Used Skoda Karoq review and buying guide (2017 to present): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Skoda Karoq should you buy?

There's only one Karoq so far, sold from 2017 to the present, so the real choice is the engine, and the 1.5 TSI petrol is the one to be careful with. On 2017 to 2020 cars, manual and DSG, its engine software makes it judder and kangaroo pulling away in first when cold, and owners of 2018 and 2019 cars also describe stalling and the throttle going dead.

A software fix for the 1.5 TSI was available from September 2019, but the fault covers cars built up to 2020, so a later plate or an updated car isn't automatically clear. Buy a 1.5 TSI on how it pulls away from cold rather than on its age or its paperwork, and if it hesitates at all on the test drive, try another one.

The 2.0 TDI isn't a clean alternative. Owners of new 2.0 TDI DSG cars describe the accelerator doing nothing at low speed, and one 2018 car dropped from drive to idle 12 times while pulling out or manoeuvring. That's a handful of reports rather than a known fault, but it's the same kind of symptom, so test a diesel the same way. There's too little on the 1.0 TSI to call it either way.

Which Karoq engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The 1.5 TSI petrol is the engine to approach with care, manual or DSG. On 2017 to 2020 cars its ECU mapping makes it hesitate and kangaroo in first while it's cold, showing up within the first 50,000 miles. Owners describe it stumbling in second as well and the throttle going dead at busy junctions, and one owner of a late 2018 car rejected it after 90 days over the engine.

Two 1.5 TSI owners had the clutch go early. One smelt burning at 500 miles and the car had to be towed in at 1,500, where Skoda refused to cover the £1,800 bill and blamed excessive clutch use. Another failed at 11,184 miles on a car outside the UK, and that dealer also refused to contribute. Neither proves a fault, but feel carefully for slip or a high bite on any 1.5 TSI with a clutch pedal.

The 2.0 TDI diesel uses a cambelt that's due every 60,000 miles or 60 months. A 6-speed wet-clutch DSG needs its oil and filter changed every 40,000 miles or 48 months, and four-wheel-drive cars need Haldex oil every 30,000 miles or 36 months. Specialists suggest doing the Haldex oil at 20,000 miles and cleaning the pump strainer, since that's what keeps the pump from failing.

What should you check when viewing a used Karoq?

The test drive matters more than anything else on a Karoq, so make sure the engine's cold when you start. Pull away gently in first and second, creep through a car park and reverse out of a space, then join a busier road from a junction. Any judder or lurching, a stall while it's still cold, revs that won't rise when you press the accelerator, or a DSG that won't change up without the paddle are reasons to leave it.

Lift the boot floor and check the carpet and the rear seals for damp. Two owners had a loose boot seal let water reach the steering rack, which then wore out; one was quoted £2,500 and the other over £2,000 for a new rack, and Skoda refused warranty cover both times. Feel for anything rough in the steering on the drive, and look at the driver's headlight too, since one owner found a crack letting moisture in.

Ask for the service invoices showing the cambelt on a diesel past 60,000 miles, the DSG oil on a 6-speed wet-clutch car past 40,000, and the Haldex oil on a 4x4. Check that the 2018 recall on the A-pillar trims was done; their inner fleece could peel off in freezing weather, letting broken trim pieces into the cabin when the head airbags fire. On a 1.5 TSI, ask whether the September 2019 software update went on, but don't let a yes replace the cold drive.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Skoda Karoq cost to run?

What do Karoq owners like about them?

The rear seats are the clever bit. On cars with Varioflex seating there are three separate rear seats, and you can take them all out, which turns the Karoq into a two-seater with a much bigger load space. Only some versions have it, so if you'll be carrying bulky loads, check the car you're viewing has the three removable seats before you get attached to it.

Keyless entry has a sensible security trick built in. Lock the car with the key's button, wait five seconds and touch the door handle, and the key stops answering proximity signals, with a flash of the indicators to confirm it. That way the car won't respond to the key while it sits on the drive, and pressing the unlock button brings keyless entry straight back.

• The Skoda Karoq offers Varioflex three separate rear seats that can be completely removed, increasing its two-seater capacity.
• The Skoda Karoq achieved a 5-star Euro NCAP rating, with strong scores for adult and child occupant protection.
• An anti-theft feature in the Skoda Karoq blocks key proximity signals by a specific locking and door handle touch sequence.
• An electric tailgate is available as a convenient feature on the Skoda Karoq model.