Skoda Peaq review

Our opinion on the Skoda Peaq

The Skoda Peaq takes the famously thoughtful, value-focused brand to new heights, with its bold design, elevated quality and sophisticated technology surpassing most motorists’ expectations of the Czech maker, while still delivering on practicality and everyday cleverness. The all-new flagship SUV is focused on comfort and space, but fortunately isn’t so cumbersome or colossal on the road that it feels like you might drive over a small village rather than through it. The 395-mile range trumps most rivals’ too. This may be the most expensive Skoda ever, but you do get what you pay for.

About the Skoda Peaq

It’s astonishing to think how far Skoda has come over the past few decades, in terms of both its reputation among UK motorists and the caliber of cars it produces. Back in the eighties, the Czech brand was little more than the subject of umpteen jokes over here, known for poor reliability and build quality, and dated offerings. Fast forward to today, and it’s one of the most popular makers around, and now we’ve arrived at what is – if you’ll pardon the already overused pun – peak Skoda. This is its biggest and most luxurious creation ever: the all-new, all-electric, seven-seat Skoda Peaq.

Of course, Skoda knows a thing or two about making a big, brilliant seven-seat SUV, given that its Kodiaq is our pick of the bunch here at Auto Express, having won our Large SUV of the Year award five years on the trot over its two generations. However, as you can clearly see, the company has gone a lot further than shoving a few batteries into the familiar family favourite to create its impressive new flagship. 

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Prices start from just under £52,000, which is quite a bit more than its French foe, the Peugeot E-5008. That costs from a little over £40k to less than £46k for a range-topping, all-wheel-drive version. Far more surprising is that this Skoda is more expensive than the Mercedes GLB Electric, which currently starts at just over £46k.

Fortunately, before anyone starts thinking the Peaq is overpriced, it undercuts its fellow seven-seaters, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9, which cost upwards of £65k and can’t match the Skoda’s range. Similarly, the Volvo EX90 starts from over £73k and can’t go as far on a charge, either. 

There’s no avoiding the fact that the Peaq is a big, heavy SUV. However, it’s not so enormous that we felt like Godzilla about to demolish a couple of buildings for fun as we drove through some quaint Austrian towns during the car’s international launch. This Skoda might be a whopper, but it’s also got a surprisingly tight turning circle (between 9.9 and 11.4 metres, depending on the version), visibility is good all round – even if the rear windscreen appears to be two postcodes away from you – and the one-pedal driving ability when B mode is activated brings the car smoothly to a stop. It’s perfect for town-centre traffic.

Similarly, the Peaq leans in the corners, but the body movement feels natural, and the Skoda doesn’t lumber down the road. The steering is surprisingly precise too, if not bristling with feedback, and while this car isn’t afraid of being hustled, it’s not what we’d call fun to drive. 

However, the brake pedal has a long travel and feels spongy, making it hard to judge whether you’re putting enough force on the pedal until a corner or the car in front suddenly gets a lot closer a lot faster than you wanted it to. The brake pedal in the smaller Skoda Epiq has a much more solid and consistent feel to it, so we know the brand’s engineers can do better in this department.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Peaq is most adept at being a calm cruiser for long journeys. It’s very quiet inside, especially over the smooth tarmac on our test route into the Austrian alps. The ride is suitably cushy as well and the car feels settled on the motorway, which made it very easy for us to relax during our 120-mile jaunt. And at the end we’d have happily covered a few hundred more miles in this car.

However, the Peaq doesn’t have quite the same marshmallow-soft, wafting quality that you get in the Enyaq. Instead, we noticed the larger car occasionally upset by bumps in the road, and going over them or potholes sent a thud into the cabin. We’re curious to find out how the Skoda compares to its rivals on less perfect UK roads. 

The Peaq we drove featured the standard suspension, rather than the adaptive dampers (‘Dynamic Chassis Control’ in Skoda speak), which in the UK feature only on top-spec SportLine models. With those, drivers get 14 levels of adjustment between softer Comfort and firmer Sport to find their personal sweet spot. 

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

The standard Peaq 90 we drove features a 282bhp rear-mounted e-motor that allows this up to 2.5-tonne whopper to do 0-62mph in a relatively brisk 7.1 seconds. It doesn’t feel particularly quick though, and a bit more oomph would come in handy when merging on the motorway. However, we couldn’t call the Peaq slow, nor does it struggle to get up to 70mph or so.

The all-wheel-drive Peaq 90x adds a second e-motor to the front axle, which is more for extra traction in slippery conditions than boosting performance. Total power output is rated at 295bhp, so 0-62mph only takes 0.3 seconds less, which you won’t notice in everyday use. 

