Skoda Kamiq practicality and boot space

• Impressively spacious interior despite compact size
• Plenty of room for four adults, plus well-shaped boot
• Light and bright cabin with good visibility

Skoda has become known for its strong practicality credentials in the majority of its range, and the Kamiq continues this trend, as it’s one of the most versatile small SUVs you can buy. While the VW T-Cross offers generous interior accommodation, the Kamiq just nudges it with more space for rear-seat passengers to spread out in, and an equal amount of headroom (quite a lot) to take advantage of.

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You don’t sit quite as high up as in the VW, but the Skoda is still taller than a regular hatchback. You sit 40mm higher up than you do in the Scala, and the Kamiq feels a very spacious car inside, despite its compact exterior dimensions, with plenty of head, knee and foot space for all passengers.

An optional panoramic sunroof really brightens things up too, spanning the majority of the length of the roof, and with a clever way of rolling the sunblind to the front to avoid stealing headroom in the back.

That compact size has its benefits driving around town too. Lots of glass means a clear view out around the car, making it easy to judge and easy to park in tight car parks and navigate down small side streets. Due to the sloping profile of the car, rear-visibility isn't great. The availability of parking sensors and a reversing camera (plus automatic parking) helps out with manoeuvres if you’re not feeling confident at least. Plus, when you’re in the space, door edge protectors like you find on the Kodiaq deploy to stop damage to a car next to you.

Will my luggage fit?

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In terms of the boot and storage space, the Kamiq impresses. With 400 litres of boot space available, Skoda claims it bests its rivals, expanding up to 1,395 litres with the rear seats folded. However, it doesn’t offer sliding rear seats like the VW T-Cross so it’s not quite as adjustable – although you do get a folding passenger seat for carrying longer items. The boot light also doubles as a removable torch for when you have to sift through your cargo at night.

The loading lip is nice and low, and you can even spec an electric tailgate if you fancy some extra convenience. Elsewhere, you can have up to four USB-C ports (adapters for USB are available) to keep your devices charged, large door bins offer plenty of storage space and a couple of small areas to store odds and ends up the cubbyhole count.

Skoda Kamiq safety

• Should prove to be a safe small family car
• Plenty of driver assistance kit available
• Isofix on three passenger seats

The Kamiq received a full five-star rating in the Euro NCAP test. As standard the Kamiq comes with up to nine airbags, three Isofix points (outer rear seats and front passenger seat), as well as a couple of driver assistance systems. These include Front Assist with pedestrian detection (autonomous emergency braking), lane assist (keeps you in your lane) and multi-collision brake that holds the brakes on if you are rear-ended – aiming to avoid pushing you into another car in front.

You can also add to the kit list with items like adaptive cruise control, blindspot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while standard-fit LED lights aid vision and visibility at night.

Watch: Skoda Kamiq SUV Euro NCAP crash test video