Skoda is in attendance at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. The Czech automaker typically sits in the shadows in an event this big, but the company’s now looking for a bigger piece of the spotlight, and it might have the car to get the job done. It’s called the Skoda Vision X, and it has sharp styling, a plush interior, and is loaded to the brim with state-of-the-art technology.

2018 Skoda Vision X

Specifications
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  • Model: 2018 Skoda Vision X
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Pros
Cons

Skoda Vision X Exterior

Give Skoda credit for not settling with just a run-of-the-mill concept. The Czech automaker worked hard on the Vision X Concept, and it looks like all that hard work has paid off. The styling of the Vision X Concept is top-class. It has a modern look that isn’t too outlandish. The tiered headlamps setup is a nice nod to a growing trend in the auto industry. The front grille gives off a sporty vibe, and the edgy front bumper and lip spoiler come together to give the Vision X’s front section a naturally aggressive look.

Skoda also nailed the side profile of the concept crossover. The body lines are large and noticeable. The shoulder line, in particular, extends the whole length of the model, touching both the headlamps and taillights. The roof also slopes down subtly towards the rear, extending into the rear spoiler to create a nice little overhang at the back. The 20-inch wheels are massive, as is usually the case for concepts that want to magnify their aggressive stances.

Move to the rear section, and you’ll see some nice qualities too. The design is well-balanced, though it does sit a little too high to the point that it compromises visibility for the driver. But it’s a concept, so it shouldn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. The massive diffuser at the bottom does stand out.

Aesthetically, the Skoda Vision X Concept is a solid follow-up to last year's Vision E Concept.

Skoda Vision X Interior

In typical concept car fashion, the interior of the Skoda Vision X is an ode to the future. While it’s not as over-the-top as the interior of the Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion Concept, it is leaps and bounds ahead of what current Skodas have to offer.

The dashboard looms large in the cabin. Its layered look gives Skoda room to adopt a multi-layered, multi-colored look. Right smack in the middle of it is a floating infotainment display that houses a significant amount of the concept’s tech features. Just below it is a center console that comes with a polished glass surface. Skoda also used breathable fabrics, artificial leather, and rubber surfaces in the interior to help hammer home the point of the cabin’s sportiness. Turn your attention to the seats, and you’ll notice how weird they look. They look sporty enough to be used in today’s performance cars, but they would look a little out of place in a Skoda. That said, there’s a reason for the seat’s design, which you’ll find out in a minute.

As fanciful as the interior aesthetic is, the real signature elements of this section involve all of the technological innovations that Skoda is touting, including digital services like Smart Parking, HoppyGo, TwoGo, and CareDriver.

Smart Parking, for example, is as it’s described. It’s making function is to help direct the driver to available parking spaces in his vicinity. HoppyGo and TwoGo are similar technologies, in large part because they can be used to either offer the car for rental when it’s not needed or, in the case of the TwoGo tech, offer car-sharing opportunities. Then there’s CareDriver, which Skoda describes as a tool that ensures that “children are picked up from the nursery if their parent or guardian cannot make it on time.” I’m not sure how that’s going to work without the car having proper identification, but I’ll take Skoda’s word for it.

For those interested, the interior does have one more feature up its sleeve. It’s called the “Simply Clever” concept, and it was included as a sustainable way to stow a pair of electric skateboards. According to Skoda, the trunk of the concept has special anchoring systems for the skateboards. Keeping that theme alive, the concept also carries a pair of helmets, a camera drone, and removable body protectors that are actually built into the backrests of the driver and front passenger seats.

Skoda Vision X Drivetrain

This is where the Skoda Vision X really makes a name for itself. At the heart of its powertrain is Volkswagen’s own 1.5-liter engine. It’s rated at 130 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque. Compressed natural gas can be found in two tanks, one underneath the rear seat and another just behind the rear axle. The latter of these tanks only kick in when the concept needs more power and in times when traction is needed. Overall, it’s decent power, but it’s actually just one of a few power options that the concept is carrying.

The Vision X also has two electric motors, one of which acts as the belt-driven starter generator of the gas engine. The other is a separate motor altogether. It’s capable of delivering an extra 51 pound-feet of torque on the rear axle. It also works with a lithium-ion battery that itself can be recharged through brake energy recovery, which, in turn, can be used when necessary.

Believe it or not, Skoda says that the Vision X Concept can deliver as much as 737 pound-feet of torque, a staggering number for any car, let alone a Skoda. It’s also capable of running on front-, rear-, or all-wheel drive depending on what’s needed at a specific point in time. Its 0-to-60-mph acceleration time sits at just 9.3 seconds while top speed is only 124 mph. Those numbers are paltry by comparison, but the concept doesn’t tout itself as being the fastest and fiercest model on the block. It hangs its hat on its all-around versatile, something that very few of its kind can compete with.

Who knew that Skoda would be capable of a concept so complicated, it might just be brilliant.

Conclusion

As a concept, the Skoda Vision X is a home run. The Czech automaker deserves a lot of credit for not only designing an attractive crossover but for also packing with more technological features than it probably has any use for. It’s a positive step in the right direction for a company that doesn’t get as much attention as it probably deserves. For the most part, the Vision X gives Skoda that much-needed time in the spotlight. Now, if only it can somehow translate some of the things in this concept into something that can be tangibly used in the real word, then it would really be on to something.

References

Read more Skoda news.

Read more Geneva Motor Show news.