Skoda Kamiq Review 2024

As long as you’re not desperate for a premium badge, a high seating position or the last word in cornering agility, the Skoda Kamiq will tick a lot of boxes for a lot of small SUV buyers. It’s practical, sensible and has a superb interior. It also represents brilliant value for money.

Don’t bother with a diesel unless you cover lots of miles. The 1.0-litre petrol is very good, particularly the more powerful version (which also comes with a six-speed rather than five-speed manual gearbox). If you want a bit of extra poke then the 1.5-litre petrol might be a better choice, but we think most people will be fine with the 115PS/116PS 1.0-litre model.

In terms of trim level, we’d opt for the highest spec you can afford. The entry-level Kamiq S model is pretty basic, and was ditched in the 2024 facelift. The SE ticks most of the boxes for most buyers, although SE L adds a few more niceties that you might feel are worth the extra cash. Topping the range is the attractive and sporty Monte Carlo, which manages to look and feel pretty flash, but you'll pay a bit more for this. From mid-2024, the trim range was upgraded – all had the word "Edition" added to their names, and have extra equipment as standard.

If you’re in the market for a Skoda Kamiq, you should also consider other Volkswagen Group alternatives like the SEAT Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross or Volkswagen T-Roc. We’d also recommend the Ford Puma, which is more fun to drive, and the Peugeot 2008, which has a more interesting cabin. You could also look at the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and Mazda CX-3, while the Toyota Yaris Cross and Hyundai Kona are two newer alternatives - both available with hybrid power.

Surprisingly for a Skoda, the Kamiq feels posher inside than the Volkswagen T-Roc and SEAT Arona. That's especially true of high-spec models – the Monte Carlo trim comes with sports seats and a panoramic glass roof, which makes you feel like you're driving something much more expensive.

The pre-facelift entry-level model is the Skoda Kamiq Sm which looks a bit drab in comparison to the more expensive models, missing out on the shiny silver dashboard insert and some chrome interior highlights, but it does at least get a leather steering wheel and gear shift lever. The Kamiq SE feels noticeably plusher and became the entry-level car from the 2024 facelift onwards.

All Skoda Kamiq models have a few hard plastics here and there – particularly low down in the cabin, around the centre console and on the glove box. This is par for the course, though, and they should at least cope well with family life and be easy to clean.

The basic Kamiq S model comes with a 6.5-inch touchscreen display which doesn’t do much but operate the radio. This will suit some buyers but we reckon it's worth upgrading to the SE for its 8.0-inch display, which also brings with it Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

Higher-spec trim levels come with a fancier 9.2-inch system, which also includes navigation. This isn't strictly necessary (we prefer to use Google Maps via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) but it's a desirable upgrade. It also gets Laura, which Skoda's Siri or Alexa-like voice-activated personal assistant. 

All three media systems are simple and easy to use, although the (actual, physical) buttons on the tiny 6.5-inch system make it the easiest to navigate on the move. The bigger systems rely on touch-sensitive pads which look and feel more modern but aren't quite so user friendly.

Kamiq SE L and Kamiq Monte Carlo models come with Skoda's 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit in place of conventional dials. This is one of the best digital dashboards we've used, with clear graphics and a decent range of customisation options. You can even display full-screen navigation if you want, to save you from glancing down to the nav screen when driving.

Despite being a compact SUV, the Skoda Kamiq feels spacious enough to use as your main family car, measuring just over 4.2m long and a smidge under 1.8m wide. That relatively low seating position translates to loads of headroom, while there's plenty of leg and shoulder room. It's packed with clever storage areas, too, especially if have the optional Simply Clever Pack, which adds drawers under the front seats. This pack includes other useful extras like a waste bin for the driver's door pocket, a storage compartment with cupgholder on the rear seat tunnel, and a double-sided boot floor, which has one carpeted side and one harder, wipeable side for muddy boots and the like. 

There's more room in the back than pretty much anything else in this class. Even the SEAT Arona and Volkswagen T-Roc – two cars that share the Kamiq's mechanical underpinnings – feel cramped inside by comparison. You'll find ISOFIX child seat mounting points on the outer rear seats, while the wide-opening rear doors make juggling kids a piece of cake.

The boot is both usefully square and surprisingly large, capable of carrying up to 400 litres of luggage (or up to 1395 litres if you drop the rear seats). There is a bit of a boot lip which makes loading bulky items a bit annoying, but you can get around this by looking for one with the optional height-adjustable boot floor. It's a £200 extra if you're buying new.

The majority of Skoda Kamiq buyers plump for a petrol engine – indeed, petrol is the only option if you're buying new.

The 1.0 TSI petrol engine is our favourite, despite its small capacity. It’s a fizzy little three-cylinder unit, packing plenty of punch in 110PS flavour, and can be combined with a manual or DSG automatic gearbox.  Later pre-facelift cars had the power upped to 115PS. The same engine is available in lower trim levels with just 95PS – that's not a great deal of power for a car the size of the Kamiq, so avoid this unless you're on a budget and mainly drive around town.

There’s also a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine which feels a bit more grown-up and, with 150PS, is better suited to out-of-town driving. This is available with a six-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed DSG automatic transmission. Both are great – the manual has a precise yet light gear change, while the DSG responds relatively quickly to inputs. The latter's a bit jerky when stopping and starting but very civilised on a motorway run.

If you’re a high-mileage driver, look for one fitted with the 1.6 turbodiesel engine. With just 115PS, this isn’t the most powerful of diesel motors, but it ought to be very efficient in the real world. This was dropped from the range in 2020 but there is a handful available on the used market. 

The 2024 facelift to the Kamiq brought revised petrol engines to the lineup. They have the same capacity and power, but return better fuel economy. The more powerful 1.0-litre engine is now badged as having 116PS (although Skoda actually just rounded up the number, rather than down).

