Which Skoda SUV is best for me?

Published: 22 July 2022

Skoda has a reputation for making SUVs that are spacious, great value for money and full of little details designed to make your life easier – things like an ice scraper clipped to the inside of the fuel-filler flap, umbrellas concealed in the front doors, storage drawers under the front seats and a parking ticket holder in the windscreen, to name but a few.

If you’re in the market for a Skoda SUV, you can choose from compact five-seaters and seven-seat family models and you have options of petrol, diesel or electric power and two- or four-wheel drive. 

Here we’ll give you the lowdown on every Skoda SUV. From the smallest to the biggest, the models that you can buy new as of Summer 2022 are the Kamiq, Karoq, Enyaq iV and Kodiaq. We’ll also look at Skoda’s first SUV, the Yeti, which is a popular used model.

As of Summer 2022, Skoda’s smallest new SUV is the Kamiq. At 424cm long, it’s 14cm shorter and 5cm narrower than the next-biggest model, the Karoq, which isn’t actually much of a difference. The Kamiq is a more cost-effective model with fewer features included as standard, which helps keep its price down. Nevertheless, you get more passenger space than in most other small SUVs, plus a big boot.

The smallest SUV Skoda has ever made is the Yeti, which is 2cm shorter than the Kamiq. Sold new between 2009 and 2017, the Yeti is about the same size as small SUVs that were sold at the same time, such as the Renault Captur. The Yeti is especially practical, however, thanks to a boxy shape that creates lots of space inside and a rear seat that can slide back and forth or fold down to prioritise passenger space, load space or a mix of the two, according to what you need.

The biggest SUV Skoda currently makes is the Kodiaq, which is 470cm long. In SUV terms, that’s roughly mid-size, but the Kodiaq has a similar amount of interior and boot space to some much bigger cars. The next-biggest model is the all-electric Enyaq iV, which is 5cm shorter than the Kodiaq. In addition to the standard version of the Enyaq iV, there’s also a coupe version called the Enyaq iV Coupe, which has a lower, more angled roofline for a sportier look.

Some models of the Skoda Kodiaq have seven seats in three rows. The third-row seats have adequate space for teenagers, but adults may feel that headroom is a bit tight, which isn’t unusual for an SUV of this size. The second-row seats can slide forwards if third-row passengers need more legroom. There’s enough boot space for your family’s weekly food shopping behind the third-row seats and they easily fold down into the boot floor if you need to carry more stuff.

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Five-seat Kodiaq models have the biggest boot of all the Skoda SUVs, with 835 litres of space. That’s considerably more than any other mid-size SUV. Seven-seat Kodiaqs have less boot space because the floor is a bit higher to make room for the third-row seats when they’re folded down. 

The other Skoda SUVs also have big boots for cars of their size. The Enyaq has 585 litres of space (570 litres for the Enyaq iV Coupe); the Karoq has 521 litres; the Yeti has 416 litres; the Kamiq has 400 litres. In comparison, the latest Ford Focus hatchback has 375 litres of boot space.

Skoda currently only builds one electric SUV model – the Enyaq iV (also available as the sleeker Enyaq iV Coupe). According to official figures, the maximum battery range varies between 312 and 329 miles, depending on the model.

Most Skoda SUV models have front-wheel drive but four-wheel drive is available in the more powerful versions of Yeti, Karoq and Kodiaq. You can easily spot them by the ‘4x4’ badge on their boot lids. The combination of four-wheel drive and a diesel engine is popular, and these models can tow the most weight, making them a good option if you have a heavy trailer or caravan. 

The most cost-effective Enyaq iV models have rear-wheel drive but the more powerful models have four-wheel drive, with an additional electric motor driving their front wheels.

Skoda’s four-wheel-drive SUV models focus on being good to drive on normal roads but they’re also capable on muddy lanes, across bumpy fields or up rocky slopes. Select the off-road driving mode and it’ll take a lot for a four-wheel-drive Skoda SUV to get stuck, especially if you fit the wheels with chunky all-terrain tyres. Only their relatively low ground clearance, compared with a proper off-roader, limits how far these Skoda SUVs can go. 

The Yeti is probably the most capable for driving off-road. It’s short and its bodywork extends only a short distance beyond the front and back wheels, which makes it well-suited to scrabbling up or down steep slopes.

Skoda names its sportiest models ‘vRS’. They have more-powerful engines and modified suspension and brakes for a more-fun driving experience. They also have sportier styling details including bigger wheels, deeper bumpers, a rear spoiler, body-hugging sports seats and vRS logos.

Only two Skoda SUVs are available as a vRS model – the Kodiaq and the Enyaq Coupe. When the Kodiaq vRS was first sold new in 2019, it had a 235bhp diesel engine; in 2021, that was replaced with a 242bhp petrol engine, but you can get very rapid acceleration with either car. The electric Enyaq vRS has 295bhp, gives similar acceleration to the Kodiaq vRS and has a range of up to 312 miles on a single battery charge.

Skoda Kamiq

Skoda’s smallest SUV gives you fantastic value for money. It has more passenger space than many other small SUVs, particularly in the back seats, and it has a big boot so it could be ideal if you’re looking for a low-cost family car. You’ll also have lots of useful features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, air con and rear parking sensors. The interior doesn’t feel quite as premium as the bigger Skoda SUVs, but that just helps keep the price low. 

Skoda Karoq

The Karoq is smaller than the other SUVs it’s usually compared to, such as the Nissan Qashqai or Kia Sportage, but it packs in more space and greater practicality than just about any rival. This means it could be a great option if you don’t have much parking space at home. It’s also worth noting that the diesel four-wheel-drive models have a very high towing capacity for this type of car, at 2,100kg, which is great if you have a big caravan.

Skoda Kodiaq

The Kodiaq is one of the best family cars of any sort. All Skoda SUVs have a lot of passenger and boot space for cars of their type, but the Kodiaq is only beaten on those things by a few much more expensive cars. Unless you regularly travel with seven adults, the Kodiaq really does give you all the space you’re ever likely to need.

Skoda Enyaq iV

The Enyaq is a great way into electric cars if you’re making the switch from petrol or diesel. Some electric cars feel so high-tech that driving them might be a little intimidating. But the Enyaq looks and feels pretty much exactly the same as any other Skoda. It has a battery range of up to 329 miles, according to official figures, and there’s a choice of ‘traditional’ SUV or sporty Coupe bodies, both of which give you lots of interior and boot space.

Skoda Yeti

Skoda’s first SUV is super-practical for such a compact car. In its box-like body, there’s a huge amount of passenger and boot space that you can configure to suit your exact needs, whether that’s maximum space for people or things or a balance of the two. The three individual back seats slide backwards and forwards, fold down, ‘tumble’ forward or can be removed from the car entirely. That kind of flexibility is usually only found in MPVs. The Yeti’s also surprisingly capable when driving off-road.

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