If someone asks me for advice on buying a roomy, reliable, and comfortable used car, I usually recommend the car that is featured in this article. It is a car that was sold between 2006 and 2015, and although it is not uncommon to see it from time to time on our streets and highways, few remember it. Even so, it boasts of having in its range one of the great "eternal" engines of the modern era, it is incredibly spacious in relation to its external size... and you can buy it second-hand for 4,000 euros. Yes, bargain with capital letters.
Skoda Roomster: no one offered more space in a smaller bottle
The Skoda Roomster is a very peculiar car. It is not a compact, a minivan, a van, or a crossover. It's all at the same time, and currently, only the Dacia Jogger resembles its philosophy. It was one of the first cars created with Skoda fully owned by the Volkswagen Group, and although it was still a car with certain low-cost overtones, it already used a shared platform with the Volkswagen Polo, and both engines and technologies belonging to the gigantic German consortium.
It was only 4.21 meters long, but its curious two-story design – the rear cabin seemed separated from the front – allowed for gigantic rear seats, which were also sliding and folding in a 20:40:20 configuration. The fully cubic design of its rear also allowed it to boast a huge 450-liter boot volume. In fact, Skoda sold it in a commercial version under the name Praktik, without rear seats. It wasn't particularly pretty, but it had character and characterful lines.
It was a car widely used as a taxi, especially in Eastern European countries. One of the reasons was that it had one of the best engines ever created by the Volkswagen Group: the incombustible 1.9 TDI pump-injector, in its 105 CV version. These engines are known to be extremely durable, as well as highly reliable. It's easy to get half a million miles out of these engines with nothing more than good routine maintenance. The range of engines had both diesel and gasoline alternatives and was very varied.
All diesel has a B label, and all gasoline has a C label. In gasoline, there were naturally aspirated engines of 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6 liters (69 CV, 86 CV, and 105 CV), as well as 1.2 TSI engines (85 hp or 105 hp). In diesel, the range was born with the 1.9 TDI of 105 CV and 1.4 TDI of 90 CV, also with a pump injector. In 2010, it was updated and started to have 1.2 TDI engines with 75 CV and 1.6 TDI, with 90 CV or 105 CV. These engines were already common-rail but suffered the impact of Dieselgate emissions fraud, as well as some problems of youth.
Since all diesels have a B label, our recommendation is to opt for a 105 hp 1.9 TDI, or any gasoline, if we are going to do fewer kilometers per year. The automatic changes arrived in the last bars of the life of the Roomster, and only to the most powerful gasoline engines. The range of versions of the Skoda Roomster was very varied, and there were both very "bare" versions, as well as top-of-the-range versions with a wide range of series. However, we must remember that the most modern Roosters are now eight years old.
That is, they lack modern infotainment systems and lack advanced driving assistance. We will enjoy ESP and non-adaptive cruise control. For many, this is more than enough, but some potential buyers may miss more active safety features. Scout versions have slightly raised suspension and a more crossover look, but we shouldn't venture beyond good tracks: Skoda Roosters never had all-wheel drive systems in their range.
Finally, to remind you that it was never a car with fun behavior, and we cannot classify it as a "dynamic" car. It is a car with a comfortable and filtered driving feel, designed to be comfortable on long trips or in daily use. If you want a more exciting option, it will have to come at the cost of space aboard the Skoda Roomster.
How much does a second-hand Skoda Roomster cost?
At the risk of sounding Galician, the answer is "it depends". Of the kilometers and the state of the car, of course. The "average" price on second-hand platforms seems to hover around 6,000 euros, but it is possible to find units even below 4,000 euros. These have basic engines, many kilometers, and an aesthetic state that could be improved. It must be remembered that the oldest Roosters are already 17 years old, so age also plays an important role in the price of these small multi-purpose cars.
Within the casuistry, the most expensive units correspond to the Scout versions and are the most modern, as is logical. Curiously, although there are quite a few units with more than 200,000 km, it is possible to find units under 100,000 km, especially with gasoline mechanics. Finally, you must take into account that the supply of these cars is relatively limited: between Milanuncios, Wallapop, and coches.net there are not 70 units for sale in Spain. Choose carefully and thoroughly check the condition of the vehicle.
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