[Parth Oomphy]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

And come face-to-face with a dogged defense from a new Karoq buyer .

Anyway, each to their own - I do like the Karoq BUT wouldn't spend 30L (BLR on-road) for such a diminutive crossover, if I were in the market for a single family vehicle.

It's another matter if I had a Endeavour for intercity trips and a sporty sedan for the good city roads. THEN the Karoq looks an excellent classy alternative (to a Creta) as a spacious vehicle for the school run.

Also keen to see the incoming next-gen Skoda cars. Both the Vision IN crossover & new Rapid are due in 2020/21, and their interiors will evolve the 'Skoda' style interiors to the next generation.

I found Karoq to be the best 5 seater SUV under 30L (be it comfort, features, looks, luxury, space, etc). If I want to go off-road, I’ll buy a ladder on frame SUV with proper 4x4 nonetheless. I tested compass, harrier, Tucson, Creltos & Troc in this segment.
Also, Karoq is super easy to drive in the cities, gives you confidence & peace of mind due to a bit higher seating positing, good visibility of the road ahead & a great GC which some people like my dad prefer (he doesn’t find this in sedans which makes sense).
But yeah, if you want price to size ratio or specs to price ratio, Karoq is something You should avoid (just add 5L more and get a superb sportline or ENDY)

And yes, I’m also Curious to see what they do with VISION IN to compete with creltos, which rule the 5 seater SUV segment currently. I hope they don’t change the core of VAG cars & compromise on mechanicals to give headline grabbing gimmicky features instead, just to attract more Indian car buyers.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Parth Oomphy

Sorry mate, but I tend to disagree with you on many points here.
Firstly getting the sedans out of the way: definitely a person looking for more GC will not think of sedans if he/she really wants that GC. I live in Delhi NCR and I regularly encounter roads which are super bad and especially in this monsoon season, even some SUVs tend to crash into steep bumps (which aren’t visible when roads are flooded with water). There’s a reason sedans like superb aren’t sell well in front of SUVs and why Indians are loving SUVs More than anything else. So it’ll be foolish to suggest a sedan to a SUV buyer when he genuinely needs that GC instead of driving dynamics on his regular day commute (practicality is a thing my friend, you yourself bought Kodiaq Scout). Also, Every time I encounter such roads, I thank myself for not buying a car like Superb over Karoq or Octavia over XUV 500. Piece of mind & confidence of going anywhere w/o fear of getting your car stuck or damaged is a luxury sedans can’t provide (I have had such experiences with my Ameo TDI, which has same GC as superb and has much shorter wheelbase , that’s why I’m speaking from my experience.

Agreed with your point on bad roads but you are forgetting Bangalore roads are known for speed breakers that sedans shudder when they see them. I own a Corolla Altis as well and need to be careful but it has seen a lot of bad roads without issues. The reason for getting the Kodiaq was not necessarily ground clearance but because the Superb had the DQ200 and I was under the incorrect assumption that the Superb 2L TSI would go up in price. I also never expected the Sportline to be so well priced. I also had one quirky requirement of all black interiors.

Secondly, About the Kodiaq, I think it’s a station wagon more than a SUV. It’s propositions are seriously off and it looks like a van to me (& I know I’m not alone, many have complained about it’s looks). IMO, Karoq looks much better with well proportioned stance.

Yup styling is indeed subjective and everyone has their own perspective. There are many that think the Kodiaq is station wagon esque and many that think otherwise. It isn't trying to be an Endeavour so anyone buying it already knows that they are not getting a proper box on wheels.

The Karoq also has equally differing views on design. Many say it looks well proportioned and an equal number say it lacks presence and especially the rear looks chopped off abruptly.

In the end it's all about perspective and how you look at it. Someone buying an iPhone 11 Pro Max buys the largest iphone for the screen, camera and top end features because he doesn't want any compromises. Whereas a buyer buying an iPhone 11 will say he got better performance than the Pro Max at 70% of the cost and the Pro Max is a waste of money when you can get a mini Iphone with similar features for much lesser.

Also, talking about drivability of Kodiaq due to more torque: I’m Sorry to say that but I didn’t find it to be adequate even for the cities as there’s turbo lag below 1500-1700 rpm (typical TDI motor) & due to merge 150BHP power on a 1800kg Wagon, Kodiaq does feel slow & heavy (while karoq is way more fun when chucking around corners as it has better dynamics & feels agile/nimble due to higher power to weight ratio & lesser bulk).

