Production of the Skoda Kamiq small SUV has begun

The third Skoda SUV has entered production as the Czech firm looks to finally capitalise on the hugely popular small SUV market.

The Kamiq sits at the base of the firm’s SUV offensive as a smaller alternative to the Karoq and Kodiaq, pairing an SUV-like high driving position with the compact dimensions of a regular hatchback.

It joins the segment with similarly sized models from VW Group stablemates such as the Seat Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross, as well as the Nissan Juke, which is one of the best-selling cars in the UK.

Production has started at Skoda’s main plant in Mladá Boleslav in the firm’s home country of Czech Republic. Approximately €100 million (£90m) has been invested in the facility to accommodate the model, with upgrades to the paint shop, body shop and final assembly sections. Skoda expects 400 Kamiqs to leave the plant every day.

Dr Michael Oeljeklaus, Skoda board member for production and logistics, said: “For us, the start of production for a new Skoda model is always a special time.

“Over the past few months, we have made all of the provisions in production and logistics to successfully launch the Kamiq in the city SUV segment. We are convinced that – in typical Skoda style – the Kamiq too will impress our customers with its excellent quality and many practical features.”

On the outside, the Kamiq borrows styling cues from Skoda’s larger SUVs, but gets a more upright grille and slimmer LED headlights to make it stand out from the crowd. Inside, it’s similar to the recently released Scala hatchback in offering more modern, screen-based functionality.

Prices for the Kamiq are expected to start around £16,000 when it goes on sale later this year.