Skoda has started series production of its most compact crossover called Kamiq. This word comes from the language of the Inuit — a group of indigenous peoples living in northern Canada and Greenland — and means "that which fits its owner perfectly." The car is produced at the Czech brand's plant in Mlada Boleslav.
Skoda invested about 100 million euros in the production of the new crossover in Mlada Boleslav. For this, in particular, the assembly line for cars on the MQB27 platform was adapted and new press molds were created. About 400 units of the Kamiq will be assembled daily at the plant in Mlada Boleslav.
The public debut of the new model took place at the Geneva Motor Show. In the model range of the Czech brand, the car took a place below the Karoq and Kodiaq. The main rivals of the car are called the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, and Hyundai Kona. The length of the Kamiq is 4241 mm, width — 1793 mm, and height — 1531 millimeters. The wheelbase is 2651 millimeters. Customers will be offered wheel rims from 16 to 18 inches in diameter. The trunk volume of the crossover is 400 liters. With the rear seats folded, this figure increases to 1395 liters.
The car is built on the MQB platform. This chassis is already used by a number of compact and mid-size cars: from the new Volkswagen Polo to the Skoda Kodiaq crossover. The design of the model is made in the style of the Vision X concept. In the cabin of the crossover, a 10.25-inch virtual cockpit for instruments and a touchscreen multimedia display with a diagonal from 6.5 to 9.2 inches were installed. The Kamiq has a surface with a texture imitating crystalline structures and various upholstery options, including a new microfiber covering.
The base versions of the new model are offered with a 1.0-liter TSI gasoline engine with three cylinders. The power of the unit is 95 hp and 175 N·m of torque. The engine works with a five-speed manual gearbox. Also included in the range of engines is the same engine, but with an output of 115 hp and 200 N·m of torque. Such an engine works in tandem with a six-speed gearbox. Optionally, a seven-speed "robot" will be offered.
In addition, customers will be offered a 1.5-liter TSI gasoline engine that produces 150 hp and 250 N·m of torque. To save fuel, the driver has access to the Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) system, which automatically deactivates two cylinders under light load. This engine is combined with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG "robot".
The Kamiq can be equipped with a four-cylinder diesel engine with a volume of 1.6 liters. The power of the unit is 115 hp and 250 N·m of torque. In some countries, a gas version of the Kamiq with a 1.0-liter G-Tec engine (90 hp) and a six-speed manual gearbox will be offered.
Sales of the new model in Europe should begin this autumn.
