India-bound Skoda Kamiq breaks cover ahead of Geneva debut

-    The Kamiq is the third high-riding vehicle in Skoda’s line-up.

-  Poised to make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show. 

-    Will come to our shores as a part of its India 2.0 plan. 

Skoda has officially taken the wraps off the all-new Kamiq crossover ahead of its Geneva public debut. The Kamiq is the third SUV/crossover for the Czech carmaker after the successful Kodiaq and the Karoq. Unlike the Chinese-spec model, with the same name, this European-spec Kamiq combines the advantages of an SUV with the agility of a compact car, says Skoda. 

The name Kamiq is derived from the language of the Inuit people from northern Canada and Greenland and it means ‘something that fits perfectly’. Skoda claims that the Kamiq has all the advantages of the SUV with the agility of a compact car. Based on the same MQB platform as all the other Skodas, the Kamiq measures 4,241mm in length and has a wheelbase of 2,651mm. 

Appearance wise, it bears a design similar to the Kodiaq, with the exception of the split headlamps. The sleek LED strip of the Kamiq can double as turn indicators, while the main headlamps are placed below them. There is a wide gaping grille on the front bumper while the characteristic moustache grille gets a modern iteration as well. The rear gets Scala-like tail lamps with a well-defined tailgate. It has contrasting roof rails with no body cladding around the car. 

The cabin retains the layout from the Scala which includes a 9.2-inch floating infotainment touchscreen. Customers can also opt for a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit and digital instruments along with ambient lighting. The Kamiq is outfitted well with additional equipment beyond Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ features. The boot space capacity stands at a generous 400 litres and still, this car offers more legroom than the Octavia and Karoq. The Kamiq also gets a plethora of driver aids and safety equipment. 

Under the hood, there are three engine options. The 1.0-litre turbo petrol has two states of tune – 94bhp and 113bhp. The bigger 1.5-litre TSI has an output of 147bhp while the oil burner is a 1.6-litre TDI making 112bhp. Transmission options include a six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG automatic sending power to the front wheels. 

With the Kamiq, Skoda wants to lure new and younger buyers who steer away from the bigger Kodiaq. In India, the Kamiq will adopt the MQB A0 IN architecture when it arrives here as a part of the India 2.0 plan.