Written by Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto is the Czech car maker that began as a bicycle business in 1895, and it is best known for the Octavia, practical “Simply Clever” design and its rally cars. This guide covers the current Škoda lineup, as well as the company’s history and ownership, its biggest achievements and its racing history.
Škoda Auto at a Glance
Founded 1895 Mladá Boleslav, as Laurin & Klement
Founders Václav Laurin and Václav Klement Bicycle makers turned car makers
Headquarters Mladá Boleslav Czech Republic
Owner Volkswagen Group 100% since 2000
Deliveries 2025 1,043,900 Up 12.7%; No. 3 brand in Europe
Leadership Klaus Zellmer Chief executive since 2022
Škoda Auto Model Lineup
Škoda Auto sells its cars mainly in Europe, India and other growth markets, so the list below shows its core models in 2026, grouped by type. However, Škoda does not sell cars in North America or Japan. Meanwhile, its electric range doubles in 2026 with the new Epiq and Peaq.
Cars (4)
Small car
Škoda Fabia
Gas Hatchback
The fourth-generation Fabia arrived in 2021, and it is built in Mladá Boleslav. It was also one of Škoda’s best-sellers in 2025, with 119,100 delivered.
Compact hatchback
Škoda Scala
Gas Hatchback
Since its launch in 2019, the Scala has been a roomy compact hatchback that sits between the Fabia and the Octavia.
Compact family car
Škoda Octavia
Gas Diesel Plug-in hybrid Hatchback & wagon
The Octavia is Škoda’s best-selling model, with 190,300 delivered in 2025. It was also updated in 2024, and it is offered as a hatchback, a wagon (Combi) and a sporty RS.
Large family car
Škoda Superb
Gas Diesel Plug-in hybrid Wagon
Since 2024 the fourth-generation Superb has been built in Bratislava, Slovakia, alongside the Volkswagen Passat.
SUVs (3)
Small SUV
Škoda Kamiq
Gas
The Kamiq is Škoda’s small SUV, and it was updated in 2024. It sold 125,900 in 2025, so it was one of the brand’s top three models.
Compact SUV
Škoda Karoq
Gas Diesel
The Karoq has been Škoda’s compact SUV since 2017, and it sits between the Kamiq and the Kodiaq.
Large SUV
Škoda Kodiaq
Gas Diesel Plug-in hybrid 5 or 7 seats
The second-generation Kodiaq arrived in 2024 with up to seven seats and, for the first time, a plug-in hybrid. It is built in Kvasiny, Czech Republic, and 130,400 were delivered in 2025.
Electric (4)
Electric compact SUV
Škoda Elroq
Electric
When the Elroq arrived in 2024 as Škoda’s compact electric SUV, it was the first model with the brand’s new “Modern Solid” design.
Electric SUV
Škoda Enyaq
Electric SUV & coupe
The Enyaq was Škoda’s first model on Volkswagen’s MEB electric platform in 2020, and it is also offered as a coupe.
Electric small SUV
Škoda Epiq
Electric New for 2026
The Epiq is Škoda’s smallest and most affordable electric SUV, and it finally goes on sale in 2026 with a range of up to 273 miles (WLTP).
Electric seven-seat SUV
Škoda Peaq
Electric 5 or 7 seats New for 2026
The Peaq is Škoda’s new electric flagship with up to seven seats. Production started in Mladá Boleslav in August 2026, and it is based on the Vision 7S concept.
India and growth markets (3)
Compact SUV
Škoda Kylaq
Gas India
The Kylaq is a compact SUV built for India, and it helped Škoda nearly double its Indian deliveries to 70,600 in 2025.
SUV
Škoda Kushaq
Gas India & Vietnam
The Kushaq is built in Pune, India, and since 2025 it has also been assembled in Vietnam.
Sedan
Škoda Slavia
Gas India & Vietnam
The Slavia sedan shares its platform with the Kushaq, and it is also built in India and assembled in Vietnam.
What Is Škoda Auto?
Škoda Auto is a Czech car maker headquartered in Mladá Boleslav, and it is one of the oldest car makers still in business. It began in 1895, when Václav Laurin and Václav Klement started making bicycles. They then moved on to motorcycles, before building their first car, the Voiturette A, in 1905.
In 1925 Laurin & Klement merged with the Škoda Works, a large industrial group in Plzeň named after engineer Emil Škoda, so the cars took the Škoda name. After the Second World War, the company was nationalized, and it built cars under state ownership until the fall of communism.
Today Škoda Auto is part of the Volkswagen Group, which bought a first stake in 1991 and has owned the company outright since 2000. Škoda also leads the Volkswagen Group’s business in India, while its “Simply Clever” details, such as the umbrella in the door, have become a brand signature.
Škoda Auto History
Škoda Auto grew from a bicycle workshop in Mladá Boleslav into Europe’s third best-selling car brand.
- 1895 Václav Laurin and Václav Klement start making Slavia bicycles in Mladá Boleslav.
- 1899 Laurin & Klement then begin building motorcycles.
- 1905 The Voiturette A becomes their first car, and it soon sells abroad.
- 1925 Laurin & Klement merges with the Škoda Works, so the cars take the Škoda name.
- 1934 The small Škoda Popular goes on sale and becomes a pre-war best-seller.
- 1946 When the war ends, the company is nationalized as AZNP.
- 1959 The Octavia name then appears for the first time.
- 1964 The rear-engined 1000 MB is launched and built in a new factory in Mladá Boleslav.
- 1987 Finally, the front-wheel-drive Favorit arrives, styled by Bertone.
- 1991 Volkswagen buys a 30% stake as Škoda is privatized.
- 1996 The modern Octavia goes on sale, and it soon becomes Škoda’s best-seller.
- 2000 Volkswagen then takes full ownership of Škoda Auto.
- 2020 The Enyaq becomes Škoda’s first model on Volkswagen’s electric MEB platform.
- 2025 Škoda delivers more than one million cars for the first time in six years and becomes Europe’s third best-selling brand.
- 2026 The Epiq and Peaq double the electric range, while Škoda Motorsport celebrates 125 years.
Iconic Škoda Models
These five cars especially shaped Škoda Auto, from its first car to the hatchback that carried it into the Volkswagen era.
1905
Laurin & Klement Voiturette A
First car
The Voiturette A was Laurin & Klement’s first car, and its success abroad soon turned the bicycle makers into a car company.
1933–1946
Škoda 420 and Popular
Pre-war best-seller
The Type 420 family, including the small Popular, made Škoda the leading car maker in Czechoslovakia before the Second World War.
1959–1971
Škoda Octavia (1959)
First Octavia
The original Octavia was the brand’s eighth post-war model, which is why it took a name from the Latin for “eighth”. The name later returned in 1996.
1964–1969
Škoda 1000 MB
Rear-engined New factory
The rear-engined 1000 MB was also built in a new factory in Mladá Boleslav, and it became a symbol of 1960s Czechoslovakia.
1987–1994
Škoda Favorit
Front-wheel drive Bertone design
The Favorit was Škoda’s first modern front-wheel-drive hatchback, styled by Bertone, and it was also the car Volkswagen inherited in 1991.
Who Owns Škoda Auto?
Škoda Auto is wholly owned by the Volkswagen Group, which bought its first stake in 1991 and took full control in 2000. Škoda also leads the group’s business in India and shares platforms and engines with its sister brands. When AutoGathering has a page for a brand, its name below links to that page.
Owner Volkswagen Group Wolfsburg, Germany · 100% owner since 2000
This page Škoda Auto Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic · Škoda brand
Leads Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Runs the Volkswagen Group’s business in India
100% Škoda Motorsport In-house rally team and Fabia RS Rally2 program
Volkswagen Group sister brands
Škoda shares platforms, engines and factories with other Volkswagen Group brands, so many Škodas are close relatives of Volkswagen, Seat and Audi models.
The Superb is also built in Bratislava, Slovakia, on the same line as the Volkswagen Passat.
Former owners
- Laurin & Klement (1895–1925) The founders’ own company until it merged with the Škoda Works.
- Škoda Works (1925–1945) The Plzeň industrial group that gave the cars their name.
- AZNP, state-owned (1946–1991) The nationalized company that built Škodas under communism.
Škoda Auto Accomplishments
The record of Škoda Auto rests on practical, good-value cars, fast growth in Europe and India, and one of the most successful rally cars ever built.
1,043,900
Deliveries in 2025
As a result, it was the first time in six years that Škoda passed one million cars, as deliveries rose 12.7%.
No. 3
Brand in Europe
In addition, in 2025 Škoda became Europe’s third best-selling car brand for the first time, with 836,200 deliveries there.
€30.1 billion
Record revenue
Škoda also reported record operating profit of €2.5 billion for 2025.
174,900
Electric cars in 2025
Škoda doubled its electric deliveries, so one in four Škodas sold in Europe had an electrified powertrain.
125 years
In motorsport
Škoda has raced since 1901, when Laurin & Klement motorcycles entered the Paris–Berlin race.
1,700+
Fabia rally wins
The Fabia R5 and Rally2 had won more than 1,700 rallies by 2022, while more than 450 were sold to teams.
Škoda Racing History
Škoda Auto has raced for 125 years, starting with Laurin & Klement motorcycles in 1901. Today, however, it is best known for its Fabia rally cars, which private teams race in rallies around the world. In the past, Škoda also raced at Le Mans and in European touring cars, while its rally cars regularly won their class at the Monte Carlo Rally.
