Skoda's Roomster gets Scout upgrade

Will the trend for butching-up otherwise mundane motors ever cease?

30 November 2006 14:13 GMT / By Jonathan Goddard

Time and again manufacturers have sought to inject new life into their model range by adding some rubber, jacking up the suspension, and slapping on thicker tyres all in the name of making something wholly on-road look like it can go off-road.

This exercise in creating a premium mini-segment where there was no need for one has been employed by Rover with the awful Streetwise, Ford with the Fusion and Volvo with its Cross Country estates, and now Skoda is getting in on the act with its already bizarre yet quite good Roomster.

The Octavia already has its Scout version and now odd saloon-MPV-dog’s-breakfast hybrid the Roomster gets a Scout version, too. It’s 14mm longer, 11mm wider and 43mm taller, and it gets 16in alloys as standard (17in are an option). Of course, there’s ubiquitous black rubbery trim, bumper guard and roof bars, too.

And to power this vehicle on its no doubt regular excursions off-road, you get a truly jaw-dropping choice of a 1.6 petrol or 1.9TDi that should see eager shoppers overcome even the most drastic of Tesco speed bumps.

If you want one, and we’re not sure why you would, the Roomster Scout should be available in the spring. Let's off-road!