Will never buy anything other than Lexus again. I wanted something sporty, but drivable though all seasons and had a reliable pedigree. I chose the AWD version of the RC350 and I am so glad I did. The car is solid and when driving it, you can tell it's quality. The handling is great, but I did add Continental tires for a sportier drive. It makes taking corners fun. The AWD makes this car as safe as an SUV in several inches of snow; I was skeptical, but it drives so well in the cold stuff that I was kind of shocked. I have it in the Infrared color and have received so many compliments and people coming up to ask questions about it. I'm ok with that. I have an eye-catcher with a smooth, confident ride that I know will be around for a long, long time with zero problems. I'm good with that. Also, pay attention to 0-60 times; AWD version shaves a few seconds off the 5.7 quoted in several places. You can get it down to 5.4 with AWD. Also, there are not many on the road so you don't look like one of the Jones' when out driving in a cookie cutter neighborhood. I'm in my late 30's and have zero regrets a few years into owning this car. I will not trade it in on anything else, I'll just add to what I own.
Skoda is a busy company at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. Besides the Kodiaq RS we showed you earlier, the VW Group鈥檚 Czech brand also wheeled out Scout and Sportline variants of the Karoq SUV, which is one size smaller than the Kodiaq. As usual, the Scout is an off-road variant with more rugged design. It rides on 18-inch polished 鈥淏raga鈥?wheels as standard, with 19-inch 鈥淐rafter鈥?rims on the options list. The SUV鈥檚 rugged character is displayed via the 鈥渦nderbody protection鈥?parts in silver, which are added on to the black plastic on the front, rear and sides of the SUV. Scout badges sit on the front wings. Inside, the seats have new covers featuring black/brown contrast stitching as well as an embroidered Scout signature. A Scout logo is found on the dash, and the Ash Brown trim has a dark ash wood effect. Door sills with Karoq logos, leather for the multifunction steering wheel and stainless steel pedals are also included, along with LED ambient lighting.
The Audi-style virtual cockpit instrument panel is optional. AWD is standard in conjunction with three engine options (150 PS 1.5 TSI, 150 PS or 190 PS 2.0 TDIs), and the Rough Road package (underbody protection for the engine) is also included. Meanwhile, the Karoq Sportline trades the silver exterior bits for gloss black ones, which stand out against body-coloured bumpers. Also in black are the radiator grille, wing mirror caps, window outlines and roof rack. Like the Scout, there are badges on the front fenders, but they read 鈥淪port鈥?here. The sporty one rides on 18-inch 鈥淢ytikas鈥?alloys, with 19-inch 鈥淰ega鈥?items available. The only silver on the exterior is on the lower rear bumper, where a strip gives the impression of tailpipes. The sporty Karoq is equipped with fabric sports seats (new breathable ThermoFlux fabric) with diamond pattern silver stitching and a sports steering wheel with perforated black leather. As per the Scout, there鈥檚 a badge on the dash, door sills with the Karoq logo and stainless steel pedal covers. The optional virtual cockpit features a special 鈥渟port skin鈥?carbon effect background and a Sport display layout. The 鈥渟porty鈥?ambience is completed by carbon effect decor and black lining for the roof and pillars. The Sportline is the only variant offering the most powerful petrol engine in the Karoq range. The new 190 PS 2.0 litre TSI engine is exclusively paired to AWD and a seven-speed DSG automatic. The other engine options are a 150 PS 1.5 TSI petrol with automatic cylinder shutdown, a 150 PS 2.0 TDI and a 190 PS 2.0 TDI. The 150 PS engines can be had with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG automatic.
The Skoda Superb is now available with the VW Group's new 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, but is it a better bet than the excellent diesel? Skoda, just like the rest of its Volkswagen Group sister brands, is in the middle of rolling out a new, more efficient 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine across the range. Replacing the old 1.4 TSI, we鈥檝e already tried it in the Audi A3, VW Golf and SEAT Arona, among others. But how does it fit in the Skoda Superb; should you consider one over the more frugal diesel? We鈥檝e tried it in the UK to find out. With 148bhp and 250Nm of torque, the numbers are identical to those of its predecessor. It feels relaxed rather than frantic; put your foot down and while it builds speed quick enough, it never feels particularly fast. This sense of calm is only emphasised by our car鈥檚 (拢1,400) DSG automatic gearbox, which seems to change up sooner than you might imagine - presumably to save fuel. It still drives well, however.
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