The new Skoda Peaq is appropriately named because it represents the absolute pinnacle of the Skoda range.
Not only is it larger, roomier and more luxurious than any Skoda before it, it’ll also go further and charge faster than any electric model the Czech company has ever produced. That’s thanks to a whopping 86kWh battery, which offers up to 395 miles of range and accepts charging speeds of up to 199kW.
As cover letters go, those figures alone already make the Peaq a pretty impressive candidate. But there’s much more to its CV than impressive numbers, so we’ve picked out seven of the most compelling reasons why the new Skoda Peaq should be at the very top of your electric SUV shortlist.
Learn more about the Skoda Peaq
It’s the biggest Skoda ever
As the biggest Skoda ever, the Peaq undoubtedly provides room with a view. It’s almost 4.9 metres long and 1.7 metres tall, plus almost two metres wide, all of which translates into the sort of cabin space the average ocean liner would rightly envy.
There’s also almost a full three metres between the front and rear wheels, which makes for vast amounts of passenger space. Second-row seats can slide and recline, while the third row has more than enough room get comfy, meaning that even with all seven seats in use, everyone has the ability to sit back, stretch out and enjoy the passing view through the large side windows and enormous panoramic roof with innovative Dynamic Shade Control (more on that in a moment).
Better still, with the Peaq there’s no need to send the luggage on ahead or simply go without for a few days. No, the Peaq has a simply gargantuan load-carrying capacity. Even with all seating rows in use, there are 299 litres available in the boot, which is more than some hatchbacks can manage. If the two rear seats are folded down, the Peaq has 890 litres of space, which is more than most estate cars can manage. And with all five rear seats folded flat, there are 2075 litres of space, which is more than some vans… Well, you get the point.
The boot is also full of smart compartments, cubbies and hooks to keep everything where you put it in the first place. So, if you need to carry a lot of people, a lot of stuff, or sometimes both, the Peaq is a peak choice.
It makes long trips easy
Let’s face it, the whole point of a big, luxurious SUV is being able to travel long distances in complete comfort. But in many rivals, there simply isn’t enough battery range to make long journeys genuinely effortless. Not so in the Skoda Peaq, which has the largest battery ever fitted to one of the brand’s models, at 86kWh.
This means that it can cover up to 390 miles (WLTP) before you need to recharge the battery, so you can set off from London and be almost in Edinburgh before needing to stop.
Better still, when you do need to recharge, the Peaq has a rapid-charging capacity of 199kW, which means that even though the battery is huge, it takes around 28 minutes to charge from 10-80% – barely enough time for a brew and a leg stretch.
So, after less than half an hour of stationary time, you have another few hundred miles ahead of you. Watford to John O’Groats, on just one charging stop.
And when you’re back on the road, you’ll get there briskly, too, thanks to the Peaq’s strong performance. It’ll do 0-62mph in just 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 111mph, so cruising at the motorway limit is a supremely relaxed affair.