That's kind of strange cause anyone I know who has driven it including our official review says otherwise. Performance is adequate and it's kind of similar with the Karoq imo. For the size it deserved a bigger engine. Also, the cheaper T-ROC is quicker than the Karoq by a second. Most reviews say the same as well. If you want better performance go for the T-ROC, the Karoq is reasonably brisk but not as quick. A nice review here in which the reviewer misses the torque of the Diesel in the Karoq:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iru2AX-Io0U

Again it's about individual perspective. I prefer the torque vs revving the engine for performance. I will agree with you on the fact that being lighter and smaller it is more agile and handles better than the Kodiaq. However the T-ROC does that even better at 5L lesser.

About DQ200 reliability: I have been using it on my AMEO TDI and no issues at all (Even after our driver driving it most of the times, & you know how they abuse the cars). I think one of cases or past horror stories should sway prospective buyers to change their decision otherwise.

Not every Dq200 is destined to fail. There are many who are happy with their Polos, Ventos, Ameos and OCtavias and many who have sworn not buy another VW DSG again. It's all about risk appetite here and for me reading on the forum as well as knowing so many people with DSG failures, it was something that would haunt me everytime I drove a car with DQ200.

Also I think, when people buy 5 seater SUVs, they look for city commutes more than backseat space. Owners mostly drive these themselves. While cars like superb are more towards chauffeur driven (so it makes sense for them to offer more rear space). I recently bought a Endy 2.0 Titanium plus for “space and long touring needs”. I think people looking to buy the 7 seater SUVs buy them for the rugged charm (Butch looks), go anywhere capabilities, great ride, long distance cruising comfort & space. That’s the reason Kodiaq didn’t sell that well in India as it does lack many of the above points when compared to it’s rivals.
While a premium 5 seater self driven car like karoq makes much more sense for cities (over say creltos, as they are anything but premium & luxurious).

Yup your points are valid for buying Karoq, Superb and Endeavour but when you want all of the above in a single car and don't want to buy all 3, the Kodiaq is the all in one. Luxury like the Superb, not as big as Endeavour for driving. Handles more like a car than truck. Can go further than FWD crossovers but not necessarily needed all that 4x4 proper hardware for proper offroading.

You have basically given the exact reason why someone would go for a Kodiaq over the Endeavour+Superb+Karoq. It's 3 cars rolled into 1.

So what I’m trying to say is that Kodiaq doesn’t fit anywhere:

• it’s not capable or big enough to qualify & compete with “proper” ladder on frame SUVs which offer the price to size ratio and rugged appeal which Indians Look for in this segment.
• Nor does Kodiaq is small enough for a middle-aged owner (like my dad & many others I know) to drive himself in the cities in comfort and luxury (it’s unnecessary to carry the huge bulk of Kodiaq for this purpose when something like Karoq can do the job much better).
• Nor does the Kodiaq has driving dynamics & performance of sedans for enthusiasts like me, which Superb/Octavia or even 5 seater SUVs like Karoq/Troc offer much better than Kodiaq

All valid points but it does a bit of everything. Hence it's like a jack of all trades. If I wanted the performance and dynamics of a sedan, I would go for a Superb/Octavia but if I wanted the ruggedness of a SUV, I would get Fortuner or Endeavour. However if I wanted a bit of both I would go for the Karoq if my budget was strict 30L and I was ok to compromise on space. But if my budget was 40+, I would anyday get the Kodiaq since it was more SUV than Karoq and closer to Superb in luxury vs the Karoq.

I know you own a Kodiaq Scout and I have nothing against it. I’m happy it suits your needs very well & that you are loving it. But I think you are arguing here more as an owner and not as a “TeamBHP reviewer” (& personal Bias’s are natural, I don’t mean to offend you at all).
I think different people have different choices and in cars too, there’s no perfection. No single car can Satisfy everyone’s needs (as they are so varied). So it’s better to buy car based on YOUR specific purpose, if that’s clear in your mind, you’ll never regret or make the wrong decision.
I know My frequency just doesn’t match with yours. Nothing wrong in that. I appreciate your views.
Cheers!

