2027 Skoda Peaq review: Quick drive

The Skoda Peaq lives up to its name. According to company bosses, this large, luxurious, seven-seat electric SUV will take the Czech brand to a whole new level – the new EV representing the peak of its expertise, if you will.

Wearing the latest iteration of Skoda’s ‘Modern Solid’ design philosophy, which has already been seen on the much smaller and similarly new Epiq electric SUV, the Peaq is a smart-looking family mover thanks in part to the firm’s first flush-fitting door handles.

Whether you think they’re a good or a bad thing, they contribute to one seriously aerodynamic form – despite the Peaq’s bulk, it has a coefficient of drag as low as 0.249Cd at its slipperiest.

Available with two battery sizes, a choice of outputs and the ability to have two driven wheels or four, the three-row Peaq competes with any decent seven-seat EV you can think of, including ostensibly premium (and much dearer rivals) such as the Volvo EX90 .

But, really, the main two targets in the Skoda’s crosshairs will be the excellent Korean duo, in the forms of the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and the Kia EV9 .

We went to the Alpine borders of Germany and Austria to sample the Skoda Peaq for the first time and see if it has what it takes.

Prices and trim specifications for the Skoda Peaq in Australia have not yet been set ahead of its likely arrival here in 2027, but the SUV is going to be expensive.

The dearest model ranges Skoda currently sells here are the Superb Wagon (up to $69,690 before on-road costs), the Kodiaq large SUV (up to $70,590 plus ORCs) and the Enyaq Coupe (up to $77,590 plus ORCs), and it’s evident the Peaq is going to be positioned beyond those.

If it could come in at less than $100,000, that would give it an edge over both the EV9 and the Ioniq 9, both of which have starting prices into six figures.

But even if Skoda's new flagship SUV starts in the $90,000s (or less), top-grade variants with all the trimmings are almost certainly going to be priced beyond $100k. The question is, by how much?

At 4874mm long, and with nearly three metres of that (2965mm) packed in between its axles, the Skoda Peaq is a big beast and that contributes to a healthy air of interior spaciousness – with the company claiming the passenger compartment was created to mimic the comfort levels of a lounge.

We’ll come back to that point shortly, but in terms of material finishing and tech integration, the Peaq’s fascia is a winner.

Everything looks and feels superb, and what switches there are operate with a deeply satisfying tactility, while the 13.6-inch Android-powered infotainment touchscreen is a fine system.

The Peaq does run much of its in-car climate systems through the screen, unfortunately, but it always keeps the key features in a strip at the bottom of the display.