Skoda Yeti Grows Up Into Cool Karoq

■ Wraps are off bigger, better SUV replacement 

■ Choice of five engines, and vRS is coming

- John McIlroy

SKODA was ahead of the curve when it launched the Yeti, one of the original small family SUVs. But now the market is dominated by the likes of the plusher, larger Nissan Qashqai and the Renault Kadjar, so the Czech manufacturer has gone for a more mature approach (and a change of name) for its new offering, the Karoq.

Seen here in official images for the first time, the Karoq is a larger vehicle than the one it replaces. It’s 4,382mm long and 1,841mm wide – figures that are 160mm and almost 50mm up on the Yeti’s dimensions respectively.

The Karoq’s wheelbase is 60mm longer, too, at 2,638mm if you choose a front-wheel-drive edition and 2,630mm for four-wheel-drive models.

The new Skoda’s wheelbase figures are identical to those of front and four-wheeldrive versions of the SEAT Ateca – but that’s no surprise, given that both cars are produced on the VW Group’s MQB chassis architecture. Indeed, there are plenty of family traits visible in the Karoq’s side profile, because its strong, sharp shoulder line looks very similar to the Ateca’s.

A Skoda family grille and more complex tail-lights do help to separate the VW Group stablemates at the front and rear, but the overall look is more restrained than the funky Yeti’s original styling.