Skoda Roomster

By Chris Thorp

29th November 2006

	Set to be unveiled this week at Ger­many's Essen Motor Show, the Scout goes on sale in the UK next summer

Called the Roomster Scout, the new addition to the line-up is set apart from the standard model by SUV-style body mouldings on all sides.

And to give the Roomster a more muscular stance, the Scout is equipped as standard with unique 16-inch alloy wheels, while 17-inch rims are avail­able as an option. Roof rails and additional cosmetic underbody protection complete the makeover.

The extra trim makes the Scout 14mm longer, 11mm wider and 43mm higher than the conventional model, but don't be fooled - despite the car's off-road aspirations, power is still fed only to the front wheels. The engine line-up is shared with the standard Roomster, but the basic 1.2-litre petrol motor is not carried over. That means buyers get the choice of 1.4 or 1.6-litre petrol units, or 1.4 and 1.9-litre diesels. All powerplants are mated to five-speed manual transmissions, with only the top-of-the-range 1.6-litre petrol variant getting the option of a six-speed auto.

Set to be unveiled this week at Ger­many's Essen Motor Show, the Scout goes on sale in the UK next summer. Prices have yet to be confirmed, but are likely to start at around £14,000.

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