Europeans could also be more and more flocking to SUVs, however there are nonetheless loads of wagons obtainable within the continent – and Skoda has proven it has no intention of abandoning the physique type.
The Imaginative and prescient O idea, revealed on the Munich motor present, exhibits what a wagon would appear to be with Skoda’s new Fashionable Strong design language, and its title hints at this present automotive particularly previewing an electrical Octavia alternative.
Skoda says it has been the chief within the European wagon (or slightly, ‘property’) section since 2016 due to its Octavia and Excellent wagons, and it plans to “reinforce its management” with a manufacturing model of the Imaginative and prescient O idea.
CarExpert can prevent 1000’s on a brand new automotive. Click on right here to get an awesome deal.
The Czech auto model had already confirmed it might produce an electrical Octavia wagon, but it surely was delayed final 12 months and is now due for launch in 2027 or 2028.
“The manufacturing automobile of Imaginative and prescient O, based mostly on a future platform of Volkswagen Group, is deliberate for the subsequent decade,” the corporate has now mentioned in its press launch for the idea. That platform is probably going the identical one that can underpin the Mk9 Volkswagen Golf, referred to as SSP.
The Imaginative and prescient O measures 4850mm lengthy, 1900mm large and 1500mm tall, which really places it between the present Octavia and Excellent wagons in dimension.
There’s a beneficiant 650 litres of boot area, increasing to 1700L with the rear seats folded.
We’d anticipate the rear-hinged again doorways to vanish and standard B-pillars to seem on the manufacturing model, however in any other case the Imaginative and prescient O appears to be like fairly production-ready.
There’s a novel floating roof therapy, with the B-pillar included into the rear door, and the roof and rearmost pillars painted black. Lack of a traditional B-pillar apart, this therapy has been seen earlier than on automobiles such because the DS3 Crossback.
Nonetheless, the clear flanks, boxy wheel-arches and rakish tailgate give the Imaginative and prescient O a particular look of its personal.
It wears Skoda’s new ‘Tech-loop face masks’, that includes slim lighting components that fade right into a black trim piece that types a border for the front-end. Slim, T-shaped lighting components may be seen on the rear.
The Volkswagen Group model’s Fashionable Strong design theme was previewed by the 2022 Imaginative and prescient 7S idea, and has subsequently been proven off on a close to production-ready model of the small Epiq SUV that was additionally revealed in Munich.
The Imaginative and prescient O brings a recent tackle it, providing a familial resemblance to the Imaginative and prescient 7S and Epiq with out trying like a carbon copy.
It additionally has a minimalist inside, albeit nonetheless with bodily switchgear together with a rotary dial and rocker switches on the centre console.
Most capabilities are managed through a big, portrait-oriented touchscreen, whereas the brand new Skoda Horizon Show is harking back to that proven off within the BMW iX3 on the Munich present.
It’s a 1.2m-long horizontal show that spans all the dashboard. Key info is displayed forward of the motive force, eliminating the necessity for a traditional instrument cluster or head-up show.
There’s an AI-powered digital assistant referred to as Laura, which may focus on the automobile’s environment and take assembly notes, amongst different duties. Skoda says Laura will even improve route planning within the MySkoda app by including charging stops, petrol stations and purchasing centres based mostly on the person’s preferences.
Whereas the Imaginative and prescient O title suggests this automotive previews a future Octavia, it’s additionally a nod to Skoda’s sustainability efforts by using ‘round supplies’ reminiscent of recycled trim and plant-based merchandise.
The seat covers are produced from a 100 per cent recycled polyester flatknit materials; Ultrasuede NU materials utilized to bigger inside components has 65 per cent plant-based content material; and the flooring is produced from post-production leather-based scraps.
Skoda likes to incorporate delicate surprise-and-delight options like little umbrellas and parking ticket holders as a part of its Merely Intelligent philosophy, and the Imaginative and prescient O has some distinctive options too.
There are umbrellas after all (4!), together with a devoted storage space for charging cables within the boot, plus a transportable Bluetooth speaker and a fridge.
Skoda hasn’t supplied any powertrain particulars, however the manufacturing model is about to be battery-electric.
Whereas Skoda has a variety of SUVs – the combustion-powered Kamiq, Karoq and Kodiaq, plus the electrical Elroq, Enyaq and upcoming Epiq – its wagons stay common in wagon-friendly Europe.
Since 1998, Skoda has bought three million Octavia wagons. That’s a hefty chunk of whole Octavia quantity, given Skoda has bought greater than 7.5 million Octavias total since 1996.
Equally, Skoda has bought greater than 1.6 million Superbs since 2001 and, whereas it didn’t launch a wagon model of its largest automotive till 2008, it has already notched up 650,000 gross sales.
Above: Skoda Excellent and Octavia
In Australia, the place wagons are a lot much less common, Skoda is the one mass-market model to nonetheless provide mid-size and huge wagons.
The Octavia misplaced its final direct rival earlier this 12 months, when the Mazda 6 was axed, and the Excellent is technically the final mainstream massive automotive on sale in our market, wagon or in any other case.
Whereas wagons proceed to vanish in Australia, the place they’re much extra of a distinct segment product than in Europe, China seems to be the most recent market to embrace to this long-running and once-widespread physique type.
BYD, Nio and Zeekr, amongst different Chinese language auto manufacturers, have all just lately launched wagons of their residence market.
