Skoda Peaq first-drive review

If you've been shopping for a big electric seven-seater SUV, then we'd recommend holding out until the Skoda Peaq arrives later in 2026, because our first impressions are that it's been blessed with the Czech brand's easygoing, family-friendly magic.

It'll top off the Skoda EV range, sitting above the dinky Epiq as well as the Elroq and Enyaq. UK pricing hasn't been confirmed, but its big battery and sheer size will make it the priciest Skoda yet, with top-spec models likely hitting the £60,000 mark.

So what's it like?

It's big, and really quite imposing in person. At 4.9m long it's 11cm longer than the already lengthy Skoda Kodiaq. The Peaq's wheelbase is a full 17cm longer than the Kodiaq's, meaning noticeably more space for second- and third-row passengers. 

Up front, the Peaq will wear the brand's blacked-out 'Tech Deck' grille, as seen on the Elroq and facelifted Enyaq. LED matrix headlights with 18 individual elements are fitted on top-spec models, and around the side Skoda has, for the first time, used flush-fitting door handles. 

Skoda's gone to great lengths to make these handles as safe as possible. They're still connected by a physical cable so they can always be manually pulled out, and they're controlled by a system with capacitors that always retains the power needed to 'pop' the handles out – even in a crash that happens to disconnect all the Peaq's power systems. The handles also have a 'hammer' action that can break ice, and they've been tested in weather as cold as -40C.

The Peaq has a gently sloping roofline to aid aerodynamics, but it's not an extreme curve that would reduce rear-seat headroom. The back end of the car is bluff, and if you peer at the camouflage long enough, you can see hints of a new taillight design.

It'll be available with either a 63kWh or 91kWh battery (both are gross figures – Skoda hasn't announced usable capacities just yet), which should let the Peaq travel either 267 miles or 380 miles respectively on a charge. Fast-charging speeds of 195kW and a reasonably flat charging curve mean you can fill it up from 10-80% in 28 minutes, while a heat pump is fitted as standard. 

Power comes from a motor on the rear axle with either 201 or 295hp, and there'll be a powerful dual-motor version too.

Skoda hasn't shared any photos of the Peaq's finished cabin design, but we can tell you that it's very different to the rest of the brand's range.

The cabin features a 13.6-inch infotainment screen, mounted vertically in the centre console. It's running a new Android Automotive operating system, which Skoda says will allow easier development of Skoda-specific apps. It has a faster graphics processing unit (GPU) and central processing unit (CPU) than any other Skoda, and it feels snappy to swipe between screens on our test drive. There's a swipe-down menu for quickly disabling driver assistance systems, and the menus are all logically laid out. You get Google Maps satellite imagery in the built-in sat-nav, and the ability to filter charging stations by network, so you can always end up at the ones you have an account for. 

The screen also has an always-on row of climate controls at the bottom of the screen, and you can expect to find physical switches for the temperature and demister settings.

Behind the wheel sits a 10-inch driver's display that dwarfs those found in the Elroq and Enyaq, while in the centre console there's a pair of illuminated MagSafe chargers, which can lock an iPhone into place while pumping 25 watts into your battery.

Ambient lighting is included on all models, as is a heated steering wheel – but the real star turn for the Peaq is the Relax Package. This is an option that lets you recline the front seats while a leg rest extends under your calves. The pack also includes pillowy headrest cushions and massage seats, as well as a foldable table that packs away into the centre armrest. When in relax mode, the Peaq's ambient lighting also changes to soothe your mood.

Another first is Skoda's new partnership with Sonos for the Peaq's audio. You'll be able to get the Peaq with a 14-speaker Sonos system, complete with etched grilles with a pattern that uses the háček mark that hovers above the 'S' in Skoda. 

It's not often we'll get excited over a sunroof, but the Peaq's is worth a mention. It gets a two-metre-long optional panoramic item with nine tintable sections. It uses photochromic technology to turn the glass opaque, and can be controlled using a traditional switch in the roof, or through the infotainment screen, where you can tint each of the sections individually – or just make the whole roof opaque or translucent.

As you'd expect, the Skoda Peaq is a hugely practical car. The cabin has plenty of storage areas, and there's a 37-litre frunk under the bonnet which has a wide cutout for the boot's parcel shelf.

Speaking of the boot, you get a whopping 890 litres of space in the seven-seater models coming to the UK. It's a vast, deep space with an electric closing parcel shelf so you don't have to lean in to grab it. With all seven seats in place the boot space drops to 299 litres, but it's still big enough for some carry-on suitcases. 

Back-seat space is strong – the second row has a touch more legroom than in a Kodiaq, and headroom is fine for tall adults even with the optional sunroof. Third-row seats are roomier than in a Kodiaq, but still best reserved for smaller adults or kids.

The Peaq will come in 60, 90 or 90x forms in the UK. These use 61kwh or 93kWh (gross) batteries, with a theoretical range of 267 or 380 miles, helped in cold weather by a standard-fit heat pump, and with a vehicle-to-load plug-socket in the boot for those times you need a three-pin plug on the move.

Depending on which version you pick, the Peaq is powered by either a 201hp or 295hp motor, with the 90x offering dual motors. This dual-motor version sprints from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds, while the single-motor 90 takes 7.1 seconds.

Our drive of the camouflaged Peaq was limited to a leisurely 45-minute bimble alongside Lake Como, at speeds below 50mph – but the bumpy, narrow Italian roads would normally expose a heavy, poorly suspended electric SUV. 

So it was reassuring that the Skoda Peaq rides with the calm comfort of its smaller brother, the Enyaq. Bumps are smoothed out impressively well, and even at these low speeds, few sharp jolts made their way to the cabin. Our car was fitted with optional adaptive dampers, but at such slow speeds there was a negligible difference between their fully soft and fully hard settings – the Peaq just delivered a consistently cosseting ride. At higher speeds the stiffer modes will try to keep the body flat in corners.

The Peaq's steering also has a pleasing amount of weight to it – not so light that it's unnervingly overreactive, not so heavy that parallel parking will be a chore. The visibility out the front of the car made it easy to place, which was especially important as tourist coaches bore down on us through crumblingly narrow passages in the villages alongside the lake.

Big door mirrors give a good view backwards but may cause some wind noise at motorway speeds – we'll have to wait to test that theory when we get a proper drive later in 2026. Otherwise, we didn't find the Peaq tricky to manoeuvre, thanks in part to a new, impressively sharp 360-degree camera, which can be cleaned at will using a button on the infotainment screen. 

It's clear that the Peaq isn't setting out to be sporty, but our rear-wheel-drive '90' model certainly had strong acceleration, and we couldn't imagine wanting more while transporting the family around.

Overall, the Peaq looks like it's going to give Skoda a worthy flagship, packed with new tech, a reassuringly comfortable driving experience and no pointless gimmickery or chintz.