Return of plug-in hybrids to enhance Skoda’s core fleet range

Skoda is giving its model line-up a major refresh, which it hopes will enhance its credibility in the user chooser market.

All-new versions of the Kodiaq and Superb will launch before the summer, while refreshed Kamiq, Scala and Octavia models will also arrive this year.

The Kodiaq gets a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) engine for the first time and will sit in the 8% benefit-in-kind tax bracket, along with the new Superb.

Skoda was forced to pull its previous PHEVs from sale, last year, due to supply constraints. It still delivered more than 3,500 PHEVs during 2023, however, demonstrating the popularity of the powertrain.

Nick O’Neill, head of direct sales at Skoda, said: “The Kodiaq plug-in hybrid opens up a really big opportunity for us in fleet. It’s a car that’s always done well for us but with 8% BiK and all the additional spec that we're getting on that car, we think that's going to have significant curb appeal.”

Compared to the outgoing PHEVs, Skoda’s new models are powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a much larger battery. They will be capable of around 60 miles of zero-emission driving and are equipped with 50kW rapid charging capability.

The Superb is due to go on sale in the next few months, while the Kodiaq will arrive within a similar timeframe. The Kodiaq has been a strong fleet performer for the brand, despite its BIK proposition being less competitive. With the new PHEV version, O’Neill expects it will attract a much larger audience of user choosers.

It’s a similar story for the Superb, which has become more upmarket but still sits at a price point significantly lower than that of its premium-badged rivals.

O’Neill said: “The Superb continues to be one of our flagship cars. It does a multitude of jobs for us, whether it is people who want to drive it because it looks and feels like an executive model, or within the job needs segment. We also sell a lot into engineering firms and it’s a car that does well in the public sector, particularly within blue light.”

In 2023, Skoda was the eighth largest true fleet brand by volume. The brand sold a total of 70,000 cars in the UK, during the yearm achieving a recored market share. The Karoq was its most popular model overall, while the Octavia achieved the largest number of fleet registrations.

A refreshed Octavia is set to arrive in the summer, although Skoda is yet to confirm whether a PHEV powertrain will be offered.

The electric Enyaq was the second best-seller in fleet and now benefits from a revised powertrain that gives the car a longer range and faster acceleration.

Skoda’s strategy has been to take a more targeted approach to its fleet communications and marketing, which O’Neill said has contributed to a boost in business-to-business volume.

“I think that the business customers respond really positively to us demonstrating that we understand the needs of their specific of their specific sector,” he explained.

Having entered 2023 with “significant” order banks, O’Neill said further volume growth may be unlikely this year, but he expects Skoda’s market share to increase into 2025, when the brand’s new Elroq electric compact SUV launches. The newcomer will be offered at a lower price point to the Enyaq, making it available to a broader customer base.