The Skoda Kamiq has been revealed. This new model will be the company’s third model in its European SUV portfolio. The name Kamiq continues the already familiar nomenclature of Skoda SUV models. The names of the larger models, the Skoda Karoq and Skoda Kodiaq, both also start with the letter K and end in a Q.
Similarly, to the Kodiaq and Karoq, the name Kamiq also originates from the language of the Inuit people who live in northern Canada and Greenland. The name means something that fits perfectly.
The Kamiq has been designed and engineered to combine the advantages of a sport utility vehicle – such as higher ground clearance and a comfortable seating position – with the agility of a compact car. The city SUV is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB) and is exclusively available with front-wheel drive.
The Skoda Kamiq continues the successful SUV design language from the Kodiaq and the Karoq. It comes with new visual highlights such as the split headlights featuring the daytime running lights above the main headlights.
The front of the Kamiq is characterised by a wide radiator grille with double slats and distinct lines on the bonnet. The rugged front spoiler emphasises the car’s off-road character. The compact side view, with large wheels measuring 16 to 18 inches and an elevated bonnet, appears robust and dynamic. The roofline and high ground clearance reinforce this impression.
The side view presents balanced proportions and a timeless design, combined with a dynamic and sporty look. The rear features a new interpretation of the Skoda-typical ‘C’ shape of the lights. A diffuser accentuates the car’s generous ground clearance and powerful appearance.
The Kamiq is also the brand’s first model to feature split LED headlights with daytime running lights that, in the full-LED version, appear like four gemstones above the main headlights. Three-dimensional and crystalline effects, as well as LED units that look like glistening jewels, add to the sophisticated appearance.
The full-LED version also features fog lights with static cornering lights as well as dynamic front and rear indicators which is again a first time for a Skoda car. The front indicators are divided into individual LEDs. When the driver turns the indicators on, they flash outwards in a sweeping motion.
The new Skoda Kamiq measures 4,241 mm in length, 1,793 mm in width and has a height of 1,531 mm. The wheelbase measures 2,651 mm. The SUV has a boot has a capacity of 400 litres, which increases to 1,395 litres when the rear seats are folded down. As an optional extra, the front passenger’s seat back can also be folded down, allowing longer items up to 2,447 mm to be transported with ease.
The Kamiq is the Czech automaker’s second model featuring the new interior concept. Its interior is dominated by the free-standing screen which is ideally positioned in the driver’s field of view and, at 9.2 inches, the biggest in its segment.
A character line echoes the lines on the bonnet. It also forms an ergonomic hand rest below the display for operating the touchscreen. Measuring 10.25 inches, the optional Virtual Cockpit is also amongst the largest displays in the segment. The redesigned instrument panel continues the emotive design language of the exterior.
The dashboard, with its new, extensive decorative elements, and the front door trims feature a high-quality, soft-foam surface with a new specific texture resembling crystalline structures. The ambient lighting is available in the three colours white red and copper.
The seat covers get contrast stitching and as an option can be ordered in Suedia microfiber as well. The Kamiq also features a heated steering wheel and heated windscreen. The urban SUV also offers heated seats, not only for the two front seats but also as an option for the outer seats in the back.
Three infotainment systems are available for the new Skoda Kamiq. The top-of-the-range Amundsen infotainment system comes with a free-standing 9.2-inch touchscreen that is positioned up high, in clear view of the driver. And so does the Kamiq’s 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit with a choice of five different display layouts – Classic, Basic, Modern, Sport and Extended.
Even the Bolero infotainment system comes with an 8-inch display and the entry-level Swing system features a 6.5-inch screen and four speakers in the front. Bolero and Amundsen come with eight speakers; the optional 405-watt Skoda Sound System has ten speakers.
All of the Kamiq’s engines are direct-injection units with turbochargers. They come with brake energy recovery as well as Stop/Start technology and comply with the currently strictest Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. All petrol engines are also equipped with a petrol particulate filter.
The entry-level engine is a 1.0 TSI delivering 70 kW (95 PS). This three-cylinder model produces maximum torque of 175 Nm and features a manual 5-speed gearbox. The second option is the 1.0 TSI engine with a power output of 85 kW (115 PS) which comes with a 6-speed gearbox as standard but can be fitted with a 7-speed DSG as an option. This motor generates a torque of 200 Nm.
The top-end engine is the four-cylinder 1.5 TSI with a power output of 110 kW (150 PS) and maximum torque of 250 Nm. Its Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) automatically shuts down two cylinders when the load is light, thus saving on fuel. This engine is also available with a 7-speed DSG as an alternative to the manual 6-speed gearbox.
