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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 model.
The Imaginative and prescient O idea, revealed on the Munich motor present, exhibits what a wagon would appear like with Skoda’s new Trendy Stable design language, and its title hints at this present automobile particularly previewing an electrical Octavia alternative.
Skoda says it has been the chief within the European wagon (or fairly, ‘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.
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The Czech auto model had already confirmed it could produce an electrical Octavia wagon, nevertheless it was delayed final yr 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 stated in its press launch for the idea. That platform is probably going the identical one that can underpin the Mk9 Volkswagen Golf, known as SSP.
The Imaginative and prescient O measures 4850mm lengthy, 1900mm broad 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 seems to be fairly production-ready.
There’s a novel floating roof remedy, 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 remedy has been seen earlier than on automobiles such because the DS3 Crossback.
Nevertheless, 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 kinds a border for the front-end. Slim, T-shaped lighting components could be seen on the rear.
The Volkswagen Group model’s Trendy Stable 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 contemporary 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 by way of a big, portrait-oriented touchscreen, whereas the brand new Skoda Horizon Show is paying homage to that proven off within the BMW iX3 on the Munich present.
It’s a 1.2m-long horizontal show that spans your entire 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 known as Laura, which might focus on the automobile’s environment and take assembly notes, amongst different duties. Skoda says Laura can 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 automobile previews a future Octavia, it’s additionally a nod to Skoda’s sustainability efforts via using ‘round supplies’ reminiscent of recycled trim and plant-based merchandise.
The seat covers are constituted of a 100 per cent recycled polyester flatknit materials; Ultrasuede NU materials utilized to bigger inside elements has 65 per cent plant-based content material; and the flooring is constituted of 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 well-liked in wagon-friendly Europe.
Since 1998, Skoda has offered three million Octavia wagons. That’s a hefty chunk of complete Octavia quantity, given Skoda has offered greater than 7.5 million Octavias total since 1996.
Equally, Skoda has offered greater than 1.6 million Superbs since 2001 and, whereas it didn’t launch a wagon model of its largest automobile 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 well-liked, Skoda is the one mass-market model to nonetheless provide mid-size and huge wagons.
The Octavia misplaced its final direct rival earlier this yr, when the Mazda 6 was axed, and the Excellent is technically the final mainstream giant automobile 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 newest market to embrace to this long-running and once-widespread physique model.
BYD, Nio and Zeekr, amongst different Chinese language auto manufacturers, have all just lately launched wagons of their residence market.
MORE: Discover the Skoda showroom
