Skoda Karoq and VW T-Roc share platform as well as engine options but the difference comes in aspects of features on offer as well as their price tag apart demo distinctive interior, exterior design.
Exterior Design
Skoda Karoq
- Karoq looks like mini Kodiaq featuring the carmakers’ signature butterfly grille upfront.
- The headlamps are all LED incorporating a long and thick strip of LED DRLs.Just below it are retractable headlamp washer.
- The SUV rides on 17 inch dual tone anthracite alloy shawls and gets side body cladding as well as silver medium sized roof rails.
- Coming to the rear profile, the SUV features C-shaped LED tail lamps, roof mounted rear spoiler and big size rear bumpers.
VW T-Roc
- The Volkswagen SUV on the other hand gets stylish LED headlamps integrated with front two slat grille.
- Large front intakes, LED daytime running lamps, fog lights and skid plates are some of the other features at the front.
- The design of the 17” Mayfield diamond alloys is quite stylish while the wing mirrors and roof is finished in contrasting piano black paint.
- At the rear, it gets distinctive tail lamps and whats adds to the sportiness of the suv is the availability of rear diffuser and trapezoid exhaust tail pipes.
Interior
Skoda Karoq
- The Czech SUV features a dual tone interior with stone beige leather seat upholstery.
- The steering wheel unit as well as the DSG gear knob are also finished in leather.
- Amundsen 8-inch infotainment system sits at the centre of dashboard surrounded by vertically stacked air con vents
- Apart from the premiumness of the SUV, aluminium pedals surely adds to the sporty character.
- Footwell illumination as well as programmable ambient lighting are also available.
- Inside door handles are in chrome while silver decor seems to be used on the dash.
VW T-Roc
- As compared to the dual tone cabin theme of Skoda Karoq, the Volkswagen SUV features sporty single tone interior environment.
- Like the Karoq, it also features all digital instrument console, leather seats, steering wheel and gear knob.
- Dual zone auto ac and 8 inch infotainment system are also on offer.
- Inside door handles of Volkswagen T-Roc are finished in silver
Dimensions
| Skoda Karoq | VW T-Roc | |
| Length | 4382 mm | 4342 mm |
| Width | 1841 mm | 1819 mm |
| Height | 1624 mm | 1573 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2638 mm | 2590 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 200 mm | 160 mm |
| Turning Radius | 5.1 m | 5.55 m |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 50 L | 59 L |
| Boot Space | 521 L | 445 L |
| Kerb Weight | 1320 kg | 1350 kg |
| Gross Vehicle Weight | 1881 kg | 1860 kg |
| Tyre Size | 215 / 55 R17 | 215 / 55 R17 |
- Skoda Karoq is longer than VW T-Roc by 40 mm.
- Karoq is also wider than T Roc by 22 mm
- Also Karoq is taller than Volkswagen T-Roc by 51 mm
- The wheelbase of Karoq is more than T-Roc by 48 mm
- There is a big difference of 40 mm between Skoda Karoq and Volkswagen T-Roc with the former having the higher specs.
- Fuel Tank as well as boot space of Skoda Karoq is also better than that of Volkswagen T-Roc.
Engine Specs
Both the SUV comes with the trusted and reliable same petrol engine offering output figures of 148 BHP and 250 NM. It comes paired with 7 speed dual clutch automatic transmission with claimed fuel efficiency of 14.49 kmpl for Skoda Karoq while Volkswagen haven’t released official mileage figures of T-Roc SUv yet/
| Skoda Karoq | VW T-Roc | |
| Engine | 1.5 L 4 Cylinder TSI EVO with ACT Technology | 1.5 L 4 Cylinder TSI EVO with ACT Technology |
| Drivetrain | FWD | FWD |
| Capacity | 1498 cc | 1498 cc |
| Power | 148 BHP @ 5000 – 6000 RPM | 148 BHP @ 5000 – 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 250 NM @ 1500 – 3500 RPM | 250 NM @ 1500 – 3500 RPM |
| Transmission | 7 Speed DSG Automatic | 7 Speed DSG Automatic |
| Fuel Efficiency | 14.49 kmpl | – |
| Top Speed | 202 kmph | 205 kmph |
| 0-100 kmph | 9 seconds | 8.4 seconds |
- The difference comes in terms of top speed and 0-100 with T-Roc having a better top speed and attaining 100 kmph from static position within 8.4 seconds which is faster than Karoq which does the same in 9 seconds.
- What does both the SUVs miss out on is the availability of 4×4 trim with both the SUVs being offered with front wheel drive drivetrain.