The four-cylinder 1.6 TDI diesel engine delivering 85 kW (115 PS) also offers torque of 250 Nm. It is fitted with an SCR catalytic converter with AdBlue injection and a diesel particulate filter as standard. This efficient diesel engine is coupled with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard while a 7-speed DSG is available as an option.
The Skoda Kamiq’s chassis combines the advantages of an SUV with the agile handling of a compact car. Sport Chassis Control allows for an even more dynamic set-up. This optional sporty chassis is 10 mm lower and, in addition to the Normal mode, also has a Sport mode with firmer characteristics for the shock absorbers that feature adjustable valves.
Drivers can configure the two chassis settings in the menu for Driving Mode Select, which comes in combination with Sport Chassis Control. Driving Mode Select offers a choice of four modes – Normal, Sport, Eco and Individual. As an optional extra, underbody protection is available for those who also like to venture off-road.
The Skoda Kamiq comes fitted with state-of-the-art safety systems. Front Assist and Lane Assist are already available as standard. Front Assist, which includes City Emergency Brake and Predictive Pedestrian Protection, monitors the area in front of the car while driving in the city, thereby helping to prevent accidents.
Using a camera, Lane Assist recognises lane markings and helps the driver to keep the car in the lane. At speeds of up to 130 mph on motorways, the optional Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) automatically adjusts the speed of the car to that of vehicles ahead. In combination with DSG, the system can even brake the Skoda Kamiq until it stops and have it pull away again automatically in up to three seconds.
The Kamiq also gets an optional Driver Alert fatigue detection system emits a warning as soon as it registers that the driver’s concentration is waning. If the SUV’s sensors detect an impending collision, the optional proactive Crew Protect Assist quickly closes any open windows and pre-tensions the front seat belts.
Up to nine airbags, including a knee airbag and side airbags for the rear seats, protect the passengers in the case of a collision. Following an accident, the Multi-Collision Brake prevents the vehicle from rolling any further in an uncontrolled manner.
The optional Side Assist can detect vehicles that are up to 70 m away and wanting to overtake or that are in the car’s blind spot, and thus also effectively assists the driver on motorways and dual carriageways. To do this, it uses two radar systems in the rear and alerts the driver using light signals on the inner edge of the wing mirror, where the driver will notice them intuitively. Rear Traffic Alert warns the driver about objects moving behind the vehicle when reversing. This is a key function of Side Assist.
The optional rear-view camera and Park Assist, which automatically manoeuvres the Skoda Kamiq into and out of parallel and bay parking spaces, lend the driver a hand when parking. The integrated Manoeuvre Assist function automatically brakes the city SUV if the sensors detect an obstacle in front of or behind the car during parking. Auto Light Assist is also available as an option. This uses a camera to detect oncoming traffic as well as vehicles travelling ahead of the Kamiq and automatically dips the headlights.
The SUV also comes with a permanent Internet connection which provides the Kamiq with eCall, which communicates information such as the car’s location and status in the event of an accident, and Proactive Service, which stays in contact with the garage to coordinate service appointments.
The car’s high degree of connectivity also enables remote vehicle access via the Skoda Connect app or web portal. This feature allows owners to lock and unlock their car or check whether all of its windows are closed – all from a distance. In addition, car owners can conveniently call up information while on the go or, for example, from the comfort of their own living room, and find out how much fuel is left in the tank. Other vehicle and driving data such as the car’s mileage or the speeds it has travelled at can also be accessed.
Infotainment apps, available in the Shop that can be installed to the Amundsen infotainment system, provide access to further in-car services. In the Shop, customers can select additional data plans, for example, to provide passengers with a data allowance via a Wi-Fi hotspot. No additional costs are incurred or further trips to the garage required, as the navigation system’s maps are updated automatically, ‘over the air’.
Just like any other Skoda, the Kamiq too offers more than twenty Simply Clever features. It is the first car in its segment to offer the option of clever door-edge protection that deploys automatically when the doors are opened. This system prevents damage to the Kamiq as well as nearby vehicles, particularly in tight parking spaces in the city.
The optional electric tailgate proves to be another convenient feature when loading a weekly shop for example. The tailgate can be opened and closed at the push of a button; thanks to its integrated tip-to-close function, it can also be closed by lightly pulling on the open tailgate. A removable LED torch can also be found on the side in the boot. The button to electrically unlock the retractable tow bar can also be found in the boot.
2019 Skoda Kamiq Images:
