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26
Number of new models nominated in the Car of the Year 2026 poll.
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Elroq named Czech Car of the Year 2026
After coming second in the Europe-wide Car of the Year 2026 poll, the Elroq electric model also won the Czech vote. A 19-member panel of expert journalists voted it Car of the Year 2026 in the Czech Republic. The poll is organised by the Association of Automobile Importers. At the award ceremony at the Grandhotel International Prague, Jiří Maláček, Head of Škoda Auto for the Czech market, accepted the winner’s trophy from jury chairman Tomáš Hyana. The new Škoda model beat the Mercedes-Benz CLA, BMW iX3, Audi A6 and Dacia Bigster in the final round. The jury assessed the characteristics of each car, tested during test drives, and also took into account their relevance for the Czech market. Customers also appreciate the Elroq’s qualities. With 2,782 units sold last year, it became the best-selling electric car on the Czech market. In the Czech Car of the Year poll, the Elroq follows in the footsteps of other successful Škoda models. The Karoq won the poll in 2018, while the Kodiaq, Superb, Fabia, Yeti, Octavia and Scala have also topped the rankings in previous years.
Škoda Auto world
Car for the Red Noses returns for fifth time
This year, three Škoda cars will be decorated according to children’s designs and used by clowns who visit sick children and elderly people in healthcare facilities. Škoda Auto has launched the fifth annual Car for the Red Noses competition, inviting design proposals for two Kodiaq cars and one Superb, all plug-in hybrids. Children up to the age of 15 may submit their designs until 5 April via autoproklauna.skoda-auto.cz. A jury comprising representatives from Škoda Auto and the Red Noses (Zdravotní klaun – Health Clown in Czechia) organisation will select 20 finalists, with the winners decided by public vote.
Reconstruction works on Václav Klement Street
Following the winter break, reconstruction works on Václav Klement Street resumed on 2 March. The street is closed in the section from Gate 8 to 17. listopadu Street; however, access to the cemetery from Gate 8 remains open. A map of current changes can be found at here.
New password-free login
Škoda Auto employees can now log into the company systems more easily. The new solution offers more modern and secure authentication methods, including Passkeys technology, that is, logging in using a fingerprint or facial recognition. The new feature is being rolled out gradually and is already available in the DigiPodpisy and Workspace Booking applications, amongst others. For Passkeys to function correctly, it must be activated in Account Settings upon first use. Detailed instructions are available in the Help section on the login screen.
Strong position in the used car market
2025 confirmed that customers prefer the proven quality of authorised dealers when buying a used car. Authorised Škoda Plus partners sold nearly 51,000 cars. The best-selling models were the Octavia (23%), Fabia (16.7%) and Scala (12.3%), with the Enyaq leading among electric models. Petrol proved more popular than diesel, with the average age of all cars sold standing at 4.7 years and average mileage at 66,325 km.
Demand shows that a combination of transparency, legal certainty and a professional approach is what customers value most, regardless of powertrain type or vehicle age.
Tomáš Duchoň
Head of VTV – Sales Czech Republic
They wrote about us
Škoda is the only European brand with a visible presence in India
“In the Indian market for new passenger cars, two-thirds of which is dominated by three local manufacturers, Škoda is in fact the only European brand that cannot be overlooked in the sales statistics. The Czech brand, entrusted by its parent company Volkswagen with responsibility for all its activities in India, delivered a record 70,600 cars to customers there last year, almost double the previous year’s figure.”
Hospodářské noviny, 23 February 2026
Small cars are returning to Europe
“According to behind-the-scenes information, the Volkswagen Group is accelerating the development of a whole family of compact electric models, which will also include the Škoda and Audi brands... For Czech customers, the Škoda Epiq, set to arrive on the market this year, is a significant new compact model. Škoda is positioning it as a practical and affordable offering that will expand its electric car range at the lower end of the market.”
Auto.cz, 20 February 2026
Competition in electric mobility
“Electrified cars drove January’s production growth... The largest domestic carmaker, Škoda Auto, produced 85,522 passenger cars at its domestic plants in January (+18.2%). The Mladá Boleslav–based carmaker produced 20,928 externally rechargeable vehicles, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and accounting for 24.5% of the brand’s total domestic production.”
Kurzy.cz, 20 February 2026
Car to help injured patients in Ukraine
Škoda Auto, through the Partnership Foundation, has supported the UNBROKEN rehabilitation centre in Lviv, Ukraine, which cares for patients with serious injuries. The carmaker donated a specially adapted Octavia to the centre for practical training in getting in and out of a car and other everyday activities. The rehabilitation centre combines medicine, physiotherapy and psychological support, and each year helps thousands of children and adults return to normal life following accidents, amputations and war injuries.
Elroq scores with female journalists and reaches the final of a prestigious poll
The international Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) poll has selected the category winners who will advance to the finals for the overall title. The Škoda Elroq won in the compact SUV category, joining the finalists chosen by a jury of 84 motoring journalists from 54 countries. A total of 55 cars competed in this year’s 15th edition of the poll. The winner was announced on the WWCOTY YouTube channel during the week of International Women’s Day (8 March).
Management breakfast offers open dialogue
The first Early Bird Breakfast of this year took place on Friday, 27 February, at Café Restaurant Václav in Mladá Boleslav. The one-hour informal meeting was once again attended by Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand and member of the VW Group Board of Management responsible for Brand Group Core. As is tradition, the role of moderator was assumed by Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Škoda Auto. Both representatives listened to the managers’ input and responded openly to their day-to-day operational experience.
Thomas Schäfer also addressed challenging questions from senior management with openness, thereby fostering a transparent and constructive dialogue.
Another milestone since joining the VW Group
When the agreement to integrate Škoda Auto into the VW Group was signed at the end of March 1991, few anticipated what a significant turning point it would prove to be.
6
Number of times the production capacity of Czech plants has increased since 1991.
From the original
172,000
to
1,065,000
The Czech carmaker has become a global player offering the widest portfolio in its history, from economical combustion-engine models and hybrids to best-selling electric cars.
On the web
Watch out for cars with flashing lights
A new feature in Škoda cars helps emergency services, fire brigades and police pass more smoothly through traffic. Even before the driver hears a siren, the car alerts them via the integrated rescue system. The new feature is part of the Traffication app, which has been available in Škoda cars since 2020.