Skoda Karoq - which engine?

For towing get the 2ltr diesel. Even 1400kg may still be close or on the weight limit at that.

https://www.rainworthskoda.co.uk/towing-with-your-skoda/

Max brakes towing weights in the link above.  Looks like you are going to need the 4x4 version

Personally I would go for a big engine as more power and torque is always a good thing and real world mpg will negligible difference.

Having said that, looking at honest John the 1.6 diesel get the best mpg by some margin, but then produces the same power as the 1.0 petrol (yes it will have more torque but still). Frugal underpowered diesels are hateful things.

Go and test drive is the only way.

1.5 here, coming up three years old. 25,000 miles. No kangaroo-ing on mine from new. In fact no issues at all. I had two Yeti's before, the 20d and the 12TSI. The TSI did feel a bit underpowered occasionally but only four up, luggage, etc. 1.5 is definitely more than enough for same, don't two tho (well only bike trailer).

I really like my Karoq. I mean it's boring but otherwise it's perfect 😉 I drove 320 miles yesterday mostly on MW and averaged 47mpg. Round town it's closer to 35 tho. Boot isn't massive, Can get a bike in with seats down and front wheel off.  When mine comes off lease, I'm probably just going to buy it. Does everything I need, currently costs very little to run (two front tyres and 'normal' not super expensive servicing) and is about the right size.

Next car will be electric, so hanging onto Karoq until a decent estate becomes available in E. Nearly bought an Octavia Est (same engine I think) but supply issues meant I ended up with the SUV.

And another thought - is 1400kg the unloaded weight of your caravan?

Chuck a load of holiday gear inside and you could be well over that.

I have the 1.5 petrol engine in an Octavia. It's great. Frugal, smooth, responsive and plenty of usable power for normal driving.  It replaced a diesel which had DPF issues! No more diesels for me.

1.5 here, coming up three years old. 25,000 miles. No kangaroo-ing on mine from new. In fact no issues at all. I had two Yeti’s before, the 20d and the 12TSI. The TSI did feel a bit underpowered occasionally but only four up, luggage, etc. 1.5 is definitely more than enough for same, don’t two tho (well only bike trailer).

As a 1.4 150hp DSG owner (in a Leon) I would concur.
Colleague has a Karoq and it is a perfect example of a white good car - comfy, works, seems OK built.

I had the 1.6 diesel a couple of years back.

I really like my Karoq. I mean it’s boring but otherwise it’s perfect

That sums it up.

TBH I'd not go with the 1.6. Pretty gutless until it was run in (about 35k). And then only a bit better. I used to run an Octavia 2.0 diesel which was very economical. Once saw 70+ mpg average on a slow motorway run of about 100 miles. The 1.6 is working much harder.

And another thought – is 1400kg the unloaded weight of your caravan?
Chuck a load of holiday gear inside and you could be well over that.

Yes I believe it is. We don't tend to carry much extra in there when travelling other than bedding and a bag of food. It all goes in the estate boot.

I might actually be wrong about the caravan weight - these are the specs  https://www.gocaravanning.com/caravan-specs/3269/Lunar-Chateau-450-2004.html

It should have a plate on the side.

Also you'll be surprised how the weight can add up, second gas bottle, awning, wind break, even plates, knives and forks, water carrier etc all play their part.

Seems to be only 998kg then - according to the list jonnyboi posted above the 1.5TSI should cope.

But torque is king when towing - I'd still go 2.0ltr Diesel and do a long 'Italian Tune-Up' drive a couple of times a month.

My lift share colleague has an Seat Ateca with the 1.5 TSi engine. It's fine. Feels a bit wheezy when he puts his foot down, but goes alright.

What output diesel engine is it? I've got the 2 litre 150 in my Leon estate & it feels more grunty, than his petrol. I'm not sure how much heavier the Ateca is, but that won't help.

How do the torque figures of the engines compare? I would naturally gravitate towards the diesel for towing duties, but not sure it that's just a throwback from the days of old, before smaller capacity turbo petrols.

Regarding dpf issues. My Wife has a 2012 Ibiza with the 2 litre 140bhp engine. It's on around 150k miles now and (touch wood) no dpf issues. Her last job which she has only just moved from was only ~2 miles down the road & she always drove (I did try to encourage cycling 🙂 ) so I kinda was waiting for some kind of dpf issue - but seems OK. She's now doing an ~10 mile each way commute which will hopefully keep it sweet.

My Leon is an 18 plate now with ~55k miles on and also no issues with the dpf.

Italian tune ups don't work anymore.

1.5 petrol fits the use case better.

I've got a 2017 superb with the 2.0tdi 150bhp engine, plenty quick enough and dpf issues aren't a problem so long as you're driving long enough for the engine to get up to temperature. It'll do an 'active' regen where you'll see the engine idle revs sit at 1k instead of the normal 8-900rpm, and if you switch off the engine whilst it's doing it the fans will be on and it'll 'smell' hot. I've interrupted it a few times and never had an issue with it completing the dpf regen on the next drive.

