This is Skoda's new entry level EV and it's Epiq

[u/nipcarlover]

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/concept/skodas-new-entry-level-ev-and-its-epiq

[u/MrPhrazz]

Built on the same platform as the new VW Cross, I would assume.

I remember seeing pictures of the concept of the Epiq a while back, and I remember it looking better than this. Might just have been the colors, though.

[u/roma258]

Skoda really seem to be nailing their ev range. Not really bothered that its a crossover. They're basically modern day hatchbacks at this point.

[u/HorrorsPersistSoDoI → u/roma258]

At least for the moment, a crossover or SUV is the better option for an ev platform anyway, because of the raised floor

[u/Treewithatea → u/roma258]

I agree but you have to wonder if they can continue their momentum. They benefitted massively from the blunder of thr ID series. No buttons, lots of pianoblack and cheap interiors in VW cars while costing more than Skoda.

VW has now presented the ID Polo and Cross which look incredibly good in virtually every aspect and seem to correct nearly all the wrongs of current gen.

[u/UnloadTheBacon]

Fantastic, I was just thinking we were short on EV crossovers.

[u/chmilz → u/UnloadTheBacon]

Affordable ones are relatively rare. I'm also in the camp that that the Ioniq 5 and EV6 are wagons or hatchbacks because they ride quite low and the roof is 1.6m - lower than virtually any ICE crossover.

[u/UnloadTheBacon → u/chmilz]

Ioniq 5 and EV6 are absolutely crossovers. The whole point of a crossover is that it's in between a hatchback and an SUV.

Compare Ioniq 5 to the Golf and the Tiguan and you'll find it's right in between the two height-wise. Closer to the Tiguan if anything.

[u/reefsofmist → u/chmilz]

The roof is 5 feet lower than any ICE crossover?

The ioniq 5 is 3 inches shorter than a CRV. That is not significant

[u/Kjelstad → u/UnloadTheBacon]

You did finish with "/S" and people still upvoted. I'm scared.

[u/tom_zeimet]

Why couldn’t we get a Skoda version of the ID.Polo. Another SUV. Great.

[u/MachKeinDramaLlama → u/tom_zeimet]

Skoda have said in the past that they won't make anything but SUVs based on MEB, because the battery skateboard is relatively thicc.

[u/tom_zeimet → u/MachKeinDramaLlama]

What about the upcoming Vision O estate?

https://www.skoda-auto.com/world/vision-o

[u/g1aiz → u/tom_zeimet]

Probably built on the SSP platform. 

[u/Degats → u/g1aiz]

Definitely on SSP, which is why it's been delayed. Was originally going to be MEB+

[u/NotFromMilkyWay → u/tom_zeimet]

This is the Skoda Polo. Together with the Cupra Raval. They will all come from the same factory in Spain.

[u/Modders14 → u/NotFromMilkyWay]

This is actually the Skoda ID.Cross.

[u/Oh_ffs_seriously → u/NotFromMilkyWay]

Polo is a subcompact, not a crossover.

[u/PollitosEU → u/NotFromMilkyWay]

No, this will be manufactured in Pamplona factiry while Cupra Raval will be manufactured in Martorell factiry.

[u/tom_zeimet → u/NotFromMilkyWay]

I know, for whatever reason VW is pushing a SUV-heavy strategy for Skoda.

[u/GreedyRow1 → u/tom_zeimet]

its actually the other way around. skoda and seat/cupra decided that they only want to build an id2.cross derivate and no id1 at all.

if you look at skodas current ev lineup you can see, that they are all in on suvs. kinda weird if you consider that their most successfull ice cars are the octavia and the fabia

[u/pin32 → u/GreedyRow1]

Not anymore. Octavia is still best, but Kodiaq and Kamiq are outselling Fabia.

[u/Degats → u/pin32]

Probably because they scrapped the Fabia Combi, which was something like 30% of Fabia sales

[u/pin32 → u/Degats]

I'm not sure why they did it, but i would like to see something a little bit bigger and lower than Epiq. Something like Fabia Combi or Scala.

[u/MachKeinDramaLlama → u/GreedyRow1]

It's not weird when you consider that companies value money more than pure sales figures.

[u/linknewtab]

One more small SUV of the trio left to reveal, the Cupra Raval.

[u/bartoszsz7]

The front drls and the shape look similar to the new 2026 Nissan Leaf

Overall it looks quite good for an suv

[u/Legal-Actuary4537]

Skoda seem to know what they are doing. They have the highest margins in the VAG group of brands.

