GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Skoda VisionS concept revealed

Skoda has released official design sketches of the large VisionS SUV concept it plans to reveal at the Geneva motor show next month.

The preview of the near-production VisionS is said to give us our first glimpse of the large SUV that will sit above the current Yeti.

Measuring in at 4700mm long, 1910mm wide and 1680mm high, the show car has three rows of seats that offer space for six, although the production car will is expected to offer space for seven.

Drawing its styling cues from the 2014 VisionC concept, the new SUV concept sports a wide Skoda grille, and four swept-back LED headlights, plus a large full-length lower air intake that dominate the lower bumper and lead to, what appears to be, another pair of intakes.

Curiously for a large family-orientated SUV, the VisionS roofline dips towards the back of the car while a rear spoiler, twin exhausts and impossibly large alloy wheels complete the sporty ’lifestyle’ look and feel.

Based on the VW Group’s MQB platform, the production Skoda SUV will be co-developed alongside the equally large Volkswagen CrossBlue. That’s why both cars will share a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, with a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid joining the range later on.

Both cars are expected to be on sale by the first half of 2017.

As already reported, along with previewing the new ConceptS, Skoda has restated its commitment to broaden the range of SUVs it currently offers.

That means, along with the Kodiaq and an all-new replacement for the current Yeti, the Czech car-maker is also readying a more affordable rival to the BMW X6 coupe plus a small Nissan JUKE rival.