2023 Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo owner review

I've had my MY23 Kamiq Monte Carlo 1.5TSI since October 2023, purchased in QLD Australia. I managed to get it for $40,000 with 10 years free servicing. 

Issues I've had over the last 27 months: a knocking noise under load when cold – dealer replaced the mechatronic unit last year at its first service; the issue is still there but not as bad (goes away when the engine is at operating temp). Driver’s side window switch became faulty – dealer replaced and all good now. Rear hatch occasionally did not open automatically – but this was fixed by lubricating the rubber seals around the hatch. Interior rattles – seems to be disappearing over time. 

It's been a fantastic highway and city cruiser, I regularly get 700-800km out of a tank, long term combined average consumption is around 6.3L/100km and that's with the AC on almost all of the time. On the highway, I regularly see low 5's. 

The Monte Carlo has 18" wheels, so the ride quality can be a bit fussy at times (particularly in Sport Mode), but is still very comfortable particularly on the highway. 

There's four drive modes to choose from – Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual. I usually leave mine on Normal. For those who don't know how these modes work - Sport firms up the suspension and steering (Monte Carlo has 'Sports Chassis Control'), increases throttle response, and lets the DSG hold revs for longer. Eco dulls throttle response slightly and allows the car to totally disengage the DSG when coasting and also reduces AC power apparently. Individual allows you to mix and match options to your choosing. 

The 1.5TSI is a great engine – relatively punchy (8 seconds 0-100) and works extremely well with the DSG (as it should). Plenty of power for overtaking on the highway. It handles extremely well for a small SUV, little body roll and feels sporty to drive. 

The car feels very solid, with no door/hatch movement when going over uneven surfaces. Road noise on coarse chip roads is OK, and is very quiet on smoother roads. 

The DSG takes while to get used to, but it changes smoothly and my car has very little hesitation when moving from standstill. 

The start/stop system is OK, though I tend to turn it off when at round-a-bouts (very common in Australia) as it adds a little too much delay when trying to move off quickly. You can easily turn it off with a switch on the centre console. 

It still surprises me just how space efficient the Kamiq is inside – it has more rear legroom than the Karoq and the hatch area is quite large. 

The Monte Carlo has a full-length moon roof with a retractable blind that retracts all the way to behind the rear seats. I haven't used it that much, but it is tinted and resists UV light. I live in North QLD, (tropics) and it's fine for blocking out the sun and heat when closed. 

The interior is holding up extremely well, no signs of wear and everything works fine. 

My one does not have wireless Android Auto/Apple Play but a cheap wireless dongle fixed this. The Kamiq's 'Virtual Cockpit' display is large and clear, with lots of customisability – the Monte Carlo gets its own unique display with Monte Carlo specific layouts to choose from. 

The Kamiq's 'Travel Assist' system works extremely well, one of the best in the industry going by professional reviews. The safety systems are non-intrusive, there's very little beeps and bongs compared to some other brands. I use travel assist a lot around the city, and all the time on the highway. 

Overall, the Kamiq is a fantastic car for the money. My one has 10 years free servicing on top of the 7 year warranty (was a promo that was running at the time) so a lot of peace of mind for any issues that may pop up along the way.

Owner: Wayne

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