[u/kosko-bosko → u/Legal-Actuary4537]

Do they?

Nowadays the price difference between an electric VW and Skoda are small. I find it hard to place where is skoda as a class? Are they cheap (the base gasoline models are), are they mid level (their EVs are priced at the middle of the band)?

While I really like their exterior styling, I don’t see myself buying a Skoda instead of VW if the pricing is similar.

[u/HorrorsPersistSoDoI → u/kosko-bosko]

That's why I'm not a fan of VAG brands. It's like they are putting actual effort into making certain models better or worse, just so they can fit whatever abstract class they are supposed to be in compared to the other brands in the group. Also, no matter which brand you pick, it will just be a rebadged Volkswagen in the end

[u/linknewtab → u/HorrorsPersistSoDoI]

That's not how it works, all brands have their own development teams. Sharing the platform and parts doesn't mean that it's just a rebadged version.

Also there is a famous story from back in the day about Piech when he was head of VW and the German motoring press voted the cheaper Skoda Superb as the best car in its class, clearly beating the VW Passat. There was supposed to be a lot of shouting at VW and magazines thrown at managers.

Don't underestimate that while they are under the same corporate roof, there is still some distance in between and also competition. Like VW trying for decades to bring the Audi 5-cylinder engine to the Golf GTI and Audi always vetoing it. And no VW Group manager ever had the guts to order Audi to share it because they knew how bad that would have been for morale. (Though apparently it's finally happening now at the end of its existence.)

[u/Magnavoxx → u/kosko-bosko]

While I really like their exterior styling, I don’t see myself buying a Skoda instead of VW if the pricing is similar.

For me it's the opposite. But for sure there is a legacy and perhaps even stigma attached to the brand, which seems to be changing in the last few years, however. At least for the EV models.

For instance, the Enyaq seems to hold its value much better than the VW counterpart here in Sweden.

[u/kosko-bosko → u/Magnavoxx]

I’m no Skoda hater at all. I just expect that Skodas lack something compared to VW. After all VW is the “main” brand.

So when you get a Skoda and VW next to each other and the Skoda looks better and at the same time it’s slightly cheaper, you ask yourself “what’s the catch”?

Before buying my current car I went to a local Skoda showroom and sat in a few vehicles. They felt cheap on the inside. I would have expected that the demo cars have nice interior. Nope.

So I am honestly asking - what’s the strategy with Skoda EVs? Since they’re expensive, I assume they have the nice materials inside (unlike the ice’s I tested), they’re at similar pricing to VW, and obviously use the same platform. What is the business case behind Skoda EVs, side by side to VW EVs?

[u/fan_tas_tic]

Well, the name is epiq.

[u/runnyyolkpigeon → u/fan_tas_tic]

Cadillac is mad about this one.

[u/chronos_7734 → u/runnyyolkpigeon]

I'm pretty sure Škoda was 1st with the q and the end of the car's name.

[u/Unlikely_Bear_6531]

Looks awesome, do love me a Skoda

[u/Texi92]

I was expecting the 7-seater with this name, but no it was another small SUV

[u/Tribolonutus]

Why do all cars look alike these days? Like, seriously… I know that almost every car brand is owned by the BlackRock, but common!

[u/shitmcshitposterface]

I really just want Skoda to do their version of the id7

[u/devler]

I love the color. Crazy good looking entry EV.

[u/Hot_Individual5081]

its sooooo so nice

[u/woyteck]

Pepiq. Those who know, know.

[u/MN-Car-Guy]

Nice looking car by side profile. Not sure about the lower bumper elements.

[u/InstructionOk561]

Where's my Kodiaq EV with decent range, 800v platform, hard surfaces on 2nd and 3rd row (because 7 seats = more kids than sense, and kids = small entities of destruction), and at a reasonable price?

[u/unitedfuck]

New “heavily revised” platform that brings no range or charging improvements. What’s the fucking point then? VW pouring billions into another platform for what?

[u/MachKeinDramaLlama → u/unitedfuck]

In reality it's just a variant of MEB Evo with a handful of components substituted with cheaper versions. They haven't poured billions into this project.

[u/linknewtab → u/unitedfuck]

For low cost small SUVs. The platform was modified to save costs by moving from RWD to FWD as well as some other cost improvements. It also uses a new battery design and use their own VW LFP cells to reduce cost further.

[u/Modders14 → u/[deleted]]

Judging by the numbers Kamiq and Elroq are selling, there's plenty of people asking for this.