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By Jonathan Crouch

Skoda's seven-seat Peaq electric SUV sets a more luxurious standard for what one of the brand's family-sized models can be. Jonathan Crouch.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 41

Skoda brings us its first seven-seater and its largest and most stylish EV yet in the form of this Peaq SUV. This flagship model showcases everything the Czech brand currently knows about EVs. Which, it turns out, is quite a lot.

Backgroundword count: 143

We've been used to big Skodas for some time now - with the success of the brand's Kodiaq seven-seater. And to electric Skodas - with the company's widening line-up of crossover EVs. So perhaps it was inevitable that at some point, we would be offered a big electric Skoda - and this is it, the Peaq. Though it shares the same electrical architecture as the company's mid-sized Enyaq EV, at 4.9-metres long it's the Czech brand's biggest model yet of any kind and claims to be one of the few electric family SUVs available that can comfortably seat seven people. It's also full of design features we've never seen in one of this manufacturer's models before. This is, in short, a statement of what the brand is capable of. And is about as aspirational as a Skoda gets. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 243

Peaq customers are going to be looking for a cosseting rather than an involving driving experience. And they're going to want a decent range between charges. You might wonder whether either will be delivered by VW Group MEB platform underpinnings primarily developed for smaller models than this - like the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Audi Q4 e-tron. The batteries bolted to the various designs using that chassis have become much longer-ranging in recent times and, sure enough, the 86kWh battery pack used by all UK versions of the Peaq can offer up to 390 miles with the volume rear-driven model. That '90' variant's back axle-mounted e-motor develops 286PS and allows for 62mph to be reached in a relatively brisk seven seconds. There's also twin motor '90x' model that uses the same battery but adds another electric motor up-front, though that boosts power only fractionally to 299PS and knocks just 0.2s off the 0-62mph time. The drive range figure is the same as that of the single motor version. For this first time with this Peaq, Skoda is offering an EV with a brake regen 'one-pedal' mode; one of three settings available. There are the usual conventional drive modes. The sleek aerodynamics aid refinement. And the glassy body should make this SUV easier to manoeuvre in town then you expect with a vehicle of this size. Plus most versions have a Remote Park Assist feature to slot the car more easily into tight spaces.

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