There’s no denying the success of the Skoda Yeti as a family SUV and it has been a firm favourite since it first graced our roads back in 2009. It underwent a facelift in 2013 to bring it bang up to date, but now things are about to change in a very big way.

For the Czech manufacturer has decided to ditch the Yeti and introduce a replacement in the Autumn and they have named it the Karoq.

Skoda is confident the five-door model will increase the company’s presence in the highly popular SUV sector even though it will be up against stiff competition from the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and fellow VW Group stablemate, the SEAT Ateca.

When it comes to styling and first impressions, there is little trace of the Yeti. The Karoq is 160mm longer, 50mm wider and has a 60mm longer wheelbase. It has a very athletic and eye-catching profile.

There will be four different interior options available with entry-level cars boasting a 6.5-inch screen with DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity while for the first time in a Skoda, the VW group’s digital instrument panel will be part of the package.

The spec range will be extensive. At the unveiling of the Karoq, Skoda chief executive Bernhard Maier told the audience that variants such as SportLine and Scout would be available and that by 2019 Skoda’s first PHEV plug-in hybrid would be introduced.

And for drivers who like to drive Skoda’s vRS-style sports versions, there will be a derivative added to the line-up in due course.

The boot capacity on the Karoq is an impressive 521 litres, increased to 1,630 litres with the rear seats dropped down. The vehicle will also be available with a VarioFlex seating set-up where all three rear seats can be removed individually giving the car a whopping load space of 1,810 litres.

Customers will be able to choose from five engines, two petrol and three diesels. The only powertrain being offered with 4WD is a 2.0-litre 228bhp diesel with 400Nm of torque and carbon emissions of 138g/km and it will be offered with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. All the front-wheel-drive versions will have a six-speed manual gearbox as standard.

With about six months until the cars arrive in UK showrooms, the final pricing is yet to be confirmed but it’s likely the Karoq will have a starting price of around £18,000 for the 1.0-litre entry-level version. The current entry-level price for the Qashqai is £18,995.