In the UK, every Skoda Peaq features a 91kWh battery (86kWh usable capacity) that can deliver up to 395 miles of range. The only one of its rivals that can boast more range is the Peugeot E-5008, which can go up to 413 miles when equipped with a larger 97kWh battery.  The Mercedes GLB Electric isn’t far behind, with every model getting an 85kWh battery good for up to 380 miles, while the Kia EV9 features an ever larger 99.8kWh unit but can only go up to 349 miles before its out of juice. 

During our test route through quiet villages, sweeping country roads and a long stint on the autobahn, we managed to average 3.1mi/kWh in the single-motor Peaq 90. That’s about the same as we’ve got from the Kia EV9 in the past, but it’s a long way off the maximum of 4.1mi/kWh this car is supposed to be capable of. As a result, we would only expect to get a real-world range of less than 270 miles from a charge. 

We’re not particularly surprised by the Peaq’s less-than-impressive efficiency in everyday use, because one of the few flaws we’ve found with the Enyaq is its below-average real-world efficiency. 

Underneath, the Skoda Peaq is based on the same, now slightly old MEB architecture that the smaller Elroq and Enyaq use, as well as about a dozen other EVs across the VW Group family including the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Audi Q4 e-tron, plus the Ford Capri.

One of the disadvantages with this platform is it doesn’t feature an 800V electrical system, as the GLB Electric and EV9 do, which gives them their lightning-fast charging abilities. Even so, the Peaq can reach up to 199kW, so a 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes less than half an hour – only a couple of minutes longer than its rivals with similarly sized batteries but faster peak charging speeds.

Tax

Like all electric cars, the Skoda Peaq will attract a £195 annual rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) or ‘road tax’, plus an additional ‘Expensive Car Supplement’ of £440 because it costs more than £50,000. At the time of writing, the Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax rate for electric cars is 4 per cent, but it will increase to 5 per cent next April for the 2027/28 financial year.

You might have forgotten that Skoda previewed this flagship SUV back in 2022 with the big and bold Vision 7S concept. That was the car that introduced us to the brand’s latest styling philosophy, Modern Solid, and some now-familiar design elements, including the ‘Tech-Deck Face’ mask featured on all its other electric SUVs.

The Peaq is an impressive and imposing-looking car when viewed head-on, with its almost flat, sharply creased bonnet and vertical front end. The sleek blanked-off grille is framed by T-shape running lights, with the main headlight units tidily concealed underneath.

Skoda wanted the Peaq to have a more premium look than the rest of the range. Hence why all the trim around the car is gloss black, never matte, while the tall glasshouse helps to make it look as long as possible, as well as provide plenty of light even for those in the rearmost seats. 

Obviously, being a seven-seater, space was the top priority while designing the Peaq and Skoda didn’t want to compromise that. But it didn’t want to make another enormous box on wheels, and instead is offering something elegant and more dynamic-looking. It’s subtle, but the Peaq has a very gently sloping roofline, flush door handles (a first for Skoda), and a single character line running from the nose of the car, across the rear haunches, to the back. Meanwhile, wheel sizes range from 19 to 21 inches.

To our eyes, there are hints of the Lucid Gravity and the Rivian R1S – two incredibly futuristic, more premium EVs – in places, but even so, it’s still instantly recognisable as a Skoda.

The Peaq is available in three specifications: SE L, Edition and more athletic-looking SportLine. Standard kit with SE L trim includes: 

• 13.6-inch portrait touchscreen
• 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit display
• Qi 2 wireless charging pad with MagSafe
• 19-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Foot-operated electric tailgate
• Heated front and rear seats
• Lots of safety systems

Upgrading to Edition trim costs a little over £3,000 and for that you get black leather and artificial leather upholstery, matrix LED headlights and a surround-view camera system. Remote Park Assist is thrown in as well, and it unlocks the option of all-wheel drive. 

Range-topping SportLine models start from more than £58,000 and feature a slightly sportier bodykit, plus 20-inch rims, additional black trim and accents, and an illuminated Tech-Deck Face. Meanwhile, the interior features sports seats, aluminium pedals, a three-spoke heated steering wheel and adaptive dampers.

Interior and dashboard design

While the Epiq, Elroq and Enyaq all have nearly identical interiors, the Peaq gets a brand-new layout, as befits a flagship model. We’re not sure it’s cozy enough to feel like ‘a living room on wheels’, which apparently was what the designers were aiming for, but it’s much classier than a Kodiaq’s cabin, especially with the off-white ‘Suite Ceramic’ interior colour scheme and the ambient lighting enveloping you.

