Quick overview
- Spacious cabin
- Strong on quality
- All trim levels are well equipped
- Comfortable on any type of road
- Boot is not the biggest by class standards
- Base model infotainment’s slow responses
- Some hard-touch cabin plastics
- No hybrid power option
The Kamiq stays true to Skoda’s principles of keeping things simple in a stylish manner. Competing in one of the largest sectors in the market, risk-taking isn’t something the Kamiq does, but it does offer more room for people than its rivals, and this is wrapped up in a handsomely styled car. In many ways, the Kamiq is the essence of this class distilled into one car that offers buyers good value, space and decent running costs.
This may sound like the Kamiq is being damned with faint praise, but it’s not. It’s a much better small SUV than most in the class and it begs the question why some buyers would choose its larger Karoq sibling when the Kamiq does almost everything just as well. More of a concern for Skoda is its cousins, in the shape of the SEAT Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross, offer very similar traits with a dash more styling flair. There is also the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke to think about if you want a compact SUV that will stand out more on the driveway and high street.
None of this appears to bother Skoda and, instead, it has focused on making the Kamiq as comfortable and refined as any in its segment. This plan has paid off as the Kamiq is noticeably quieter at all speeds than many of its competitors and it also deals with gnarly road surfaces more capably than most. The pay-off is the Skoda’s handling is not nearly as sharp or agile as a Ford Puma’s.
There’s a choice of petrol engines in the Kamiq, but Skoda no longer offers a diesel. You also have a good selection of trims to pick from and even the entry-level versions come with a broad spread of standard kit. Look beyond the restrained styling and the Kamiq has a lot going for it.
Prices
There are four trims to choose from with the Skoda Kamiq. Entry point is the £21,805 SE, followed by the SE Drive model from £22,580 and the SE L Executive at £25,170. The Monte Carlo version comes in at £25,830. Savings of up to £2500 are easily possible on the Kamiq when it’s new.
A three-year old used Kamiq with average miles for its age will cost you around £16,000 for a 1.0 TSI model and £17,000 for the 1.5 TSI. There are also used diesel versions, which also cost from around £17,000 at this age and mileage. If you want a diesel Kamiq, used is the only option as the company stopped offering a diesel in 2021.
Infotainment, comfort and practicality
There’s no questioning the quality of the Kamiq’s cabin. It doesn’t have the high-end look of rivals like the Peugeot 2008 or Citroen C3 Aircross, but it’s solid and well put together. If only Skoda used less of the hard-to-the-touch plastics and replaced them with softer materials, it would be the ideal environment. As it is, the Kamiq provides more passenger space than almost all of its rivals, though this does come at the expense of some boot space. Even so, there’s 400-litres of storage that extends to 1395-litres with the 60-40 split and tip rear seats folded.
Up front, the driver has more than ample room and the seat adjusts for height to help tailor the driving position. The seats themselves are quite firmly padded but offer comfort and support that allows for long journeys to be completed without aches or discomfort. It’s a similar story for those travelling in the back seats, though it’s best kept to two adults to provide reasonable shoulder room. For kids, three will fit with ease and there are Isofix child seat mounts on the two outer seats.
Skoda’s approach to its infotainment system is the same as its overall outlook on making cars – keep it simple and make it easy to use. As a result, the Kamiq’s set-up might not look quite as flashy as some of its rivals’ on first appearance, but as soon as you begin to use it you will appreciate the ease of its navigation.
Most models come with the 9.2-inch Amundsen system with sat-nav included, and it really is all you need. It works with a speed and crispness that almost all of its competitors cannot match, and the touchscreen is much more responsive than most. This matters when you are using it on the move as it’s far less distracting. It also hooks up to your smartphone easily and has access via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, so no need to trail cables from the dash and you have access to your favourite apps.
With live traffic updates for the navigation, the Kamiq’s infotainment is excellent, and you can the option of the Virtual Cockpit dash display so you can see the navigation map in the main instrument binnacle rather than having to look at the central display. If you choose the Kamiq in S or SE trims, it comes with a simpler 8-inch infotainment screen that misses the sat-nav and Android Auto, and it’s slower to respond to inputs.
Which 2019 Skoda Kamiq model should you buy?
Every Kamiq comes fitted with cruise control and speed limiter, Front Assist autonomous emergency braking, and all of the airbags you expect from this class. Choose the entry-point SE and you get 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control with speed limiter, and Hill Hold Control. Move up to the SE Drive model from £22,580 and you get a 9.2-inch Amundsen infotainment system, while the SE L Executive at £25,170 gains 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, and dual-zone climate control. The £25,830 Monte Carlo version comes with a sporty twist thanks to its 18-inch Vega alloys, panoramic glass sunroof, and it also has the Virtual Cockpit with its 10.25-inch dash display.
A driver’s knee airbag is also an option, along with Driver Fatigue Sensor, as well as Rear Traffic Alert and blind spot monitoring. The Kamiq scored an impressive full five-star rating when it was crash tested by Euro NCAP.
There’s no diesel engine option anymore for the Kamiq, which will chime with most city drivers’ needs. You still get plenty of choice, though, with 95- and 110hp versions of the three-cylinder 1.0-litre TSI turbo petrol. There is also the 150hp 1.5-litre TSI motor, which has a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox. The 1.0-litre is also available with the auto, or a five-speed manual ’box.
The 1.0 TSI 110hp engine is the best of the bunch and, SE L Executive trim, is as well equipped and affordable to run as any direct competitor to the Skoda.
Value for money: how much does a 2019 Skoda Kamiq cost to buy and run?
Kamiq running costs are among the lowest in this class thanks to average fuel economy of 52.3mpg for the 1.0-litre TSI 95hp engine with manual gearbox. The 110hp engine delivers the same economy. Opt for the DSG auto and consumption increases to 48.7mpg. The 1.5-litre engine offers between 45.6- and 51.4mpg depending on the trim version and gearbox.
With road tax based on emissions, the 1.0 TSI will be the cheapest on this front with a carbon dioxide figure of 123g/km. The 1.5 TSI with automatic gearbox produces 140g/km of CO2, so it’s still not going to break the bank for road tax. Nor will the Kamiq trouble many owners with insurance ratings between groups 8 and 17.
Looking after a Kamiq should not cause any sleepless nights as there’s a strong network of 145 Skoda dealers across the UK. The Kamiq is a reliable car and comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard, which can be extended to five years and 100,000 for an additional fee. You can also choose a servicing pack with the Kamiq when it’s new to help spread the cost of routine maintenance.
Verdict: Should I buy a 2019 Skoda Kamiq?
The Skoda Kamiq may miss some of the razzmatazz of the Ford Puma or Renault Captur in its looks, but there’s no faulting the comfort or quality of the Czech car. These qualities will endure when the initial appeal of the styling has faded from its rivals. Its practicality and quality make it a sound bet for years of use with the family and, while the boot is not the biggest in its sector, there is plenty of room in the cabin for the driver and passengers.
The Kamiq is also well fitted out with standard equipment in all models, and you can add a driver’s knee airbag for even better safety. As for the engines, all are petrol motors that return good economy and decent emissions. Plus, overall running costs are low with this small SUV.
There are some good savings to be made when buying a new Kamiq, while used values remain strong thanks to solid residual prices.