Skoda has previewed the exterior of its facelifted Karoq mid-sized SUV in the form of two design sketches.
Introduced in 2017 as a smaller sibling to the Kodiaq large SUV, the Karoq is now the middle child in its local SUV lineup as it slots above the Kamiq small SUV.
It’s now due for its mid-life facelift that’ll be revealed on November 30 during an online media presentation.
As reported last week, the updated Karoq will arrive in Australia next March.
The front of this facelifted Karoq shows a more distinctive front according to Skoda, with a wider grille and a redesigned air intake underneath.
Its headlights are now slimmer and extend all the way to the grille, which is complemented by a redesigned daytime running light signature that are now two separate units.
Just like before, the fog light unit is located directly underneath the main headlight and is an LED-type in the top variant according to Skoda.
The rear three-quarters sketch previews the Karoq’s redesigned rear end with a longer rear spoiler and a slightly-changed rear apron with a black diffuser.
The tail lights are also slimmer and emphasise the vehicle’s width according to Skoda, but still retains the C-shaped tail light signature seen on the current model.
All of these changes have been previously spied as there was a prototype wearing camouflage that covered up the front and rear fascias.
Pictured: Skoda Karoq facelift prototype
Although it hasn’t been confirmed, it’s expected the facelifted Karoq will feature Skoda’s latest infotainment systems.
It’s uncertain whether there will be any powertrain changes but currently there are two powertrains available for Australian-spec Karoq models.
Entry-level Style models are powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque. This is all sent to the front wheels only through an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
Pictured: Current Karoq Style with optional 18-inch wheels (left) and current Karoq Sportline (right)
Sportline models on the other hand are powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 140kW and 320Nm, put to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Pricing for the current model starts at $38,990 drive-away for the Style, and extends to $45,990 drive-away for the Sportline before option packs are added.
A low-volume seller in the hotly-contested medium SUV segment, the 1430 Skoda Karoq models were sold for the year up until October 2021 according to VFACTS.
It was well and truly outsold by the likes of the Toyota RAV4 (30,933), Mazda CX-5 (22,030), Nissan X-Trail (11,634), Hyundai Tucson (11,608), and the Mitsubishi Outlander (11,597) over the same time period.
MORE: Everything Skoda Karoq
