Some sport-utility vehicles veer closer to trucks,
some to cars. As a unibody crossover, the Skoda Karoq is geared more towards
the road than off it. But Skoda’s taking it in an altogether more rugged
direction with the launch of the new Karoq Scout.
Similar to Subaru’s XV/Outback, Volvo’s Cross
Country, or Audi‘s Allroad lines, Skoda’s Scout trim adds a dose of the great
outdoors to a variety of the Czech automaker’s vehicles. And that’s just what
it’s done with the compact crossover.
Like the lower Octavia Scout and larger Kodiaq
Scout, the new Karoq Scout is visually differentiated from other versions with
contrasting lower body cladding, chrome and silver trim, beefier wheel arches,
and its own unique set of 18-inch (or available 19-inch) wheels – all to give
it a more rough-and-tumble appearance.
It also comes with tinted windows, special badging
(both inside and out), and an interior done up with its own dose of off-road
styling. Inside you’ll find black-brown upholstery with contrasting stitching,
stainless-steel pedals, LED ambient lighting, and more.
As befits its rugged appearance, the Skoda Karoq
Scout is the only version that comes exclusively with the all-wheel drive
system that’s also available on other trims. But buyers (in markets where
Skoda competes) will be able to choose between a 1.5-liter gasoline inline-four
rated at 150 hp or a 2.0-liter turbodiesel good for 190 hp. The former comes mated to a six-speed manual and can be had with the
seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that comes standard on the latter.
