New Skoda flagship electric SUV to get Vision 7S inspiration

The success of the Skoda Kodiaq proves the Czech brand knows how to make a great seven-seat SUV. So it’s no surprise that it’s working on an all-electric alternative that will deliver on the promise of the bold Vision 7S concept, revealed a few years ago.

As well as previewing the new model, the Vision 7S introduced us to the ‘Modern Solid’ styling that will be shared by all of Skoda’s electric cars. We’ve already seen how this translates to production with the head-turning Skoda Elroq that was unveiled late last year, and the changes made to best-selling Skoda Enyaq during its rather extensive recent facelift.

In 2023, Skoda also presented a sculpture called ‘Space’, previewing what will become its seven-seat electric SUV – and now prototypes have been spotted undergoing testing in the bitter cold of northern Sweden. Both vehicles confirm the design is staying very true to the Vision 7S, so we had plenty of clues to what this car will look like. We’ve used them to create these exclusive images.

Up front will be the ‘Tech Deck’ face, which is a much slimmer interpretation of the traditional Skoda grille. As with the Elroq and facelifted Enyaq, the panel will be used to house the various sensors, radars and cameras for the car’s driver-assistance systems. The sleek nose also incorporates a segmented, pixel-like daytime running-light design, which we can see on the prototypes, and should extend to the front wings.

Pratyush Rout

Other details that appear to have been carried over from the Vision 7S are a twin-fin roof spoiler and a razor-thin tail-light design that extends onto the bootlid. The overall shape will be close to the concept’s, too, with a verysquare front end and traditional SUV proportions, but short overhangs at the rear that will help maximise interior space for passengers and their luggage.

Skoda has confirmed its seven-seat electric SUV will measure around 4.9 metres long. That will make it the biggest model in the brand’s line-up by some margin (the latest Kodiaq is 4,758mm from nose to tail), and longer than the Peugeot E-5008 it will be going up against. However, the new Skoda won’t be quite as colossal as the Hyundai Ioniq 9 (5,060mm) or Kia EV9 (5,015mm) – two other contenders in the steadily expanding seven-seat electric car segment.

Unsurprisingly, the Vision 7S’s rear-hinged rear doors won’t make it to production, given that the pop-out rear door handles on the prototypes 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, too, although we have yet to look inside the production car.

The cabin layout is likely to be very similar to those of the Enyaq and Elroq, both of which feature a huge central touchscreen paired with a much smaller driver’s display. The interior of the Vision 7S focused heavily on the use of recycled and sustainable materials, and we expect it will be the same for the new model.

There will also be plenty of the ‘Simply Clever’ touches that set Skoda’s models apart. One of those could be the ‘Smart Dials’ that made their debut in the latest-generation Kodiaq and Superb, with an earlier version featuring in the Vision 7S. Each dial houses a small display, and pressing them toggles between the various functions they’re responsible for, such as cabin temperature, fan speed and drive modes. We’ve found they help create a clean, modern interior design without sacrificing functionality or forcing drivers to rely solely on touchscreens.

Underneath is almost certainly the same MEB bespoke electric-car platform that’s used by the Elroq and Enyaq, as well as around a dozen other EVs including the Cupra Born, Ford Capri and the nearly five-metre-long Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB. So we know the architecture can accommodate a vehicle this large.

The seven-seat Skoda will probably get the same 86kWh battery and 200kW maximum charging speed as the ID. Buzz LWB, which we’d expect to provide a range of more than 370 miles and allow for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in less than 30 minutes. Both figures are roughly on par with the Hyundai Ioniq 9, although the Peugeot E-5008 can provide up to 415 miles of official range in the right guise.

A choice of single-motor rear-drive and dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrains are 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 sporty treatment.

One key detail that remains firmly under wraps for the moment is this hugely important car’s name. Skoda has registered Eviatiq, which is at least one possibility because it follows the firm’s electric SUV naming convention by starting with an E and ending in Q.

But there’s plenty of time to decide because, as Auto Express understands, Skoda’s range-topping seven-seat EV won’t be arriving until 2027 – not 2026 as originally planned.

Before that, the company will be focusing on the launch of the Elroq, the first examples of which will be delivered this spring, and the facelifted Enyaq that’s due to arrive around the same time.

Then, in 2026, attention will turn to the arrival of the all-new, hugely important Skoda Epiq. We’ve already seen a concept model of the zero-emissions Kamiq alternative, which also employs the ‘Modern Solid’ design language and should be a very close representation of the final production version that’s most likely going to be revealed early next year.

The Epiq is set to cost around 25,000 Euros (approximately £21,000 at current exchange rates). Unlike its aforementioned siblings, the Epiq will be based on a different platform, called MEB Entry, which will also be used by the Volkswagen ID.2 and Cupra Raval hatchbacks.

After the Epiq and the as-yet-unnamed seven-seater, Skoda will launch a pure-electric estate car that, at 4.6 metres long, will serve as the alternative to the trusty Octavia Estate. This particular model was also due in 2026, but it now seems more likely to be launched in 2027, or possibly even 2028.

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