The 1.5-litre TSI is the quietest engine in the range, while its punchy performance means you don't need to work it particularly hard to join a motorway or overtake slow-moving vehicles.

Despite its diminutive dimensions, the 1.0-litre motor's pretty relaxed, too. Build the revs and you will notice a bit more noise and vibration in the cabin, but it's not as vocal as the 1.2-litre PureTech engine used in the Citroen C3 Aircross. Likewise, the 1.6 TDI diesel is quiet enough generally, but a bit rumbly on start-up when cold.

There isn't a great deal of tyre roar from the Kamiq's wheels, but there is a fair bit of wind noise at motorway speeds. That's true for most small SUVs, though, and a disadvantage over lower-riding hatchbacks. 

The Skoda Kamiq is an extremely safe small SUV. When independent safety organisation Euro NCAP tested it in 2019, it was awarded a maximum five stars for safety. That includes a very impressive 96% score for adult occupants and 85% for children. It was given an 80% rating for vulnerable road users and 76% for its safety assist features.

There's plenty of technology on hand to prevent you from being involved in a crash and – pleasingly – most of it is standard across the range. All models come with Skoda's Front Assist system, which uses a radar in the front grille to monitor the traffic ahead and apply the brakes if it detects an impending collision. It also includes predictive pedestrian protection, warning the driver via an audio/visual signal and a jolt of the brakes if a pedestrian steps out in the road in front of you.

Lane Assist is also standard, nudging you back into your lane on the motorway, as well as Emergency Call (which automatically alerts the emergency services if you're involved in a crash).

There are a few desirable options to look out for if you're safety-minded. These include blind-spot detection, a driver fatigue sensor and driver's knee airbag.

The Skoda brand has a strong reputation for performing well in reliability and owner surveys. Indeed, it came second in the 2020 HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, behind only Lexus. Comfort, reliability and build quality were three areas where Skoda received the highest praise. All that said, its ranking dropped to 13th of 29 by 2022, which is mildly concerning.

There's limited information available about the long-term dependability of the Kamiq, however, it uses engines and mechanical components that are common across various Volkswagen Group vehicles. This suggests it should be quite reliable, and sourcing parts is unlikely to pose a challenge.

However, there have been several reports of issues with the infotainment software and other electronic problems from both Skoda owners and those of other Volkswagen Group brands. We'd recommend you check that any used model you consider has received all the latest software updates from an authorised dealer.

Pre-faclift Skoda Kamiqs sit between insurance groups 10 and 20. As the maximum group is 50, that means premiums for a Kamiq should be very reasonable. There's no confirmation at the time of writing whether that changes for post-2024 facelift models, but as the changes are relatively minimal we can't imagine the insurance premiums will be radically different.

After the first 12 months, you'll pay a flat rate of £180 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty on the Skoda Kamiq. No version of the Kamiq strays above the £40,000 mark when new, which is when the expensive car surcharge is added, so there's no need to worry about that.

The pre-facelift Skoda Kamiq range kicks off with the fairly basic S grade. This comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and black roof rails. Inside, you’ll find cloth upholstery, a three-spoke leather steering wheel and a manually height-adjustable driver’s seat. There’s a digital radio with a 6.5-inch touchscreen display and Bluetooth connectivity. The outer rear seats come with Isofix anchorage points, while Front Assist and Lane Assist are useful standard features. Finally, you get heated door mirrors (with electric adjustment), central locking and manual air conditioning.

We’d look for a Kamiq SE – which was the entry-level model after the 2024 facelift – if only for the eight-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. It also comes with bigger 17-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers and a three-spoke leather multifunction steering wheel. There’s manual lumbar support adjustment for both front seats (a relatively rare yet desirable feature) and a front centre armrest. An alarm is standard, as is cruise control, rear parking sensors and light/rain sensors

Post-facelift SE models also get keyless engine start and stop, front fog lights, full LED headlights and Simply Clever extras, including boot nets and pockets in the back of the front seats for passengers' mobile phones. Dual-zone air-con is included, too. A revision in mid-2024 changed the name to SE Edition and added metallic paint, a rear-view camera and a 10.25-inch digital driver's display, called a Virtual Cockpit, to the standard spec. A larger infotainmemt system screen, measuring 9.2 inches across, is also standard.

The Kamiq SE L starts to feel a bit more upmarket, with 18-inch alloy wheels, rear LED headlights (with fancy dynamic indicators) and chrome exterior highlights (namely the window frame surrounds and roof rails). You get a 9.2-inch navigation system with gesture control as well as a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster. Keyless engine start is standard, as well as dual-zone climate control and electrically folding door mirrors. Post-facelift cars also get a rear centre armrest and ambient lighting. From mid-2024, the SE L Edition adds metallic paint, heated front seats and a rear-view camer, as well as front parking sensors and keyless entry.

Topping the range is the Kamiq Monte Carlo. This comes with a range of gloss black exterior detailing, along with 18-inch black alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof, full LED headlights and tail lights, and a special sports front bumper. At the rear, there is a black diffuser and black boot lettering. Inside, the Kamiq Monte Carlo is equipped with sports seats, sports steering wheel and aluminium pedals as standard. Technology includes the Virtual Cockpit, 9.2-inch infotainment system and ambient lighting. The post-facelift Monte Carlo comes as standard with clever Matrix LED headlights, which can maintain high beam while keeping oncoming traffic in shadow to avoid dazzling the drivers. It gets a rear-view camera included, too. From mid-2024, the Monte Carlo Edition model also has metallic paint, heated steering wheel and heated front seats, adaptive cruise control and wireless phone charging, as well as front parking sensors, all of which were previous optional.