Skoda’s vehicle expansion plan will continue with a
new crossover slotting under the Kodiaq and Karoq, with the brand previewing
the car with the Vision X Concept. The new study is of “compact
proportion”, and has a “crystalline exterior” design, in the firm’s own words.
What they’re trying to say is that it sports a very
familiar styling, being inspired by the larger Karoq and Kodiaq, with a few nips
and tucks to highlight its concept nature. Notice the green-ish paint with
black roof, aluminum trim, black accents, and front end that makes it instantly
recognizable as a Skoda.
However, expect it to be significantly toned down for
production, so you may want to forget those very slim LED headlights, shaved
door handles, and other exterior accents.
A sister car to the VW T-Roc and Seat Arona, the
Vision X is longer and wider than either of the two at 4,250 mm long and 1,800 mm
wide, though it sports a lower roofline. It rides on a stretched wheelbase that at 2,645 mm, is
55 mm longer than the T-Roc and 80 mm more than the Arona’s, as Skoda wants the
Vision X to offer more space and practicality than its siblings, being aimed
more towards families.
Inside, the show car has a futuristic and funky
look, with lots of different accents running alongside the dashboard, pillars,
doors, steering wheel, central console, and seats. It also gets a tablet-like
infotainment system, a two-spoke steering wheel, and what seems to be a digital
instrument cluster.
Described as “the first hybrid vehicle in Skoda’s
history to have a CNG- (compressed natural gas) and petrol-powered engine, as
well as an electric motor”, the new Skoda Vision X is reportedly emitting just
89 g/km of CO2 in concept form. It uses a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which
can run on CNG or petrol, backed up by a rear electric motor. More importantly,
the concept will benefit from all-wheel drive. Expect the production car to be revealed in the second half of 2019.
