2025 Skoda Kamiq review

The Skoda Kamiq has been a sales success since hitting the Australian market back in 2020, outselling every other model in the Czech brand’s stable.

Initially priced below $30,000 drive-away, the Kamiq found favour as an affordable European small SUV and has remained front of mind since, with 1985 sold last year.

The automotive world moves fast though, and a facelifted version of Skoda’s smallest SUV has just touched down.

It’s more than just a nip and tuck, too.

All versions receive a revised exterior design, while base examples newly feature an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster as standard, alongside an 8.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and dual-zone climate control.

Technology upgrades aren’t limited to the base model; the flagship gains a 10-speaker sound system and adaptive dampers. Skoda has also packed the facelifted Kamiq with extra safety technology.

Like before, a pair of small-displacement turbocharged powertrains are offered, in the form of a 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder and a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder.

The new range consists of two variants – Select and Monte Carlo – separated by $11,000. At both ends of the price spectrum, the updated Kamiq is priced similarly to pre-update models.

With a raft of timely upgrades, does the Kamiq shoot back to the top of the shortlist for small SUV buyers?

How much does the Skoda Kamiq cost?

Skoda has consolidated the Kamiq lineup from seven specifications down to just three, with an option pack bridging the gap between the Select and Monte Carlo model grades.

The base Select is $1000 more expensive than the outgoing Run-Out, while the updated Monte Carlo is $1500 dearer.

Signature Pack equipped examples of the Select fill the void previously occupied by the Style, which was offered for $37,990 drive-away.

To see how the Skoda Kamiq shapes up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What is the Skoda Kamiq like on the inside?

There are three distinct interior specifications offered with the updated Kamiq, and our test exposed us to two of them. Neither left us disappointed.

Given the significant gulf in price between the Select and Monte Carlo, it didn’t come as a shock the two variants feel quite different inside. However, both cars are comfortable, practical, and user-friendly.

At the entry level, the Select feels a cut above the Run-Out it replaces.

The outgoing entry Kamiq felt a little dated with its old-school air-conditioning switchgear and analogue gauges, but the facelift belongs in 2024 with a higher-end climate control setup and 8.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

While the Select gets the same 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system as pre-update models, which looks small inside its comparatively large housing, wireless smartphone mirroring now comes standard across the range.

Interior materials aren’t necessarily any better or worse, just different. The Select features fabric seats, trimmed in black with grey bolsters. They’re comfortable and supportive, with plenty of room to spread out given the ample space available to rear passengers. The default driving position will suit plenty of drivers, with manual adjustablility available.

Skoda has ditched the metallic dash effect on the Run-Out for a soft textured grey material. It’s down to personal preference whether that’s an upgrade or not.

Otherwise, the best bits of the previous model have been retained. The Select still comes with a grippy, ergonomic perforated leather steering wheel, and traditional levers for the transmission and handbrake.

Sliding out of the Select and into the Monte Carlo brings a big shift in interior design, as well as the addition of several luxury features.

It’s all very Volkswagen GTI-esque. The sculpted sports seats are trimmed in black fabric, but gain carbon-look bolsters and multi-coloured stripes. Compared to the Select, the power adjustable pews in the Monte Carlo hug you more tightly, and come with two-stage heating for the winter commute.

The dash also features wraparound carbon weave with surrounding red accents, offering the interior ambience of a hot hatch.

Each sprinkling of sporty style is matched by a pinch of premium substance. For instance, the steering wheel is heated here.

If red racing stripes aren’t to your taste, perhaps the expansive panoramic glass roof is. Failing that, the Monte Carlo gets a larger 9.2-inch infotainment system with satellite navigation, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster for good measure.

As you’ll read in the driving impressions section, the wannabe performance car vibe in the top-spec Kamiq doesn’t necessarily match its personality. But that’s easy to forgive considering the extra kit that has been thrown in over the previous Monte Carlo.

While the wireless phone charger and heated rear seats have been removed, it now comes with a heated steering wheel, 10-speaker sound system, the larger infotainment screen ,and electric driver’s seat adjustment as standard.

In a perfect world, I’d love to pair the ‘Lodge’ theme interior included in the Signature Pack with the standard equipment of the Monte Carlo.

Regardless of variant, the interior of the facelifted Kamiq still comes filled out with hard plastics below the belt. It’s hardly a surprise given the price point of the model, and didn’t worsen my impressions of the space.

The well-known ‘Simply Clever’ mantra shines through on the interior storage front.

Up front the glovebox, cupholders, and centre console are standard for the segment, but the door bins boast enough room for a large water bottle.

Smartphones sit nicely on a grippy rubber tray under the climate controls, and you’ll still find a Skoda umbrella tucked into the door for unexpected downpours.

Both outboard second row passengers have access to map pockets with separate, inbuilt phone holders, as well as small door bins. However, there’s no rear armrest.

Despite the diminutive dimensions of the Kamiq, it also offers plenty of space for tall adults in the back, with inches of legroom and ample headroom. It’s just about class-leading in this regard, and is more roomy than the Mazda CX-30 or Suzuki S-Cross.

Kids fit even better. As with pre-update cars, you get ISOFIX and top-tether points for child seats.

With the panoramic roof, the Monte Carlo even feels light and airy. Other second row amenities include dual air vents and a pair of USB-C outlets.

A protruding transmission tunnel means the Kamiq is more viable as a four-seater – it’s designed for couples or small families.