At the centre is a 13.6-inch portrait touchscreen – another first for Skoda – but the most impressive feature is the enormous 2.1-metre-long panoramic glass roof. It’s electrochromic too, meaning its opacity acts like a virtual sunshade on especially sunny days. But sadly it’s only available on SportLine models, and even then it’s a £1,910 optional extra. That feels a bit cheap of Skoda, considering Mercedes throws a glass roof in with the GLB Electric. 

Better than all that though, if you ask us, is that the Peaq has proper, physical climate control toggle switches. They’re big and chunky too, and makes us wish Skoda had fitted them to its other electric SUVs. Mind you, apart from those, a volume rocker switch underneath the central display and some buttons on the steering wheel, everything is controlled via the touchscreen or voice assistant.

Materials and build quality

Overall, the build and material quality are both impressive, and certainly a step above what many would expect from a Skoda. It’s easily on a par with the more expensive Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9 too, though not quite on the same level as the Mercedes GLB or other premium SUVs. Especially when Skoda’s sustainable leather alternative probably won’t fool anyone into thinking it's genuine cowhide.

At least there’s plenty of squidgy, soft-touch materials across the dashboard and in other places. Like all of Skoda’s EVs, the Peaq is available with a selection of interior design themes that alter the materials featured. Certain ones use more sustainable materials, and can incorporate more than 50kg of recycled content.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

The big 13.6-inch touchscreen runs a brand-new Android-based infotainment system that’s highly customisable and allows owners to add third-party apps such as YouTube, Spotify and Google Maps. 

We like the fact that there are big icons for everything and the menus are easy to navigate, plus the system will become more intuitive if you play around with the homepage layout and widgets to put what you use most up front. Plus, there's a swipe-down menu for turning off some of the ADAS systems.

There are still some bugs to be ironed out. We found some menus loaded slowly and it was difficult to find certain settings, such as the ones for the sunroof, because they’re buried within different menus. Luckily, there are plenty of shortcut buttons, which feature along the bottom of the touchscreen, and you can always ask Skoda’s AI-aided virtual assistant, Laura. 

She was helpful most of the time, but bizarrely, she consistently refused to obey commands from the passenger. We suspect/hope this is to stop kids misbehaving and causing havoc on long journeys. 

Behind the two-spoke steering wheel is a 10-inch digital driver’s display – about twice the size as the Enyaq or Elroq’s. It’s sharp and features big, easy-to-read graphics. There’s a choice of layouts including a full-screen map, and from next year, an augmented-reality head-up display will be available as well. 

Skoda offers a range of optional extras and packs on the Peaq, some of which we’ve already mentioned. Among them will be what’s called the ‘Relax Package’, which costs up to £2,210 and includes massaging seats that can fully recline and have footrests hidden underneath – so you have a quick nap while charging, we suppose – plus pillow-soft headrests, just like a Mercedes S-Class limo.

Also included in the pack is a fantastic SONOS sound system, a little foldable table that slots in the centre console’s cup-holders and ‘wellness’ apps in the infotainment system that adjust the climate control, ambient lighting and other functions to provide a calming environment. Just what you need when the kids are stressing you out on a road trip.

Scattered throughout the Peaq are plenty of Skoda’s signature ‘Simply Clever’, designed to make life easier and remind you why we like this brand so much. For instance, the wireless charging pads have MagSafe built-in – like they do in the £100k+ Audi Q9 – so when you plonk your phone down onto them, you’ll know it’s always in the right spot. Others include an umbrella stashed in the driver’s door, a handy display cleaner and an extra USB port in the rear-view mirror, ideal for a dash cam.

More are available as part of the ‘Simply Clever’ package, which happily only costs £70. That adds a tablet holder bracket, a rubbish bin in the driver’s door bin, a second umbrella in the passenger door and a charging cable cleaner.

Dimensions and size

Measuring nearly 4.9 metres from nose to tail, the Peaq is about 12cm longer than the already sizable Kodiaq. Compared with other seven-seat electric SUVs, the Skoda is bigger than the Peugeot E-5008 and the Mercedes GLB Electric, but not quite as colossal as the Kia EV9 or Hyundai Ioniq 9.

Seats & passenger space

The Peaq also has an almost three-metre-long wheelbase, which helps to make this the most spacious Skoda ever – and you certainly get that impression sitting inside. Six-foot-tall adults will be overjoyed with the huge amount of headroom, plus there’s loads of legroom and foot space, so they can properly stretch out. You could happily fit three adults across the middle row because of the flat floor and how wide the cabin is.

