SecondHandSense:CAR COMPANIES usually try to avoid attempting to please everybody by offering niche alternatives to mainstream cars – unlike the Skoda Roomster.
You may have a hatchback with a saloon variant, perhaps an estate or a cabriolet – all from the same platform. It’s reasonably cost-effective and there’s something for every taste.
Skoda bucked the trend a few years ago with the introduction of the Roomster – a car that was distinctive but sought to appeal to too wide an audience. It is as much a van as a hatchback (the rear load space with the seats removed is truly cavernous). However, in trying to design a car that might appeal across generations to people with very different requirements, someone took their eye off the shape that was emerging.
The Roomster is distinctly odd, however practical it may be at the same time. It is also a very good car. As a small family car, for example, it has few rivals. Skoda’s Varioflex seating system is clever and a doddle to use. Unlike MPVs, the seats are easy to remove, slide and fold and the car can be configurated to suit almost any requirement.
The tall and the small will enjoy its bright and spacious interior but all that configuring comes at the expense of the exterior design. It is tall and boxy to the rear and, frankly, unappealing as a result. Unsurprisingly, it has not been a big seller, despite competitive pricing.
It comes with a choice of 1.2 and 1.4 petrol engines and a 1.4 diesel engine. The 1.2 is quite sufficient. It produces 70 horse power and is ideally combined with the car as a city option. Despite its load-carrying capacity, the car is really a short-haul option. It has good comfortable seats, a smart interior with clear and easy-to-use controls and all-round visibility is excellent.
The Roomster has six airbags as standard and has a good score in the EuroNCAP crash tests. Skoda’s reliability record is excellent.
The Roomster was launched in 2006 and there are several 2007 models now available second-hand. A 1.2 petrol version with 23,000km on the clock has an asking price of €9,500. A 1.4 model from the same year and with just 14,000km on the clock has an asking price also of €9,500.
STAR RATING: 5/10