Elroq was supposed to take over, but Karoq is fighting back
The Karoq will get a successor in 2027 or 2028, and a plug-in hybrid with more than 100 km of electric range is firmly in the frame.
It looked as if the electric Elroq was meant to quietly send the Karoq into retirement. Škoda had other ideas. Brand boss Klaus Zellmer told Autocar that the compact crossover will get a successor, due in 2027 or 2028, and one of the key options could be a plug-in hybrid capable of more than 100 km of electric driving.
And this is where it gets interesting. A new Karoq is no longer a surprise: on 16 July, Škoda officially said the successor would arrive around the turn of 2027 and 2028. The real news is why. Zellmer has now explained that the brand is not ready to hand the entire segment to Elroq. The electric crossover has been successful, but it could not replace Karoq for every buyer.
So what will sit under the hood? According to Zellmer, the powertrain range will be very close to today’s Kodiaq. That does not confirm the future Karoq’s exact specifications, but it makes the direction clear. Kodiaq iV pairs a 1.5-litre TSI with an electric motor for 204 hp, uses a 25.7 kWh battery and can travel more than 100 km on the WLTP cycle without starting the petrol engine.
In the end, Škoda is not choosing between electric power and combustion — it is leaving buyers both paths. Elroq will continue as the pure EV, while the second-generation Karoq will retain the MQB architecture and, judging by the brand chief’s comments, lean on combustion engines and electrified variants. Škoda is still keeping the final powertrain line-up under wraps.