斯柯达 Kamiq Select 2024 款评测
merit
- It's fun to drive
- Thrifty turbocharged three-cylinder engine
- Technological improvements are welcome
- A hatchback that is warmer than an SUV
- The engine sounds dynamic
- Great value for money
Needs improvement
- Dough transfer response in D
- More overtaking momentum is needed
- There is no adaptive cruise control
- Some spec items were missed
- The CarPlay connection is intermittent
- RS version required!
Since its launch in 2019, the Skoda Kamiq has wow us with its engaging, charismatic driving experience, especially the basic configuration. It also represents excellent value for money, with Skoda still offering the 85kW Kamiq Runout Editions for just $31,790.
The slightly facelifted 2024 Kamiq has now arrived on the shores of the mainland, with its product line simplified to just two grades: the entry-level Select and the top-of-the-line Monte Carlo.
With a starting price of $33,990, the upgraded version of the Kamiq remains a strong competitor to the likes of the Toyota Corolla Cross, Hyundai Kona and Subaru Crosstrek.
But is the Kamiq still as fun as it was before the facelift? Is this small SUV from Skoda still a reliable and practical purchase option?
We drive the new Kamiq across the Dandenong Ranges to Victoria's Mornington Peninsula to discover what's coming with the 2024 update.
Kamiq Select 的功能和价格选项有哪些？
The Kamiq variant we've extensively tested is the new entry-level Select, which is competitively priced at AU$33,990. Select's higher-spec, more powerful sibling, the 110kW/250Nm Monte Carlo, is quite a bit more expensive, at $44,990.
As standard, Kamiq Select offers the following features:
- 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster (new)
- Slightly larger 8.25-inch central touchscreen (new)
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto
- LED Fog Lights (New)
- LED headlights
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Four 45W USB-C ports – two front, two rear
- Upholstered upholstery of the seats
- "Simple and ingenious" features include a door umbrella, a ticket holder and a mobile phone pocket
- Multi-function steering wheel with leather frame
- Redesigned dual-zone climate control (new)
In terms of spending, I think the Kamiq Select is great value for money and feature-rich, but it lacks features like adaptive cruise control, a panoramic glass roof, and sports seats – all of which are available in the pricier Monte Carlo models.
In addition to that, the Kamiq has all the features you would need for a small SUV and can easily fit into most people's lifestyles.
Kamiq Select 驾驶体验如何？
As I drove over Arthur's Seat on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula in high spirits, I suddenly realized that I had completely forgotten that I was driving a small SUV. It's certainly not fun, right? Well, the previous Kamiq had a good chassis, and nothing has changed in this regard for 2024.
The new Kamiq Select is powered by a small 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with just 85kW of power and 200Nm of torque. You might scoff at such a power output, but this small engine is fantastic and full of charm.
You might be wondering why I'd drive a passion in a small SUV, but in my opinion, this is a model that is more suitable for a small hatchback. Explore a nice twisty road with the Kamiq, and you'll encounter very little body lean, excellent cornering performance, and plenty of power from a turbocharged three-cylinder engine to make driving fun. The 1.0-litre engine roars well, and although it's very quiet, you can still hear pleasant intake and exhaust sounds. Again, my evaluation of SUVs is a bit strange.
The small 1.0-litre engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission from the Volkswagen Group. In normal D mode, the gearbox is a bit too sluggish and too soft to my liking, but pushing the shifter down to S gear makes the Kamiq feel very different. The throttle response is more responsive, the DSG shifts faster, and the softness of the Drive has long been forgotten.
Despite driving very fast on the country roads of the Mornington Peninsula, I also realized that once back on the highway, the Kamiq's fuel consumption would be very low and the fuel in the tank would be very small. Its official highway stats are only 4.9L/100km, and while I didn't reach that number, I saw a fuel consumption of around 5, so it's still pretty good.
Back in town, the Kamiq is easy and comfortable to drive. While I prefer the higher-spec Monte Carlo chair, the Select's standard bucket seat is still supportive enough. The view from the driver's seat is good (and the seating position is good) and the cabin feels spacious overall.
Kamiq is also very simple to use. Simply press the start button, set the gear selector to "Run" and you're ready to go. Manual handbrake means you won't have to scramble when pulling the handbrake, and there is little in common between different models and brands (so it's common sense).
But like almost all cars, there are some drawbacks to the driving experience in the Kamiq. The cabin is flooded with noticeable tyres and road noise, the 85kW engine needs more power when overtaking, and as I've already said, the gearbox response can be slightly less subdued in regular "D" driving mode.
At the launch in Australia, I test-drove the Select and the top-of-the-line 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol four-cylinder Monte Carlo. But when the sun went down on Skoda's driving day, I started to really fall in love with the Kamiq again, especially with this affordable Select model.
Of course, it's not perfect, but it's no surprise that the Kamiq is still a very good car regardless of the journey or duration.