Taller individuals won’t be quite as thrilled sitting in the rearmost seats. We found a six-foot-tall adult will have a bit of headroom to spare and a little bit of room for their feet, but not much in the way of legroom. Luckily for them, you can slide the middle row forward to make room. Small children and teenagers will be fine though, and they get a set of USB-C charging ports back there, so there’ll be no squabbling over who gets to top up their devices. 

The large rear doors will help if you need to install a child seat as well, and there are three sets of Isofix mounting points in the Peaq – two in the middle bench, and one on the front passenger seat. Sliding and tilting the middle-row seats forward is a very easy process, too. 

Boot space 

No surprise, the boot space is impressive. In the UK, every Peaq will come with seven seats and with all of those in place, there’s 299 litres available – about the same as in a Vauxhall Corsa – rising to 890 litres when the third row is folded down. With just the front seats up, there’s a gigantic 2,075 litres at your disposal, which is more than the Mercedes can offer, but not quite as much as the Peugeot, Kia or Hyundai. 

The Peaq also has a 37-litre frunk which, very handily, is wide enough to accommodate the parcel shelf when it’s not needed, or you can stow that under the boot floor if you want to chuck the charging cables or other stuff under the bonnet. 

Towing

For those who might want to haul a caravan or trailer with the Skoda Peaq, it has a towing capacity of up to 2,000kg, which is pretty good for an EV and twice as much as the Peugeot E-5008. However, the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 can haul up to 2,500kg in all-wheel-drive guise, although you might want to check out what we learned about towing with an electric car when we went on an eventful trip to the seaside in an EV9.

The Skoda Peaq hasn’t been crash tested by the industry experts at Euro NCAP yet, but we’re confident it’ll get the same maximum five-star rating as its smaller siblings, the Enyaq and Elroq, which are based on the same platform. 

In the meantime, every Peaq features plenty of safety and driver-assistance systems, including a rear-view camera, blind-spot detection, door exit warning, lane-keep assist, crossroad assist, traffic-sign recognition and speed-limit warning. 

Skoda provides a three-year/60,000-mile warranty for all of its models, which is the industry standard, but doesn’t give customers the peace of mind they might get with Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited-mileage coverage or Kia’s famous seven-year/100,000-mile policy. However, we should add that the Peaq’s battery pack is covered by a separate eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Meanwhile, Skoda was the highest-ranked member of the VW Group family in our latest car manufacturer rankings, which are based on owners’ thoughts and experience from our Driver Power satisfaction survey. Not surprisingly, the Czech company scored well when it came to value, family-friendly features, build quality and reliability.

However, despite that, not one of Skoda’s models managed to make it onto our list of the best cars to own and the brand itself only managed to claim 20th place (out of 30) in the manufacturer league table. So while it may have finished above Volkswagen (26th) and Ford (21st), the Czech marque was beaten by rivals Renault (9th), Peugeot (7th) and even Vauxhall (6th).

• Best buy: Skoda Peaq 90 Edition

We would stick with the standard, single-motor Peaq 90, because it offers the most range and very nearly as much power as the dual-motor version. In terms of trim levels though, while standard equipment is plentiful on the base SE L models, we’d be tempted to upgrade to Edition trim for some of the added high-end features like matrix LED headlights and a surround-view camera. 

Skoda Peaq alternatives

When it comes to seven-seat electric cars, your options used to be pricey premium SUVs such as the Tesla Model X and Mercedes EQB, or a van with windows. Now, however, there’s a much wider selection to choose from, most featuring cutting-edge EV technology and dedicated platforms, so there’s no compromise when it comes to practicality, range or charging. 

The Skoda Peaq’s main competition is fellow seven-seat electric SUVs. Specifically, the Peugeot E-5008, which is less expensive and can go further, the more premium Mercedes GLB Electric, and even larger, more expensive Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 siblings. The Volvo EX90 is even pricier and we don’t rate it as highly as those cars mentioned above, but it has recently received some big hardware updates that have given the Swedish family hauler more range, better efficiency and faster charging abilities.

If you don’t want an SUV, there’s also several electric MPVs you should consider. Winner of the Auto Express Family Car of the Year award for 2026, the Kia PV5 Passenger offers acres of space in a great-value package that’s good to drive, and is available from less than £38,000. Meanwhile, the retro VW ID. Buzz is still as eye-catching as ever, but also still expensive starting from nearly £60k, in both five- and seven-seat configurations.  

Skoda Peaq pictures

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