Had a 1.5 tsi Karoq for 3 years.

Do not buy YT18 FND because I thrashed it up and down the county! Despite my best efforts it was faultless, needed nothing but routine servicing and I would have bought another but downsized to a Fabia.

I felt the kangaroo’ing once in a very specific set of circumstances starting and pulling off up hill when the 'auto chock' (or whatever it does with the fuel map goes from cold to warm). Wasn't even very noticeable.

Best thing is seeing how much you can drive it in 2 cylinder fuel save mode. Actually makes driving more economically a game!

Never towed a caravan with mine so can't comment on that.

the 1.6 diesel and the petrol both apparently have the same 250nm of torque. The 2l diesel has 30% more, but it likely to be geared lower, so your torque-at-the-wheels might be as close as 10% between the 1.5 petrol and the 2l diesel. I'd drive both and see which you like more.

I've just got rid of a 1.5 tsi Octavia. Sackloads of power, well enough for my driving style anyhow.

Having said that, we now have a 1.0 tsi Scala, and I'm surprised at how much oomph that can generate if you're in the right gear.

I had the 1.6 diesel then got the 115bhp 2.0ltr diesel (seat ateca but same car/engines to the Karoq I believe). Can’t tell the difference. If I was towing I would probably get the 150bhp 2.0ltr diesel.

Had a cheapo lease 1.5t SE Tech manual Karoq. Brilliant car, frugal yet powerful, spacious yet compact, comfy yet responsive handling. The noise of the diesel alobe would put me off although perhaps it makes sense for towing, not sure.

I test drive a 1.6 TDI Passat of about 2018 vintage and it was absolutely gutless, and I say this as someone arguing in favour of driving aids and speed limiters on the other thread. The car was great and the price was good but the engine was awful.

We just picked up the 150hp 2.0 diesel last week and previously had several 1.5lt petrol karoq and the diesel definitely pulls. It needs the turbo to kick in but once it does it fly's. Only had it a week but no complaints

Ignore the DPF horror stories.

unless you only drive to school and back and ignore warning lights you’ll get many miles out of them.

I have a 2ltr 150 Tdi and it’s fine, pulls well, relatively efficient, a bit noisy though, but that’s diesel for you.

I’d go for the petrol though as it’s smoother

Yeah DPF tells you when it needs attention. It's only when you ignore that there's an issue.

Thanks all. Off to look at a 2l TDI 4x4 next week in our price bracket.

As the Americans say ‘there’s no substitute for cubes’ I had a Golf 1.6tdi frugal but scarily gutless when it came to A road overtaking. Have a 2 litre tdi now, 9 years 135k miles,  no dpf issues.

As the Americans say ‘there’s no substitute for cubes’

Yeah there is - forced induction. That's literally a substitute for displacement. You can get the Mercedes C Class Coupé with a 2l 4 cylinder engine with something like 450bhp.

I’ve no experience of the Karoq but currently have a 2.0 tdi dsg Kodiaq. Now at 74000 miles .Very good engine and no other issues.

I have a 2.0 tdi vw ( broadly same motor) van and have had same engine in a Superb a while back. Had no dpf problems with any of them. Van is at 115000 ( did have egr problem solved by replacement) . Put similar miles from new on the Superb with zero problems.

kroq of shite m8 😀

Starting to reconsider the Karoq - put the bike in the back of my Octavia yesterday and it really only just fits (lay down flat) with the front wheel off - so doubt it'll fit in a Karoq which has a significantly smaller boot.

Maybe another Octavia is the ticket - I do fancy the Kodiaq but finding one in my budget isn't going to happen, and they don't look like they give the mpg.

Starting to reconsider the Karoq – put the bike in the back of my Octavia yesterday and it really only just fits (lay down flat) with the front wheel off – so doubt it’ll fit in a Karoq which has a significantly smaller boot.

I have no idea of the Karoq boot dimensions, but IMO SUV's are usually better for bikes. They can have less volume boot wise, but the space is more usable because of the additional height.

My estate car is one of the largest you can get, but you can barely get a bike in it stood up with both wheels off, where as our SUV that was probably 2/3 the volume would easily take a bike with rear wheel on.

you'd be surprised what car you can fit a bike into, wheel off. My large (510mm reach) 29er slots into my gt86 with a bit of wiggling (the only issue is the narrow boot lid opening)

I can get my 2x 27.5 bikes in the boot with the front wheels off and both seats down easily (can squeeze them in with 1 seat down if I have to). Some times I need to twist/slacked handle bars too if putting the second bike in but can get a 26 and a 27.5 in with only one seat  down when i take the kids with me. A 29er might be a bit more of a challenge.