Kamiq Select 的内饰和技术如何？
Inside the Kamiq, it's not the cheap car you'd expect to cost $33,990. The first impression of the cabin materials is that despite the Kamiq's low asking price, the interior feels very upscale.
A new highlight of the Kamiq interior is the use of textiles that Skoda calls Krepp, a fabric-like material that works very well. Its grey color adds a touch of sophistication to the space, along with a beautiful leather steering wheel, grey headliner and tactile leather-trimmed handbrake.
Although the Kamiq Select uses a comfort seat instead of Monte Carlo's sculpted sports seat, the Select seat is still supportive and comfortable, even after a few hours of driving.
The Skoda 2024 Kamiq series is now equipped with a digital instrument cluster across the range. Previously, the base Kamiq came with a small screen with traditional analogue dials on either side, but for the 2024 Select, this instrument cluster becomes an 8.0-inch unit that displays a range of important driving information, including speed, range, engine revs and even map navigation. As with most cars in 2024, drivers can use the steering wheel buttons to navigate through the menu. Even the buttons have a nice touch and feel quite upscale.
The Kamiq Select has a slightly larger central display at 8.25 inches and runs wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. The screen itself is fast enough, but I found it difficult to connect with Apple CarPlay without cables in our test car, which is strange because I rarely have problems in Volkswagen Group cars. While many new cars today hardly use Select (thanks to CarPlay and Android Auto), it doesn't come with a sat nav.
As for the other features, the Kamiq adds two 45W USB-C ports, two wide cup holders, a door case large enough for a water bottle, a sunglasses holder, and some fancy features such as a door umbrella and phone pouch.
In the rear, kids can charge their iPads through two USB-C ports installed under the rear vents, and there are map pockets on the back of the front seats. For my height of 5'11", the space is pretty good, and the seats themselves are just as comfortable and soft as the front seats.
The boot has a capacity of 400 liters (which is very good for a small SUV), and it also comes with a space-saving spare tire and several corners where you can store more items. Unlike the Monte Carlo, the Select comes with a manual tailgate (a power tailgate is optional and is part of the $4,200 Signature package).
All in all, the Kamiq continues to outperform its weight in terms of cabin materials and technology, and it's enhanced enough to justify a slight price increase for this small SUV in 2024.
Kamiq Select 是一款安全的汽车吗？
The Skoda Kamiq has passed the ANCAP crash test, but that was in 2019. Thankfully, the rating won't expire until December 2025.
As for the standard safety features, the Skoda Kamiq Select is equipped with the following technologies:
- Front and side side air curtains
- Front AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection
- Side assistance with rear cross-traffic alert
- Lane Assist
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Reversing camera
- Advanced drowsiness detection system
Kamiq Select offers a signature pack (AU$4,200) that adds the following features:
- Travel assistant
- Adaptive cruise control
- Parking Assist
- Electric tailgate
- Lane Assist & Adaptive Lane Guidance
When it comes to safety tuning, I've found that Select has been very successful in this area, with the vehicle gently entering lane-keeping information. While I expected speed limit sign recognition to be standard with the Kamiq, there's actually no other annoying feature that will bother you so often, which is convenient.
Kamiq Select 的拥有成本是多少？
The upgraded Skoda Komick series comes with a seven-year unlimited mileage warranty, which is impressive in this area and the longest warranty period among the Volkswagen Group.
In terms of repairs, the Skoda seven-year service package is priced at AU$2650, with repair intervals required every 12 months or 15,000km (whichever comes first).
The official fuel consumption of the Skoda Kamiq Select's 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine is 5.5L/100km combined, compared to just 4.9L/100km on the outskirts or highways.
In our real-world tests for the 2024 Kamiq launch, we saw a combined figure of around 6.1 to 6.5L/100km, which includes some sporty mountain driving, as well as time spent driving in town and on the highway.
The Kamiq comes with a 50-liter fuel tank and requires a premium fuel rating of 95 octane or higher.
对 Kamiq Select 的诚实评价
In 2024, Skoda will continue to offer some of Australia's most underrated and least favored cars, and the Kamiq is a shining example.
Priced at less than $34,000, the Kamiq Select comes with a seven-year warranty, an affordable turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, a surprisingly refined chassis, technology that will satisfy 95% of owners, and most importantly, an engaging driving experience.
It's true, it's not perfect: the Kamiq has a sluggish transmission during driving, lacks adaptive cruise control, and doesn't feel as special as its more refined Monte Carlo sibling.
All in all, I can confidently say that in my opinion, the Kamiq will remain one of the best economy cars in the Australia market and one of the best small SUVs for the driving experience.
The 2024 Kamiq has been finely tweaked and improved to be more refined and attractive than before.
And the best part? I think Select is the best of the two.
Go out and test drive the Skoda Komik. You're unlikely to be disappointed.