Skoda VisionS Concept Brings 3-Row, Plug-In Power To Geneva

8 years, 9 months ago - 1 March 2016, Autoblog

Skoda, maker of better-looking Volkswagens, has a lovely lineup of cars. It's flush with cars, hatchbacks, and station wagons and almost completely devoid of crossovers. Good looks and no crossovers – that's our kind of automaker.

But as we've covered before, brands that aren't building CUVs aren't exactly making money right now, which is why we aren't surprised by the Czech company's Geneva Motor Show concept.

This is the VisionS, and it's as crossover-y as a crossover can be. Based on Volkswagen's MQB platform, it features a classic two-box design. The larger of those two cubes – speaking of, the new look is allegedly inspired by cubism, Skoda said – features three separate rows of seats with room for six passengers. Don't think that there's loads of space for those six people, though. This is still very much a compact CUV.

At 15.4 feet long, it's almost the exact same length as a Mitsubishi Outlander – one of the only compacts in the US with a third row – and it's only slightly wider, at 6.26 feet versus 5.94. The footprint, then, will still be very comfortable on European roads, while offering more space than the average Octavia Estate. The VisionS should also be comfortable at European gas pumps, too.

Like so many concepts today, the VisionS relies on a plug-in hybrid system. There's a 1.4-liter, turbocharged petrol engine up front, with a healthy 154 horsepower, but it's paired up with potent 54-hp engine. Total system output sits at a 221 hp, which if we look at the aforementioned Outlander, is only three hp less than the thirsty V6 model. 62 miles per hour arrives in just 7.4 seconds.