The big boy of the Karoq trio, the Sportline is the Karoq with all the bells and whistles and it just happens to have a 4x4 drivetrain. For serious Kiwi adventure-types, the Sportline is the business.
Skoda has this happy knack of producing – not quite dark horse – vehicles, but ones which deliver some surprises, usually in the form of a Sportline variant, which are often the last models to arrive.
This saving the best till last formula seems to work for Skoda at least, as the Sportlines become highly sought after and usually before they officially go on sale.
Of course, that could also be down to the engines found aboard Sportline models which typically – and in this case – are the more powerful ones.
In the case of the Karoq, the turbo petrol used is a healthy 1984cc over the 1395cc of its two stablemates, which gives a significant increase in power and torque with only a minute inflation of CO2 output and fuel consumption.
This doesn’t mean you have a race car on your hands. It does mean touring – in the classical sense – is an effortless exercise in driving.
And the space found in the Karoq means your five passengers and their cargo are well catered for.
This of course, bodes well for the user/chooser fleet buyer whose road weapon of choice doubles as a family vehicle.
And the Sportline Karoq is most definitely a user/chooser vehicle with its high level of specification and equipment which would generally not be found in a pool or rep’s vehicle.
Things like MATRIX headlights with LED cornering lights, the sports multifunctional heated steering wheel, stainless steel pedals, interior ambient lighting, sports seats, virtual cockpit, wireless smartphone charging, sports bumpers front and rear with a rear diffuser, gloss black roof rails wing mirrors and front grille surround and an upgrade from 18 to exclusive 19-inch alloys.
These last serve to accentuate the Sportline’s 4x4 capability by virtue of its increased height. It’s subtle, but it’s certainly there.
This is the sort of 4x4 system which gives the driver complete confidence on all road surfaces, most notably gravel, where the Sportline in the Karoq Sportline really comes into its own.
But for all that the Karoq is a modern incarnation of Skoda’s rallying heritage, most Karoq Sportlines will spend the largest part of their time in the city, and this is no surprise given the city-friendly dimensions of the CUV.
What is surprising is the Sportline’s seven-speed DSG transmission.
The two other Karoq models have Skoda’s new eight-speed conventional auto, which has proven to be more than a little successful, and not only in the Karoq.
It seems odd then, that the powerhouse all-singing, all-dancing version of the Skoda CUV runs the seven-speed over the eight-speeder.
From what we have surmised, the seven-speed DSG is better for fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions and this offsets the larger displacement of the engine, which is why for the Sportline, seven is better than eight.
You do pay a little bit of a penalty in smoothness however. The DSG is a slick and super quick self-shifter but has come into criticism for being a little aggressive in its shift patterns.
The Aisin eight-speed auto with its torque converter is considerably smoother, which might steer Karoq buyers to the other grades.
Those who appreciate more spirited drives will appreciate the power of the Sportline’s 140kW engine, the seven-speed transmission and the hug factor of the sports seats with their positive bolster and support.
