Skoda is preparing to roll out its new Karoq next
week. Several
glimpses, as the Czech automaker has revealed new teaser images.
The latest embodiment of Skoda's current design
theme, the Karoq will feature the brand's signature grille, flanked by
(optional) LED headlights, with (standard) LED taillights around back – all with
“crystalline” elements evocative of Czech glassware and sharply angled to make
the model stand out in an already crowded segment.
At 172.5 inches long, 72.5 inches wide, 63 inches
tall, and riding on a 104-inch wheelbase, it's closer in size to the previous third-generation Toyota RAV4 than the newer, larger
fourth-gen model. It's also a fair bit bigger than the Yeti it replaces – to say nothing of the larger Kodiaq under which it
will be positioned in Skoda's growing SUV lineup.
An optional VarioFlex rear seating arrangement will
allow for individual positioning, folding, and even removal of each of the rear
seats. With those seats in place, it can accommodate over 18 cubic feet of
stuff. Push them forward and it can swallow more than 20 cubic feet. Fold 'em
flat: 58. Take 'em out: 64 – two more than the outgoing Yeti, but still
substantially less than the RAV4, Ford Escape/Kuga, or the class-leading Honda
CR-V, which can swallow 76 cubic feet with the rear seats folded (but still in
place).
Cargo space aside, the interior is set to
incorporate a horizontally differentiated design, large air vents, LED ambient
lighting, and the latest onboard infotainment technologies that the Volkswagen
Group has to offer. Look for its debut in Stockholm on May 18 before the Skoda
Karoq reaches dealers in the second half of this year.
