Czech-mate: Photos Leak of Skoda SUV That Could Come to the U.S.

by Steph Willems

Published: September 1st, 2016

czech mate photos leak of skoda suv that could come to the u s

A Czech SUV that borrows its name from an Alaskan town, island and bear has been revealed ahead of its launch later today.The Škoda Kodiaq has been teased by the surging automaker throughout its lengthy development, but here it is in the flesh. The low-resolution images leaked on the Serbian enthusiast forum Skodaforum.rs earlier today. Will it show up in America, or is a corporate cousin too close?

Škoda wants the Kodiaq to carry the brand’s flag to new markets, where it hopes to boost already rising sales. The Volkswagen-owned brand posted its best sales figures in history last year, but the automaker is wary of entering the U.S. market. Recently, the brand’s CEO said he felt the Kodiaq would be a “home run” with utility-hungry American buyers.The automaker has already trademarked all of the necessary badging in the U.S., but we’ll have to wait until next year to find out if there’ll be a Czech invasion.The Kodiaq is said to be closely related to the upcoming 2017 Volkswagen Teramont, another SUV with high hopes for the U.S. Both are three-row models, and while the Škoda adds diesel power to the mix (we don’t know the Teramont’s powertrain), hybrid variants are expected for both.Volkswagen plans to slash sticker prices on its vehicles in a bid to reverse sinking sales, and it’s reasonable to expect value pricing (or what passes for it) on the Teramont. The automaker has a big SUV and crossover push planned, and a model like the Kodiaq could erode the Teramont’s sales. That alone is a big rationale for not bringing the Škoda brand stateside.[Images: Skodaforum.rs]

#ProductPlanning #Skoda #SkodaKodiaq #SUVs #Volkswagen

Steph Willems

More by Steph Willems

Comments

Join the conversation

3 of 39 comments

Trucky McTruckface on Sep 01, 2016

Looks like a Chinese mashup of a Kia and a Grand Cherokee. A VAG product under a different nameplate is still a VAG product. And owning a VAG product is a mistake I won't be making again. Pass.

Like Reply
- SCE to AUX on Sep 01, 2016
  
  There are always new people to fool, I suppose.
  
  Like
Johnster on Sep 01, 2016

I don't see how VW would gain much by adding another nameplate (Skoda) to the U.S. market. OTOH, if they wanted to rebadge some Skodas as VWs in the U.S. to help keep the prices down, that makes sense.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Honda1 Unions were needed back in the early days, not needed know. There are plenty of rules and regulations and government agencies that keep companies in line. It's just a money grad and nothing more. Fain is a punk!
1995 SC If the necessary number of employees vote to unionize then yes, they should be unionized. That's how it works.
Sobhuza Trooper That Dave Thomas fella sounds like the kind of twit who is oh-so-quick to tell us how easy and fun the bus is for any and all of your personal transportation needs. The time to get to and from the bus stop is never a concern. The time waiting for the bus is never a concern. The time waiting for a connection (if there is one) is never a concern. The weather is never a concern. Whatever you might be carrying or intend to purchase is never a concern. Nope, Boo Cars! Yeah Buses! Buses rule!Needless to say, these twits don't actual take the damn bus.
MaintenanceCosts Nobody here seems to acknowledge that there are multiple use cases for cars.Some people spend all their time driving all over the country and need every mile and minute of time savings. ICE cars are better for them right now.Some people only drive locally and fly when they travel. For them, there's probably a range number that works, and they don't really need more. For the uses for which we use our EV, that would be around 150 miles. The other thing about a low range requirement is it can make 120V charging viable. If you don't drive more than an average of about 40 miles/day, you can probably get enough electrons through a wall outlet. We spent over two years charging our Bolt only through 120V, while our house was getting rebuilt, and never had an issue.Those are extremes. There are all sorts of use cases in between, which probably represent the majority of drivers. For some users, what's needed is more range. But I think for most users, what's needed is better charging. Retrofit apartment garages like Tim's with 240V outlets at every spot. Install more L3 chargers in supermarket parking lots and alongside gas stations. Make chargers that work like Tesla Superchargers as ubiquitous as gas stations, and EV charging will not be an issue for most users.
MaintenanceCosts I don't have an opinion on whether any one plant unionizing is the right answer, but the employees sure need to have the right to organize. Unions or the credible threat of unionization are the only thing, history has proven, that can keep employers honest. Without it, we've seen over and over, the employers have complete power over the workers and feel free to exploit the workers however they see fit. (And don't tell me "oh, the workers can just leave" - in an oligopolistic industry, working conditions quickly converge, and there's not another employer right around the corner.)