Skoda will give us a glimpse into the future of both the Octavia and how its 'Modern Solid' styling will evolve with this, the Vision O concept car.
It's a bit hard to see…
Well, that's deliberate. Skoda wants the Vision O to make a big impact when the covers are whisked away at the Munich motor show in September. What we can see, from this silhouette, is that the Vision O is still very much an estate car rather than a crossover (Hurrah!), although the fact that we can't see the wheels means that Skoda could still pull a fast one with the ride height. Given the popularity of the Octavia Estate, though, that seems unlikely.
The styling looks quite sharp
Yes, literally so as there seems to be a more angular look to this Vision O than there is to the current, slightly soft-edged, Octavia. It's a definite move forward for the 'Modern Solid' look first introduced with the Elroq and the updated Enyaq, and you can expect the Vision O to feature an evolution of the 'tech deck' front styling of those cars.
According to Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer: “This will be one of our most significant steps in developing and evolving our design language even further for this period of transition in the automotive industry. It will position us to remain a major player in the estate segment, where Skoda Auto has been engaged since the 1920s. We are excited to present this concept to the world in early September 2025, marking a new era for Skoda Auto. The Skoda Vision O design study will highlight the future trajectory of estate models under the influence of new technologies, sustainability, and the deep experience of Skoda Auto in this segment. This will be one of our most significant steps in developing and evolving our design language even further for this period of transition in the automotive industry.”
Will it be electric?
Yes, fully electric, which means that we may well see something of a bifurcation of the Octavia range, with fully-EV models sitting alongside hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, much as Audi has done with the A6 lineup.
The Octavia will be one of the first cars to use VW's highly sophisticated, but much-delayed, SSP electric car platform, which will start to replace the current MEB setup. SSP is said to be more versatile than the MEB platform, able to more easily accommodate changes in battery tech such as solid-state batteries, and crucially for VW Group, it's cheaper to build. The new Volkswagen ID Golf, which is due in 2028, will also be based on the SSP platform.
Do we know anything else?
Yes, Skoda says that the Vision O will ramp up the company's commitment to using recycled and recyclable materials. Even the name, with the letter O being a circle, is part of that: “Vision O is derived from the concept of circularity. This holistic approach to recycling and reusing components, minimises the environmental impact of vehicle development and production”, said a Skoda spokesperson.
While the Vision O is, of course, forward-looking, Skoda is also pointing out that there's more than a little heritage involved, hardly surprising for a company that's celebrating its 130th anniversary this year. Skoda's estate bodies hark all the way back to the original L&K 110 model from 1925 (which pre-dates the Skoda brand, but is the same company), which was “known for its variable body options.” Later, came models such as the Skoda 1101 Tudor Station Wagon from 1946, with a folding rear seat, as well as the Skoda 1200/1201/1202 model family from the 1950s. Of course, the Octavia is the biggie in this estate car heritage. First launched (based on the MkIV VW Golf) in 1998, the Octavia Estate has gone on to sell more than three million models in that time.
Personally? I reckon that the current Octavia Estate (or Combi, if you prefer), is the best and most genuinely versatile family car around, and while SUVs might be more fashionable, in the end estates like this will win out in the electric world because they will be so much more aerodynamic and efficient. Can't wait to see this in person in Munich in a few weeks. What do you reckon? Let us know on our social channels whether you're Team Estate or Team SUV.