Rally and touring cars, 1970s
Škoda 130 RS
Monte Carlo class win Coupe
The lightweight 130 RS was successful on both sides of the Iron Curtain, especially after class wins at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1977.
Rally, 2009–2015
Škoda Fabia S2000
50 titles
The Fabia S2000 won 50 national and international titles, including several Intercontinental Rally Challenge championships, before the Fabia R5 replaced it in 2015.
Rally, 2015–2022
Škoda Fabia R5 / Rally2
1,700+ wins 6 WRC2 drivers’ titles
The Fabia R5, later called Rally2, became the benchmark in WRC2. Drivers such as Esapekka Lappi, Pontus Tidemand and Jan Kopecký won six WRC2 drivers’ titles in it.
Rally, since 2022
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
2023 WRC2 title 270+ built
The Fabia RS Rally2 won the WRC2 title with Andreas Mikkelsen in 2023, its first full season. In 2025 Škoda drivers also won the European Rally Championship and 20 national titles.
Talk Škoda With Other Owners
Škoda owners have plenty to share, whether it is a high-mileage Octavia Combi or a new electric Elroq. Soon, AutoGathering will connect this page to a Škoda community space where owners and enthusiasts can compare models, share maintenance tips and plan meetups.
- Octavia and Superb ownership
- Electric Škoda models
- Maintenance and repairs
- Simply Clever features
- vRS and performance
- Rally and motorsport
- Škoda meets and events
- Buying used
Škoda Auto FAQ
Who founded Škoda Auto?
Václav Laurin and Václav Klement founded the company in Mladá Boleslav in 1895, when they started making bicycles. They then built motorcycles and, from 1905, cars.
Why is it called Škoda?
In 1925 Laurin & Klement merged with the Škoda Works, an industrial group founded by engineer Emil Škoda, so the cars took the Škoda name.
Who owns Škoda Auto?
Škoda Auto is wholly owned by the Volkswagen Group. Volkswagen bought a first stake in 1991 and has owned the company outright since 2000.
Is Škoda sold in the United States?
No. Škoda sells cars in more than 100 countries, but not in North America or Japan. Instead, its biggest markets include Germany, the Czech Republic and India.
What is Škoda’s best-selling car?
It is the Octavia, especially popular in Europe, with 190,300 delivered in 2025, followed by the Kodiaq, the Kamiq and the Fabia.
Where are Škoda cars made?
Škoda Auto builds most of its cars in Mladá Boleslav and Kvasiny in the Czech Republic, while the Superb is built in Bratislava, Slovakia. It also builds cars in India and assembles them in Vietnam.
Is Škoda going electric?
Škoda sells gas, diesel, plug-in hybrid and electric cars. Its electric range includes the Elroq and Enyaq, and it doubles in 2026 with the Epiq and Peaq, after electric deliveries doubled to 174,900 in 2025.
Does Škoda still race?
Yes. Škoda Motorsport builds the Fabia RS Rally2, which private teams race around the world. It won the WRC2 title in 2023, and in 2025 it also won the European Rally Championship.
Explore More Manufacturers
Finally, compare Škoda Auto with its Volkswagen Group sister brands and its European rivals.
Photo credits
- Header image: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Fourth-generation Škoda Fabia in Stuttgart, Germany: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Scala compact hatchback: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Blue Škoda Octavia Combi estate, facelifted fourth…: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Kamiq Monte Carlo small SUV: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Karoq compact SUV: © M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, cropped and resized.
- Second-generation Škoda Kodiaq in Leonberg, Germany: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Elroq electric SUV in Leonberg, Germany: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Enyaq electric SUV: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Epiq show car at the IAA…: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Peaq on official car duty at…: Florian Pépellin, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- 2025 Škoda Kylaq compact SUV for India: Faisal Khan, CC BY 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Kushaq SUV built in India: DriveSpark, CC BY 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda Slavia 1.5 TSI Style sedan built…: Athira Murali, CC BY 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Laurin & Klement Voiturette A at the…: Skola19, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda 420 Standard, a relative of the…: Norbert Schnitzler, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Original Škoda Octavia from the 1960s in…: Leonardo Tunin, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Škoda 1000 MB at the Škoda Museum…: Ralf Roletschek, CC BY 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Red Škoda Favorit hatchback after its second…: Kankolka, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- White Škoda 130 RS coupe at Classic…: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Raimund Baumschlager driving a Škoda Fabia S2000…: Please report references to kulacgmx.at., CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped and resized.
- Mikołaj Marczyk in a Škoda Fabia R5…: Makary, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Andreas Mikkelsen in the Škoda Fabia RS…: Miloslav Rejha, CC BY 4.0, cropped and resized.
- Green fourth-generation Škoda Superb Combi, rear view,…: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.