist which helps by pushing you back to your lane if you drift or try to change lanes without indicating. A great feature for longer drives when you might not realise that you need a break that can be paired with the driver fatigue sensor which is an optional extra.
There's also automatic headlight control which makes driving in the dark a breeze. The Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo trim upgrades this to include the adaptive front light system with cornering function for even more visibility.
The Skoda Kamiq is well priced when compared to other small SUVs. It generally sits in amongst competitors like the Nissan Juke, but the Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo trim comes in cheaper than each of it's equivalent models.
The SE starts at £21,805 and then stepping up to the SE Drive takes the on the road price to £22,580. There's then a bigger jump to reach the SE L Executive, which starts at £25,170 but only a £660 jump to the Monte Carlo trim at £25,830.
There's obviously the normal options to start changing paint colours, adding extra features or picking your favourite parts from different trims which all then add onto the base cost of the selected trim.
The Skoda Kamiq is the perfect car if you want a large family friendly option with some of the capability of a larger SUV. It's not necessarily the model with the most gadgets but it is a great all rounder that is incredibly practical.
Even at its highest spec it comes in cheaper than alternative models, making it a great buy if you don't want to spend too much but still want quality and a good car with a solid range of features.
