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The Skoda Karoq will launch this May with an all-new exterior design, advanced driver assistance technology and four new turbocharged engines. Ditching the unique exterior shape of its predecessor, the Yeti, for a more conventional SUV body, the Karoq shares many features with the larger Kodiaq, which it sits below in Skoda’s line-up. The Karoq has space for five passengers and has a boot capacity of 521 litres or 1630 litres with the back seats folded down. This comfortably beats the car’s main rival, the Nissan Qashqai, which offers 430 and 1585 litres respectively. Built on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, shared with models such as the Audi Q2 and Seat Ateca, the Karoq comes with a choice of five turbocharged engines, four of which are new to Skoda. The new petrol engines are an entry-level 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder with 113bhp and 129lb ft and a 1.5-litre TSI with 148bhp and 184lb ft, with the latter enabling an 8.4sec 0-62mph time and featuring active cylinder technology. There’s a new diesel 1.6-litre TDI that produces 113bhp and 184lb ft while emitting just 118g/km of CO2, and a new 2.0-litre TDI that outputs 187bhp and 295lb ft, enabling a 7.8sec 0-62mph time – the quickest available. These new Skoda units are joined by a 2.0-litre TDI that’s familiar to the brand, which produces 148bhp and is the most fuel-efficient engine, offering 64.2mpg combined and outputting 115g/km CO2. The Karoq comes in two and four-wheel drive guises and with a choice of a six-speed manual of seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. In higher-spec it comes with Skoda’s Drive Mode Select system, which enables the car’s drivetrain to be switched through Normal, Sport, Eco, Individual and Snow. Driver assist systems include a radar-based adaptive cruise control, blind spot detect and front assist, which includes automatic city braking with a pedestrian braking system. There’s also hill hold control to prevent roll back and emergency assistance, which can intervene if the driver becomes incapable of driving and adaptive cruise control and lane assist are on. In-car, technology includes gesture control for certain functions, wireless phone charging, as well as a mobile online connection that works with the infotainment. In top spec, the infotainment has a screen of up to 9.2in and three other displays, including a new digital instrument cluster that makes its debut in a Skoda. Skoda is yet to confirm pricing, but the Karoq’s expected to follow the brand’s aggressive pricing strategy and undercut the Nissan Qashqai, and therefore stick closely to the current model's £17,770 starting price. The Kodiaq, which starts at £21,565, is around £1300 cheaper than its main rival, the Nissan X-Trail.