Skoda Peaq review

Skoda’s new all-electric, seven-seat SUV with up to 398 miles of WLTP range, the option of a big ol’ 86kWh (usable, 91kWh gross) battery – the biggest yet in a Skoda – and two- or four-wheel-drive.

Built on the now familiar MEB+ VW platform, the Peaq (pronounced ‘peek’) offers two battery capacities that explain the model designation; 60 and 90. Sort of. The ’60’ is a 59kWh unit (usable, 63kWh gross), the ’90’ is 91, but let’s not get too pedantic about rounding. The 60 and 90 are single-motor and rear-wheel drive, the 90x all-wheel drive and dual-motor. And the speeds and efficiencies are as you might expect.

Of probably equal interest is the fact that this is an electric Skoda with space for seven adults. The boot can be up to 935 litres in five-seat mode, there’s a 37-litre frunk, and even with all seven seats in use, you still get 299 litres of bootspace. Which is more useful than you think.

More than that, Skoda seems to have really thought about this one – there are lots of useful options, plenty of premium feelings and a general sense that this is Skoda upping its game. Again. The general quality and interior appointments in the Peaq we drove – admittedly a full-house 90x – put some of the so-called premium German incumbents to shame.

It also looks resolved and handsome: way more visually engaging than most of the autoblobs in the SUV sector.

Let’s talk design…

It’s all Skoda’s ‘Modern Solid’ approach, which sounds like hipster baby food, but is actually the design language that debuted with the smaller Epiq electric mini-SUV thing. So it starts with ’T’-shaped headlights across the new face that Skoda calls the ‘Tech Deck’, but the connections between the various elements seem to make it resolve in a way that pleases the eye.

A turreted bonnet and high shoulder make it look solid, echoed by thick D-pillars at the back. Ok, so it’s got slightly annoying pop-out, flush-fit doorhandles, but at least they help with the aero (0.249 Cd).

At the back, you get more T-shaped LEDs that connect via a visual line that runs under the boot lid, making the Peaq look a bit wider than it actually is. It’s a grower of a design – the more time you spend with it, the better it gets – although it is sensitive to colour and wheel choice.

It’s big, too – 116mm longer than the Kodiaq, 174mm longer in the wheelbase (124mm longer in the wheelbase than something like a Superb). And that wheelbase of 2,965mm really helps with the interior space, which we’ll get to in a minute.

What models are available?

So the base Peaq 60 gets 201bhp, manages 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds and is good for 280 miles of range WLTP. The 90 produces 282bhp and covers the sprint in 7.1s, and is the rangiest at 398 miles; the 90x produces 295bhp and does 6.7s to 62mph, the extra oomph tugging max range down to 380 miles. All roads probably leaning towards the standard 90 being the best compromise unless you live somewhere snowy, up a disused farm track or do a lot of towing. Or do a lot of towing up a disused farm track in the snow.

The 90x is solid, predictable and has plenty of traction, but with the 90 managing just over seven seconds 0-62mph, do you really need the extra? After that, it’s about the packages… of which there are a few.

What are these packages of which you speak?

Skoda makes a bit of a deal of the optional Relax Package, which suits the Peaq’s chilled-out vibe, to be honest. So that’s relaxation seats with massage function, ergonomic legrests, two pillows, a folding table in the centre console, and a wellbeing app. Though an app that dictates your wellbeing feels slightly counterintuitive. Of more importance is the fact that the Relax option also includes the Sonos premium sound system with 16 speakers. That’s worth having.

Then there are five other option sets. Head over to the Buying section of this review for a full breakdown on those.

How does it drive?

At this point, we’ve only driven the 90x, and that means the most power and torque (295bhp/378lb ft) and all-wheel drive. And it’s good. But it’s also aimed at the more relaxed end of the dynamic scale – which you could argue is entirely appropriate for a big family-oriented SUV. So it’s super quiet, well-damped, soft and amenable.

The steering is accurate but not very chatty, there’s a slow-roll into corners and the brake pedal doesn’t do the best job when it comes to blending the regen portion of the pedal cycle with the friction brake. Essentially it feels super soft and you have to push through the top bit of the brake pedal movement to get more aggressive braking. Which feels weird: it’s good for soft-stopping in town, less so for amusement heading into a roundabout. The one-pedal mode works well though, and generally it’s nicer than you expect to drive, without any measure of fuss.

What’s it up against?

At this price, the £50-60k bracket, the Peaq makes all sorts of sense… although there are a fair few electric seven-seaters out there already.

Its main rival is more upmarket than you might expect: the latest Mercedes GLB is electric, seats seven, goes almost as far and actually starts a little cheaper than the Peaq. Then there’s the Peugeot E-5008 for similar money.

Other options? Tesla does a seven-seat version of the Model Y, while the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 are a little bit more expensive but enormously capable. And, well, just enormous.

Skoda has upped its game and made a fully-resolved, seven-seat electric SUV. The Peaq might be based on VW bones, but it feels like a ‘proper’ Skoda – with nice touches, well-thought out elements and lots of practical magic. Looks good, too.

It might not be the most dynamic of things, but it feels appropriate and premium, with a whole host of slow-burn appreciation. Looking at the line-up, the 90x all-wheel drive is grand but probably requires a specific use-case to warrant the extra outlay (and the slight drop in efficiency), with the RWD 90 offering decent performance and the longest raw range.

What a good car. With faster DC charging it’d be near enough faultless.