Yup as I mentioned in the beginning, its different perspective vs needs for all. One might have different needs than others and budgets as well.

However I would like to correct you on the fact that it's not about arguing as an owner vs a member. I have been on the forum long enough and have owned various cars and written enough reviews to not be close to being biased and call a spade a spade.

However I only replied here when I saw facts were incorrect and there was a bias from your side. I preferred to reply and correct those facts. As a member for 15 years I don't think I need to post on a thread with bias considering I have not done so for so long.

Originally Posted by Parth Oomphy

I found Karoq to be the best 5 seater SUV under 30L (be it comfort, features, looks, luxury, space, etc). If I want to go off-road, I’ll buy a ladder on frame SUV with proper 4x4 nonetheless. I tested compass, harrier, Tucson, Creltos & Troc in this segment.

And the people who got the Kodiaq cause it's the most luxurious SUV under 40L. IF the budget is 40L why would someone opt for a smaller crossover when he can get the Kodiaq.

Originally Posted by Parth Oomphy

I know some of the Kodiaq owners come to Karoq’s post to check out the smaller sister & then they find my posts which presumably “criticise” their car. So they try to defend their car. But this isn’t the case. Don’t take me wrong. Whatever I’m saying is based on my experience with the cars. I’m not saying that it’s “THE FACT” or something like that. It’s just matter of preference, needs & taste I guess.

I think you need to stop repeating this in every post. The only reason for me to reply here is to ensure there is no biased posts and as of now your posts are close to being fanboy and biased. As a member I can only tell you friendly that your posts are coming off as biased in every thread related to Karoq like the Superb, T-ROC, Creta, which is why you attracted my attention after seeing your posts.

Would suggest you enjoy the car like how everyone here does rather than justify why your car is better than the Kodiaq, Superb, T-ROC, Creta, Seltos and Audi Q3.

[Parth Oomphy]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

In the end it's all about perspective and how you look at it. Someone buying an iPhone 11 Pro Max buys the largest iphone for the screen, camera and top end features because he doesn't want any compromises. Whereas a buyer buying an iPhone 11 will say he got better performance than the Pro Max at 70% of the cost and the Pro Max is a waste of money when you can get a mini Iphone with similar features for much lesser.



I think you need to stop repeating this in every post. The only reason for me to reply here is to ensure there is no biased posts and as of now your posts are close to being fanboy and biased. As a member I can only tell you friendly that your posts are coming off as biased in every thread related to Karoq like the Superb, T-ROC, Creta, which is why you attracted my attention after seeing your posts.

Would suggest you enjoy the car like how everyone here does rather than justify why your car is better than the Kodiaq, Superb, T-ROC, Creta, Seltos and Audi Q3.

To begin with I’m more of an android guy (although use iPhone X as my secondary phone) but I get your point.

And you got me wrong, I’m not biased or trying to proof that Karoq is better than anything. I just shared my reasons of buying it and why I felt it was best for me, than rest of the cars I tested (again, based on my experience, I’m not trying to “justify” anything). You should try to accept & respect others opinion as well instead of trying to force yours over others.
SKODA hasn’t paid me to promote their newly launched car and guess same goes for your Kodiaq.
I never said that if you have a budget of 40L, then buy Karoq over Kodiaq. It’s not right to assume things.

And I had to repeat the same lines as you were giving same arguments yourself:

• trying to prove Kodiaq to be the perfect car which is capable of satisfying all the needs. I know you may think so, that it’s “jack of all traits”, but the more important thing for me is it’s “master of none” which doesn’t suit my fancy (maybe you like it that way).
• By stating every time that “you have been reviewing cars since past 15 years”. I totally respect your work & Obviously I haven’t done any of that because it’s not my cup of tea. But I can talk as a owner of various cars I have experienced since many years & my friend’s car which we regularly share & drive (like the Q3, Kodiaq, etc).