Further back, boot capacity is an unchanged 400L, expanding to 1375L with the second row folded. There’s room to store the cargo blind under the boot floor, and shopping bags can be hung from hooks built into the walls.

The Monte Carlo comes with a powered tailgate, while the Select’s is manually operated.

To see how the Skoda Kamiq shapes up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

What’s under the bonnet?

The base Skoda Kamiq gets a turbocharged three-cylinder engine, while the flagship Monte Carlo is powered by a turbo four-cylinder.

Given the lack of changes under the bonnet, the Kamiq remains an efficient choice in the small SUV segment.

For context, fuel consumption claims for the Mazda CX-30, Suzuki S-Cross, and petrol-powered Hyundai Kona all top 6.0L/100km.

Over two days of mixed driving we managed 6.0L/100km in both variants, although all examples require 95 RON premium fuel.

To see how the Skoda Kamiq shapes up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

How does the Skoda Kamiq drive?

Much like the pre-update Kamiq, and that’s no bad thing.

In both Select and Monte Carlo form, the Kamiq blends some of the best traits of small and large cars in an approachable package.

Around town it feels agile, responsive, and easy to place on the road, making for a stress-free drive.

Weighing in at just over 1300kg the Kamiq is light on its feet, so it’s easy to change lanes or dart through tight city streets on a whim. You sit up high enough to reap the benefits of SUV visibility and security, without the drawbacks of a bulky or cumbersome driving experience.

It’s easy to park too, with standard front and rear parking sensors, as well as a high-resolution reversing camera.

At low speeds – when taking off from a set of traffic lights, for example – the dual-clutch transmission fitted across the range is smoother than I remember. However, there’s still a learning curve for buyers coming from traditional automatic gearboxes.

There was also one occasion where the start/stop feature kicked in as I pulled up to a set of lights, which immediately changed from red to green, resulting in the revs flaring up as I attempted to take off in a sensible manner.

Overzealous throttle inputs can lead to jerkiness in traffic, although shifts are smooth as butter once you get the Kamiq moving.

That smoothness applies to the pair of available engines, which are both quiet and efficient. The 110kW turbocharged four-cylinder from the Monte Carlo has more noticeably more grunt when travelling at highway speeds, but the turbo three-cylinder is no slouch.

In fact, I found the 1.0-litre to be more charming with its three-cylinder growl.

Both versions soak up bumps in the road well, insulating occupants from harsh vibrations. Monte Carlo examples come standard with Sport Chassis Control (SCC), an adjustable suspension setup with Normal and Sport driving modes.

I’d leave it in Normal though. Don’t let the racy interior in the Monte Carlo fool you, it’s not a quick or sporty car.

Wind and road noise levels remain low in this iteration of the Kamiq, it really is a relaxing vehicle to steer relative to its class.

That’s especially true of the Monte Carlo that comes with adaptive cruise control. It would be nice if the Select also had this feature as standard.

Regardless of the variant, the active safety systems in the Kamiq are never overly active. It doesn’t beep at you without good reason, even with the new driver attention and drowsiness monitoring system, which is rarely the case in 2024.

What do you get?

There are now only two variants in the Kamiq range.

Kamiq Select highlights:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Auto LED Matrix headlights
• LED front fog lights
• LED tail lights, rear fog lights
• LED ambient lighting
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Keyless entry and start
• Power-folding exterior mirrors
• Auto-dimming driver side mirror
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• 8.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
  • Wireless Apple CarPlay
  • Wireless Android Auto
• 8-speaker audio
• 4 x USB-C ports
• Dual-zone climate control

Optional Signature Pack ($4200) adds:

• Travel Assist
• Lane Assist with Adaptive Lane Guidance
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Electric tailgate
• Park Assist
• 18-inch black alloy wheels
• Rear privacy glass
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• Carpet floor mat
• LED ambient lighting
• Chrome roof rails
• Chrome window surrounds
• Alarm system with interior monitoring and towing protection
• Fabric upholstery (lodge interior)

Kamiq Monte Carlo adds:

• Auto LED Matrix headlights with Dynamic Light Assist
• 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit
• 10-speaker premium audio
• Gloss black exterior trim and badging
• Aluminium pedals
• Power-adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated front sports comfort seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Panoramic glass roof with electric sunblind

Is the Skoda Kamiq safe?

The Skoda Kamiq wears a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on based on 2019 testing of the Skoda Scala.

Additional frontal offset and pedestrian tests were performed on the Skoda Kamiq to confirm the results. This ANCAP safety rating applies to all Kamiq variants.

Standard safety features include:

• 7 airbags incl. driver’s knee
• AEB incl. pedestrian detection
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane Assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Driver fatigue detection

Kamiq Monte Carlo adds:

How much does the Skoda Kamiq cost to run?

The Kamiq is covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, in line with the rest of the Skoda range.

CarExpert’s Take

The saying goes if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and that’s true of the Skoda Kamiq.

Skoda got a lot of things right with the pre-update Kamiq, and the facelifted range brings design, tech and equipment upgrades without ballooning the asking price.

The introduction of updated infotainment tech on the base model makes a real difference, as does the inclusion of wireless smartphone mirroring across the range.

Both the Select and Monte Carlo are comfortable, efficient, spacious and easy to drive, with the flagship car offering more punch and luxury.

You can’t really go wrong with either variant, but I can understand why some may opt against the Monte Carlo. The sporty add-ons seem a bit out of place, and a Select with the Signature Pack is plenty well equipped for far less money.

At under $34,000 drive-away, the Select is an accessible entry-point into European car ownership. It’s a steal.

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