We love big Skoda estates here at Car Throttle. Who doesn’t, truthfully? Usually, they have class-dominating boots, a decent selection of engines, including the punchy vRS in the case of the Octavia, and just a real refreshing no-nonsense nature that so many cars don’t offer these days.
So, when there’s any sort of glimpse into the future of the big boot Skoda, our ears are going to perk up a little. Like today, with the Skoda Vision O. Although not explicitly stated by Skoda, we expect you’re looking at the car that will go on to inspire an all-electric Octavia arriving before the end of the decade. Consider us intrigued.
Skoda Vision O, rear
Given this is a concept of a car that’s likely a few years away, it’s a pretty restrained thing on the whole. That boxy silhouette looks pure function over form, its wheels large but not unrealistically so, and even the lights feel like they could go into production in this day and age. Perhaps not the LEDs on the wing mirrors, but at least those are real, too, rather than cameras.
Perhaps more ambitious is the onboard technology. The Vision O is said to feature a fully autonomous driving mode, with the car alerting other road users that it’s driving itself with a ‘distinctive pattern’ for the LEDs scattered all around the car. Perhaps that’ll be a bit clearer at signalling intentions than current Octavia taxi drivers, then…
Skoda Vision O, interior
While you’re sat inside being driven around by the Vision O in a hypothetical world where it’s on the road and such things are legal, you’ll be able to indulge in ‘Bio-Adaptive Lighting’, which is said to adjust interior ambient lighting to natural light cycles for a ‘comfortable environment.’
All the while, you’ll be joined by a further-developed version of Skoda’s Laura AI, which will apparently effectively be a personal assistant, helping you plan your day out and giving information on your surroundings. Presumably, that means it’ll tell you information like ‘What are those weird stones just off the A303?’ as you pass by. There’s also a storytelling mode – so we’ll be prodding that for a reading of the whole of the Initial D manga.
There are lots of eco-conscious interior choices inside as well. 3D-printed headrests made of a single material are designed to reduce emissions from production as well as simplifying the process of making them, while its seats are upholstered in fully-recycled polyester.
Skoda Vision O, boot
For all of that, though, Skoda hasn’t forgotten what makes its estates good. Its boot is said to measure 650 litres – a little more than the current Octavia estate. That’s all while having a fridge inside the car, four umbrellas and a dedicated area for storing the car’s charging cables.
Don’t expect the fridge to appear on a production version of the Vision O, and certainly not quite that advanced a version of the autonomous technology. If the production Octavia looks as good as this, though, and is just as practical, we have lots to be excited for.
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