I think this platform is for owners to share their experience & opinions as well & not just for “experts” & reviewers like you. I know you have been associated with this forum for so long & you think your interference is required to mould thoughts of “newbies” like me. But I think this is unwarranted. Now I’ll be wary of sharing anything on this forum (even my opinion or experience) because of the backlash I faced by “Professionals” like you

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Parth Oomphy

I think this platform is for owners to share their experience & opinions as well & not just for “experts” & reviewers like you. I know you have been associated with this forum for so long & you think your interference is required to mould thoughts of “newbies” like me. But I think this is unwarranted. Now I’ll be wary of sharing anything on this forum (even my opinion or experience) because of the backlash I faced by “Professionals” like you

Hey Parth, chill! this is part and parcel of an online debate and no one will bash you here and keep the opinions flowing

Side note, I love the Karoq and personally recommended Kodiaq to a colleague who picked it for his family with 6 members. Yes they replaced their Innova petrol of a decade vintage with this. So yes it makes sense for people who need a large "Station Wagon" type car to go for Kodiaq. But for a enthusiast with mostly city driving and once in a while highway jaunts Karoq make better sense. Only thing I don't agree to, rather two are the price point and the gearbox. But otherwise Karoq for me anyday.

With regards to the size debate, in city anything more than a bike is a pain for me from pre covid times and once I decide to take the car, I anyday prefer the taller stance of the Endy compared to my GV which is more at Kodiaq height, maybe lil taller. Height command supreme respect in city like Bangalore.

Having said all that, can you avoid using Bolds & Italics throughout the posts please. It kinda spoils the reading experience.

[ashwinsadeep]

While I've not driven a Karoq, I feel it is overpriced by a few lakhs at least - Not quite convinced that it is worth a 10L+ additional outlay over a Seltos. That said, Karoq is still a tremendous package - not taking anything away from that.

If I was in the market for 32L crossover for urban use with occasional off-road excursions on the way to a resort. I'll probably invest that capital, wait for a year or so, add a bit more to the principal and spring for the XC40 - That thing is a looker and just about the perfect size for our cities. Delayed gratification!

[Sandeep500]

My opinion and views closely match with those of Jaggu. I personally like Karoq more than Kodiaq but if a person needs more seats or has large family Kodiaq is the one to go. We should respect other persons opinion and views and don't force these on others. Arguments should have a limit and beyond that these should be closed lest the things get distasteful.

Secondly on a lighter note there is saying that when God sends someone on this earth in one ear he whispers that you are the most intelligent guy and in the other ear he says you are the most handsome guy he is sending to the earth. So chill guys.

[tharunkar]

I was under the impression that the Karoq was overpriced until I actually test drove one. It felt super easy to drive around and the stance fron the drivers seat is what impressed me most. As far as the features are concerned, i would personally miss wireless charging and a powered tailgate. Apart from that the car checked all the right boxes.

The engine felt eager and the cylinder deactivation feature looks like some amazing tech. Would have loved to pick up one but the ongoing COVID uncertainity and resale value of my two year old car is not permitting me to take the plunge.

[prasadathani]

My two-piece bit on the Karoq vs Kodiaq - I had an option of buying a Kodiaq Scout for 32.00 lakhs ex-showroom from Pune. It was in the month of Feb 2020. RTO would have been 6.4 lakhs and total would have been around 39.00 lakhs. Didn't bite the bullet and ended up having to buy the karoq for 30.00 on-road.

7.00 lakhs more would have given me a Diesel engine, more space in the back (the recline on the rear seats is to too upright - on longer journeys it is felt more so for me as I am 6"1), a bigger boot, auto-closing boot and an AWD (just to name a few). As Vid said the power is less for a car of its size but a friend of mine got his Kodiaq tuned to 190 bhp through Petes and its just perfect.

Do I regret not buying a Kodiaq - Yes definitely I do. Use around 20-25k kms per year easily and the extra space and features would have been very welcome. With petrol prices increasing everyday its also an added burden. The price increase was a factor that wasn't there in Feb 2020.

Hopefully the Karoq serves me well in the years to come.

Originally Posted by ashwinsadeep

While I've not driven a Karoq, I feel it is overpriced by a few lakhs at least - Not quite convinced that it is worth a 10L+ additional outlay over a Seltos. That said, Karoq is still a tremendous package - not taking anything away from that.

I totally agree. I ended up buying the karoq once I got a 1.3 lakh discount on the ex-showroom price although it should have ideally been 22-22.5 ex-showroom. It is a tremendous package but taller people will find the back seat too upright.

[AnandB]

Originally Posted by prasadathani

a friend of mine got his Kodiaq tuned to 190 bhp through Petes and its just perfect.