Features
Skoda Karoq is more feature rich than the T-Roc. Here are the main features difference among both the new SUVs:
| Skoda Karoq | VW T-Roc | |
| Headlamps | LED | LED |
| Tail Lamps | LED | LED |
| Outside Mirrors | Power foldable, heated & with memory function | Power foldable & heated |
| Infotainment system | 8” | 8” |
| No. Of Speakers | 8 | 6 |
| Instrument Cluster | Digital | Digital |
| Air Conditioner | 2 zone auto | 2 zone auto |
| Ambient Lighting | Yes | – |
| Interior Theme | Dual Tone | Single Tone |
| Leather Seats | Yes | Yes |
| Leather Steering | Yes | Yes |
| Leather wrapped gear knob | Yes | Yes |
| Panoramic Sunroof | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Seat Adjustment | 12 way powered (with lumbar support adjustment) with memory function | Manually (with manual lumbar support adjustment) |
| Co Driver Seat Adjustment | Manually (with manual lumbar support adjustment) | Manually (with manual lumbar support adjustment) |
| Heated Seats | – | Front |
| Hands free tailgate opening | Yes | – |
| Push Start Button | Yes | Yes |
| Keyless Entry | Yes | Yes |
- Skoda Karoq come bundled with slightly more features thats why the cost have been that much higher as well.
- Karoq wing mirrors gets memory function which the other SUV miss out on on.
- While the front seats of T-Roc are heated, Karoq comes with electric adjustment for driver seat with 3 memory setting as well.
- Also, Karoq comes with diffused footwell lighting as well as configurable ambient illumination as well which the Volkswagen car misses out on.
- Another features which the Karoq offers over its direct rival is the availability of electrically operable tailgate which is becoming common for the cars in this price range.
Which Features Skoda Karoq offers but VW T-Roc doesn’t?
Ambient lighting, memory driver seat and ORVM, powered driver seat, 8 speakers, powered tailgate are offered in Skoda Karoq and not in T-Roc.
Which Features VW T-Roc offers but Skoda Karoq doesn’t?
Heated front seats and connected car technology in Volkswagen’s T-Roc aren’t available in Skoda Karoq.
Safety
| Skoda Karoq | VW T-Roc | |
| Airbags | 9 | 6 |
| Hill Start Assist | Yes | Yes |
| Vehicle Stability Control | Yes | Yes |
| Traction Control System | Yes | Yes |
| Parking Sensors | Front & Rear | Front & Rear |
| Park Assist | Reverse Parking Camera | Reverse Parking Camera |
| Automatic Headlamps | Yes | Yes |
| Rain Sensing Wipers | Yes | Yes |
| Inside Rear View Mirror | Auto Dimming | Auto Dimming |
| Rear Defogger | Yes | Yes |
| TPMS | Yes | Yes |
| All 4 Disc Brakes | Yes | Yes |
| Electric Parking Brake | Yes | Yes |
Almost all the safety features are similar on both the SUVs but the main difference comes in the number of airbags that are on offer in which Skoda Karoq beats VW T-Roc by featuring 3 more of them at a Total of 9.
Platform & NCAP
Skoda Karoq and Volkswagen T-Roc are build up on MQB platform and both the SUVs have also managed to score perfect 5 stars in the Euro NCAP as well. Here are the detailed stats:
| Skoda Karoq | VW T-Roc | |
| Platform | MQB | MQB |
| Euro NCAP | 5 stars | 5 stars |
| Adult occupant protection | 93% | 96% |
| Child occupant protection | 79% | 87% |
| Pedestrian protection | 73% | 79% |
| Safety assist | 58% | 71% |
In all the aspects of the NCAP, the Volkswagen T-Roc betters Skoda Karoq.
Sales
Volkswagen T-Roc was launched in India just a few days before the countrywide lockdown was announced in March while the Karoq SUV was introduced by the carmakers 10 days back.
In April, no automakers reported any sales as all the showrooms were shut down as per the government guidelines for the pandemic but when dealership begin to open last May, the auto industry came to slight relief.
And in the last month, Volkswagen T-Roc reported sales figures of 70 units while Karoq is still a new release.
Price
| Skoda Karoq | Volkswagen T-Roc | |
| Price (Ex Showroom) | 24.99 L | 19.99 L |
- Skoda Karoq is whopping 5 lakh costlier than the T-Roc. Both these SUVs have been brought to India via CBU track and the carmakers are looking to locally assemble the parts which will bring down the cost of these SUVs by Rs. 1 to 2 Lakh.
- Also, 1,000 units of Volkswagen T-Roc has been sold out in India within just two months.
Why to Buy Skoda Karoq over VW T-Roc?
Features – The SUV is much more feature rich as it comes with more airbags (9 airbags), electric adjustment for driver seat, ambient lighting, 8 speakers, memory function for ORVM albeit the VW T-Roc is cut to cut in terms of features and also comes with certain features which are not available in Skoda Karoq including heated front seats.
Why to Buy VW T-Roc over Skoda Karoq?
Pricing – Surely the price tag at which the VW T-Roc has been launched to compete with Karoq is highly competitive. The SUV undercuts the latter by whopping 5 Lakhs and offers quite similar features as compared to the recently launched Czech SUV.
There are a lot of similarities between the two SUVs including the engine options they are available with, same feature list but differences comes in the aspects of technical specifications, price.
