New Skoda seven-seat electric SUV spotted for the first time
Testing has begun on the production version of Skoda’s bold Vision 7S concept
Skoda’s new seven-seat electric SUV has been spotted for the first time, nearly three years after the Czech brand unveiled the bold Vision 7S concept that previewed its future flagship electric car and introduced us to its new ‘Modern Solid’ design language.
‘Modern Solid’ is the same philosophy used to create the Skoda Elroq that was launched late last year, with certain design elements then carried over to the Enyaq during its recent, rather extensive facelift. So we have a clear idea of what's underneath this prototype’s camouflage.
Up front will be the ‘Tech Deck Face’, which is a much slimmer interpretation of the traditional Skoda grille, and is used to house the various sensors, radars and cameras for the car’s driver-assistance systems. The sleek nose also incorporates a pixel-like daytime running light design, which we can see poking out from the camouflage and should extend onto the front wings.
Other details that appear to have been carried over from the Vision 7S are a twin-fin roof spoiler and super-slim tail-lights that extend onto the bootlid. The overall shape is close to the concept’s too, with the very square front end and traditional SUV proportions, but with short overhangs at the rear that’ll help maximise interior space for passengers and their luggage.
Unsurprisingly, the coach doors on the Vision 7S haven't made it to production, given that we can see the pop-out rear door handles are where they’d normally be. The concept’s unconventional ‘six-plus-one’ seating arrangement has almost certainly been replaced by a more traditional choice of five or seven-seat options, although we have yet to get a look inside the production car.
The zero-emissions alternative to the award-winning Skoda Kodiaq isn’t due to be unveiled until the end of 2026, or potentially in early 2027, but it’s likely to feature a similar set-up inside to the Enyaq and Elroq. That should include the huge 13-inch central touchscreen, a five-inch driver’s display, various sustainable materials and plenty of ‘simply clever’ touches.
So far, the only detail Skoda has confirmed about its seven-seat EV is that it'll be around 4.9 metres long. That’ll make it the biggest model in Skoda’s line-up by far, and bigger than the Peugeot E-5008 it’ll be going up against. However, it’s not quite as colossal as the Hyundai Ioniq 9 or Kia EV9 – two other contenders in the steadily expanding seven-seat EV segment.
Underneath the Skoda’s camouflage is almost certainly the same MEB bespoke electric-car platform that’s used by the Enyaq and Elroq, as well as around a dozen other EVs including the Ford Capri. Another is the nearly five-metre-long Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB minibus, so we know the architecture can accommodate a vehicle this large.
The seven-seat Skoda will probably get the same 86kWh battery as the ID. Buzz LWB, which we’d expect to provide a range of nearly 400 miles. That’s on par with the Hyundai Ioniq 9, but still some way off the up to 415 miles of range offered by the Peugeot E-5008, in the right guise.
A choice of single-motor, rear-drive and dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrains is likely to be offered, and we wouldn’t be surprised if there was a hot vRS version too, considering that both generations of the Skoda Kodiaq have been given the same treatment.
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