“The start of series production for the new ŠKODA KAROQ is an important milestone for the entire company and, of course, for our workforce at the Kvasiny plant in particular,” said Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA Board Member for Production and Logistics. “Over recent months, the entire team has prepared intensively for our new SUV model going into production,” explained Oeljeklaus.
The brand-new ŠKODA KAROQ, which celebrated its world premiere in Stockholm in mid-May, is a sport utility vehicle with character. Its design, characterised by crystalline elements, is a true representation of the long-established Czech brand’s new SUV design language. The numerous highlights include a boot capacity of up to 1,630 l, full-LED headlights and a freely programmable, digital instrument panel, which is available for the first time in a ŠKODA. Five engine variants are available with power outputs ranging from 85 kW (115 PS) to 140 kW (190 PS). The new ŠKODA KAROQ also impresses with clever specification features such as VarioFlex rear seats and the virtual pedal for hands-free opening of the tailgate.
Kvasiny is one of three ŠKODA production sites in the Czech Republic. With a current workforce of 8,000 people, the plant is the largest industrial employer in the Hradec Králové region. The production facilities have been comprehensively extended and modernised in recent years. Since 2015 alone, ŠKODA AUTO has invested approximately 11 billion korunas in developing the plant’s SUV production capabilities. In the coming years, production capacity will gradually increase to up to 295,000 vehicles per annum.
In addition to the new KAROQ, Kvasiny is currently producing the ŠKODA models SUPERB, SUPERB COMBI and KODIAQ. The first compact SUV of the brand – ŠKODA YETI, was successfully produced in Kvasiny from May 2009 to June 2017. The history of the site dates back more than 80 years. Cars were being produced here as early as the beginning of the 1930s, including the JAWA 700. The first ŠKODA to be produced at the Kvasiny plant was the ŠKODA SUPERB in 1947.
As part of ŠKODA’s 2025 future strategy, the brand will vigorously press ahead with the expansion of its model range in the coming years, with the primary focus on expanding the SUV portfolio. With the start of series production for the ŠKODA KAROQ, the company is now setting the next milestone. The market launch of the new compact SUV will take place this October.
