Skoda Kamiq

I had ordered a Volkswagen T-Cross or similar vehicle. The customer manager at Sixt showed me three other cars that I could choose from.

The qualification of the election

Citroen C3 Aircross, Opel Crossland or Skoda Kamiq? Since I have already written about the C3 Aircross, the choice should fall between Opel and Kamiq. I chose the latter because it looks better. Much better. Parked in front of a C3 Aircross, I see that the two cars are actually the same size, but the Kamiq looks bigger because of its squared-off shapes.

A sensible car class

The class "high-built small cars" or crossovers is a wise choice. You get the small car's advantages in terms of price, consumption and ease of parking. In addition, you get more space, a better overview and perhaps a little more protection in a collision. But this car class consists of many models. From the Volkswagen group, in addition to the T-Cross and Kamiq, comes the Seat Arona and the Audi Q2 (which is now no longer produced). From Stellantis comes the C3 Aircross, Opel Crossland and Mokka, as well as the Peugeot 2008. The Renault group has the Captur, Nissan Juke and Dacia Sandero. All give a lot of car for the money.

Good traction in a small engine

In Spain, where our car belongs, the Kamiq is delivered with either the 1,0 TSI 95 HP or the relatively new 1,0 TSI EVO 110 HP which meets the Euro 6D requirements. Previously, the Volkswagen Group's "big" 1-litre engine produced 115/116 HP. I doubt that anyone will really notice the loss of power. It is actually quite impressive how good the pull the small engines provide. This applies to the engines from all three car groups mentioned.

No success in Norway

Terjesbiler.no don't drive cars to test them. We drive cars because we need them, then I write about the experiences I have had. Since the cars are rented under normal conditions, I have full journalistic freedom to discuss the cars. The downside is that I don't always get to drive the cars that are popular at the moment - and popular cars in them Southern Europe are rarely as popular in Norway. So also with "my" Skoda Kamiq. It has been removed from the model program in Norway. During the three years it was on sale, only 255 cars were registered. Møller Bil has also stopped taking in Fabia - a shame...

Easy to like

I won't hide that I like Kamiq. It is big enough for a normal family. There is plenty of space in the back seat even when two adult men sit behind each other, thanks to the high seating position and long wheelbase. The luggage space is 400 liters with a small extra room under the floor. One of the things I like the most is the look. The car looks damn great!

Which engine?

When I pick up a new rental car for the first time, I never check what kind of engine it has. As a rule, I manage to guess correctly during the two hours it takes to drive from the airport in Barcelona to our little house in France. But this time I had to check the vehicle license. Was it the engine with 95 HP or the new one with 110? Traction at highway speeds was nothing to complain about. The acceleration from low speeds, on the other hand, required you to be hard on the gas to get any effect. Then the 3-cylinder engine buzzed with the same pinging sound as when you fasten a piece of cardboard with a clothespin against the bicycle spokes. Once up to highway speed, the engine noise died down.

Is 95 horses enough?

The engine in "my" Skoda Kamiq is 1,0 TSI 95 HP with a 5-speed manual gearbox. This engine option was never sold in Norway. I believe that a car like the Kamiq deserves the 110-horsepower engine, but am still impressed by how well the 95-horsepower coped with busy Spanish motorway speeds - both in terms of traction between 100-120 km/h and the pleasant soundscape. Another positive surprise was the fuel consumption. An average consumption of just 0,44 litres/10 km measured over 200 km on Spanish motorways at around 120 km/h is not bad. On mountain roads and winding country roads, everything worked well as long as I drove calmly. But if I had wanted to drive a little more actively or "inspired", I would have wanted more power and a slightly quicker response to pick up the engine from low revs.

The competitors

But even if the Skoda Kamiq looks good, it is not a premium car. On Finn.no there is currently a demo car for sale for 339 with the Volkswagen Group's new 000 TSI EVO of 1,0 HP. With the 110-speed DSG, you get a lot of car for the money - both in terms of space and comfort - compared to other fossil and hybrid cars. A well-equipped, duty-free Peugeot e-7 or Opel Mokka-e costs somewhat less, and is probably the reason why cars like the Kamiq sold poorly in Norway.

Watch out for the following

So that this doesn't become a Skoda advertisement, I'll take a look at things you should look out for if you're considering buying a Skoda Kamiq. Most of the cars taken in have a 115/116 HP 1,0 liter engine with a 7-speed DSG. When I previously drove the sister model Audi Q2 with this drivetrain, I noted that the car "lapped" strongly when starting quickly from a standstill - for example when filling a gap in roundabouts. I think I could have done a better job with manual transmission. Also check that the DSG gearbox shifts smoothly. The clutch in new DSG gearboxes is more prone to wear and tear due to incorrect use than before, which I have experienced in Southern European rental cars.

Facts about the Skoda Kamiq

Weights and Measures
External dimensions - L, W, H: 424 x 179 x 156 cm
Wheelbase: 264 cm
Net weight: 1241 kg (without driver)
Payload: 420 kg
Number of seats: 5
Max trailer weight w/brakes: 1000 kg (1200 for cars with a larger engine).
– without brakes: 620 kg
Roof load: 75 kg

Drivetrain
Petrol engine: Transverse 1,0 TSI 3 cyl.
Power: 95 HP @ 5000-5500 revs
Torque: 175 Nm @ 1600-3500 revs
Gearbox: 5-speed manual
Front wheel drive

Performances
Top speed: 183 km/h
0-100: 11,2 seconds

consumption
WLTP combined: 0,47-0,48 litres/10 km
Own measurements:
– 200 km motorway: 0,44 litres/10 km
– 29 km mountain roads: 0,63 litres/10 km

Luggage compartment
As a five-seater: 400 litres

Tires
Size: 205/60R16 92V
Type: Summer tire
Brand: Kuhmo Ecowing (quiet)

About the car
Place of production: Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
Colour: Candy White
Equipment level: Ambiente
Price: Not sold in Norway
Leased by Sixt BCN Airport
Model: 2021
Mileage: 15000
Km driven: 679
Source: skoda.de