Please do share more about this in Kodiaq thread.

[hemlock]

Originally Posted by prasadathani

I totally agree. I ended up buying the karoq once I got a 1.3 lakh discount on the ex-showroom price although it should have ideally been 22-22.5 ex-showroom. It is a tremendous package but taller people will find the back seat too upright.

Do you mind sharing the details of this discount ? It will be useful to negotiate.

[Mr.Perera]

Every car has its own character and charm. The market today has so many options that everyone has a car for their specific requirement. I see many members here pointing out that the Karoq is way too expensive. I too thought the same while the price was announced initially. But still I ended up buying the Karoq. Trust me, I thought a million times before spending so much money on it. Right now, not even a single moment I regret buying the Karoq. The main reason is that the Karoq ticks all our requirements. My father entered his retired life last year and we wanted a car that he could use on a daily basis. These were our major requirements.

* We didn't prefer a sedan mainly because of the road conditions here, also he might go to our farm once a month where the roads are non existant and a car with good ground clearance was a must to go there. Also ingress and egress is much easier for him in a crossover compared to a sedan.
* Something not too big so that he can park it and drive around easily
* A super safe car thats built like a tank
* Since he takes the car only few times a month we preferred a petrol engine
* An automatic transmission was must
* Everyone in our family has a soft corner for good well put together interiors.
* We had set a budget between 20-30 lakhs.
Test drives, thought processes took us close to 1 year and finally we took the plunge and went for the Karoq.

The car just excels in all the above points. Like most of us here, I too drooled over the Superb Spotline in the showroom ! But it was too big for his use and the less ground clearance was a concern. What I am saying is everyone has their specific requirement. If I was in the market for a long distant mile muncher, which could carry our luggage and 5 of us in luxury I would have definitely considered something like the Kodiaq. There is no perfect car nor a car that ticks all the boxes. All that matters is if you are happy with the car and it meets all your requirements then be happy with it and have lots of fun and good memories with it !

Also one more point I would like to mention is the Karoq's interior is much better built than the Octavias. I own a 2018 Octavia vRS and the switches, materials, buttons etc in the Karoq feels much better than in the Octy. The major reason why I feel the Karoq is expensive is because it took the CBU route. If Skoda manufactured it in India and priced it around 22 lakhs ex showroom, it would have attracted more buyers. But hey, a CBU car has its own merits and if you enjoy the better build quality and don't mind spending a bit more for it, then why not ! At the end of the day its your money and the choice is yours

Still ! why no powered tailgate Skoda ? Thats the only feature I miss so badly in the Karoq.

[prasadathani]

Originally Posted by hemlock

Do you mind sharing the details of this discount ? It will be useful to negotiate.

Hi Hemlock,

Sorry didn't see this post until today. I got the Karoq for 23.53 ex-showroom from Pune. I believe the discounts are still going on. Between 1.3 and 1.45 lakhs discount you can haggle for depending on the dealer. Please DM me and I can share the SA details if you are interested.

[Venkatesh]

Skoda Karoq and T-Roc comparison

https://youtu.be/bCGrtcUQ4aE

[kushal.b110]

A question for the fellow Karoq owners over here, are the auto windshield wipers working seamlessly in your car?

For some reason the vipers in my car are not turning on automatically even in heavy rains, I've been engaging them manually. I did check the car settings to see if it was switched off, but it wasn't.

Any pointers regarding this would be helpful.

[cpabhijit]

Originally Posted by kushal.b110

A question for the fellow Karoq owners over here, are the auto windshield wipers working seamlessly in your car?

For some reason the vipers in my car are not turning on automatically even in heavy rains, I've been engaging them manually. I did check the car settings to see if it was switched off, but it wasn't.

Any pointers regarding this would be helpful.

For the Auto wiper to work, the stalk has to be in 'Int' position. The 4 settings (via the wheel on the stalk) adjust the sensitivity/response, ie., for the same amount of rain, you can have the wipers respond at different speeds, automatically.

In my Karoq, it is working well albeit, in intermittent rain, it sometimes goes off to sleep but comes back on when the water accumulation is too much.

Also, with the stalk in 'Int' position, even the rear wipers are in 'Auto' mode. Hope this helps.