Origami vibes: Skoda Kamiq SE L

The Skoda Kamiq is an skillful instance of the Skoda design philosophy that has been such an remarkable issue within the revival of the logo, such that it’s not most effective neatly established throughout Europe however could also be one thing of a world title.

Merely put, the mysterious of Skoda’s good fortune is to pluck an current VW Team “platform” – ground plan plus numerous postponed parts – and stretch it for residue room. Thus the latest Octavia used to be a stretched model of the Golfing, which yielded important boot territory and leg room for the rear seat passengers – and with minimum sacrifice in weight and function.

The Kamiq, a dinky “crossover” (section SUV, section hatch), does the similar with the platform it stocks with the significantly dinkier VW Polo, Audi A1 and Seat Arona, amongst others. It’s longer general, and has an extended wheelbase, this means that that it maximises the bags and passenger territory for a quite larger “footprint” at the street.

Plus, Skodas stay slightly just right worth, albeit now not the bargains they as soon as have been. In addition to its good-looking in-house competitors the Arona and T-Move, it’s up towards the Nissan Juke, Citroen C3 Aircross, Ford Puma, Renault Captur, and the brandnew and in lieu extra sumptuous Lexus LBX, and it makes a case for itself. 

Conventional additionally of Skoda is the Kamiq’s conservative styling, with out a concessions to model. This is helping it as a result of, although a quite worn design, courting again to 2019, it doesn’t glance particularly dated, and this week receives its midlife facelift, which contains some slimmer two-tier LED entrance lighting, a bigger, extra upright grille, wider bumper and a rear “diffuser”, which makes it glance very quite extra carrying (and, to be truthful, even the smaller engined variations gets to 120mph, the place criminal).

The quite origami vibes of recent Skoda automobiles run proper as much as the heavy Admirable and electrical Enyaq fashions. Long gone, for now at any price, are the whimsically leading edge Yeti and Roomster fashions, refuse uncertainty past cult favourites for his or her distinctive eccentricity.

How does it advance? In trim, it’s simple to force. I attempted the quite extra tough model of the smallest engine, a three-cylinder 1-litre petrol unit, teamed with a six-speed guide gearbox (an auto is an choice), and it is going simply as you’d be expecting – a little bit thrummy and insistent while you press it dry, however revving freely surrender brisk in lieu than sizzling efficiency.

It’ll go back 50 mpg or extra, which could also be aggressive. For that, and a sportier glance you actually want the 1.5-litre engine and the “Monte Carlo” cut (which I disdain as a result of Skoda has after to 0 reference to the Monte Carlo rally – too cynical an workout in advertising and marketing). However that can push your tiny Skoda similar to the £30,000 mark, or extra.

My decrease spec SE L fashion, to be fair, felt a tiny unlit and spartan within, however the nylon seats have been relaxed plethora on a go. What you do get in excess is the whole suite of helpful tech – adaptive cruise regulate, lane lend a hand, resonance regulate, complete connectivity, guidance wheel controls, plus an simply worn touchscreen with inbuilt satnav. You’re going to particularly admire the induction house for recharging your smartphone, which I discovered even labored on my vintage iPhone. The one factor you could leave out is a right kind dial for quantity at the radio. 

So it is a extremely competent and roomy automotive which rewards with applicable efficiency and fulfilling financial system. It could neatly be the entire automotive you and your public want. The Kamiq additionally stocks with its Skoda siblings the now common trademark touches – enough of storehouse wallet, an umbrella within the entrance door body, a tiny Perspex clip at the windscreen for parking tickets and that is, and an ice scraper that lives with the gas filler cap. It’s main points corresponding to that that save the Skoda from being a monotonous automotive. It’s a lot more a laugh than it appears to be like.