Skoda Kamiq - Engines, performance and drive

Around town, we found the Skoda Kamiq has a light steering set-up that’s super-easy to park and manoeuvre in traffic, while the suspension strikes a good balance being neither too firm nor too soft, feeling pliant enough over rough roads, potholes and speed bumps. For those who may feel the Ford Puma or SEAT Arona are a little too firm, the Kamiq could be just the ticket.

On faster B roads, you’d be hard-pressed to call the Kamiq fun to drive, but that’s not to say a journey in the small SUV is a dull or dreary experience. It handles safely and predictably, with a high amount of grip allowing you to confidently maintain your speed on a twisty road, while its slick manual gearbox means you can make the most of its small 1.0-litre petrol engines. It’s more satisfying to drive than the Nissan Juke, which we find is let down by a long-throw action on its manual gearbox, and some rather spongy feeling pedals.

At motorway speeds, the Kamiq is settled and doesn’t feel like it’ll make children in the back feel car sick going over undulations. There’s a little bit of wind noise around the windscreen and large door mirrors, but that’s a criticism we could also level at the Puma. If you need something quieter, try a Volkswagen T-Cross or a slightly plusher Volkswagen T-Roc. 

Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed

The entry-level 1.0-litre TSI features an adequate 94bhp, although its 0-62mph time of 11.2 seconds means it’s better suited to urban driving. For those often tackling motorway driving, the more powerful 114bhp version is a better bet with its swifter 9.7-second acceleration time. Its additional gear ratio (six speeds rather than five) helps to keep the revs lower at 70mph, too. The latter is also available with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox, though we’d stick with the former because the manual is light and precise.

Above this sits the flagship 148bhp 1.5 TSI, which drops the 0-62mph to 8.2 seconds. It’s a smooth and punchy performer, and this engine has neat cylinder deactivation fuel-saving technology, so it isn’t much thirstier than the smaller 1.0-litre engines. That being said, it does cost more to buy compared with the already excellent 1.0-litre petrol, so you’ll need to be sure the extra performance is necessary before committing.