With the same engine under the bonnet as the Volkswagen Golf, the Roomster also suffers from lots of noise when accelerating, and could do with more pulling power to tackle steep slopes. It stops better than it goes, however, braking from 30-0mph in 11.41 metres in slightly damp conditions.
The Skoda lost out to the Golf in the lane-change manoeuvre, with the first signs of instability occurring a few mph slower than in the VW. At steadier speeds, though, the Roomster struck a fine balance between grippy handling and a supple, comfortable ride.
There’s plenty of space in the tall body for five passengers, and the rear three seats can be folded forward or removed completely to maximise luggage room. With all five seats in place, however, our judges found room for only around half our holiday luggage test kit.
So, not a bad performance, but some niggling doubts prevent the Roomster from challenging for class honours. For one thing, the towball limit is rather low at just 50kg – an issue that really hurt the Roomster’s practicality score.