Skoda Kamiq makes public debut in China

Budget SUV is important addition for Czech brand, which has ambitions to double sales in China by 2020
Rachel Burgess
25 April 2018

Skoda has shown its upcoming Kamiq, a new SUV that's solely for its biggest market, China, at the Beijing motor show.

The Kamiq, which is being revealed ahead of a second new SUV, the Kodiaq GT coupé, will make a four-strong SUV line-up for Skoda in China (alongside the existing Kodiaq and Karoq) as the Czech car maker aims to double its sales to 600,000 in that market by 2020. Skoda boss Bernhard Maier said the two new models show the company is “very serious about doubling business in China”.

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Maier reiterated that he "would love to" bring the Kodiaq GT to Europe in the future, but production capacity means it is not yet possible. 

The Kamiq, which was first codenamed Model Q, will sit below the Karoq and is described as a "crossover". It will rival models such as the Hyundai ix25, Citroën C3-XR and Nissan Kicks in China.

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Maier said the model's introduction was in reaction to China’s monumental SUV growth. “I think we’ve had the most dynamic development of SUV growth in China - several hundred percent over two years," he added. "Therefore, we’re reinforcing our SUV campaign there.”

The Kamiq will be built on the localised PQ platform, on which the Chinese version of the Rapid is also built. It will be launched with an all-new 1.5-litre engine that produces 109bhp and 111lb ft of torque.

Sales and marketing boss Alain Favey said the Kamiq will be priced below the Karoq, allowing it to compete with the many Chinese SUVs on the market.

“Pricing it below the Karoq means we can get it to a price range for China that we would not have been able to reach in Europe,” he said.

The Kamiq will not be offered with an electrified powertrain, Maier confirmed – a move that no doubt also keeps pricing low for the budget end of the Chinese market. 

Last year, Skoda sold 325,000 cars in China. That's a huge lead over its second-biggest market, Germany, where Skoda sold 173,300 units in the same period. 

Read more 

Skoda Kodiaq review 

Skoda Karoq review

Skoda Octavia vRS review

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Comments
18

tuga

21 March 2018

It's not much to look at ( it's basically a less attractive, taller Rapid ), but if you Google Skoda Kamiq you'll be able to see pretty decent pictures with no camo.

 

eykmak

21 March 2018

So is the Kamiq the reskinned version of the Yeti? As they are both going to be on the same PQ35 platform. 

MarkII

24 April 2018
What is it with car designers these days - every model looks like a scaled up/down version of every other model...no individual personality at all.

I seem to remember reading, not so long back, that car companies were moving away from the Russian doll approach but judged by the look of most of the recent new models, it seems not.

There was a time when I looked forward to the launch of a new model - being genuinely excited at the prospect of seeing a new design for the first time. Now the sense of excitement ranks right up there with the prospect of clipping my own toe-nails.

I know designs are inhibited by the requirements of aerodynamics, packaging, pedestrian safety, corporate branding etc but if Peugeot can come up with models that do actually look a bit different, how exactly do the designers at Skoda/Seat/Audi/VW, Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover etc fill their days??

...and, on a similar subject, who comes up with these daft names - all based on variations of one letter of the alfabet? What's next - the Skoda Kaaq??

Mikey C

24 April 2018

It must be a desperately dull job now being a car stylist, producing slightly larger and smaller SUV variations, that all basically look the same. 

eykmak

24 April 2018

Not a bad looker at all

http://www.pcauto.com.cn/teach/1186/11868475.html

Mansi

17 December 2019

Looking awesome. A great look and seems to be very comforatable. It will be definitely appeciated by a large buyer segment. Thanks for sharing.

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17 January 2020

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17 January 2020

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Heartbeatsk142

20 January 2020
Very nice information thank you so much

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