What's all this about?

A Brief History Of Skoda Concept Cars, lesson one: in 2014, the Skoda Vision C was shown at Geneva and, with only very minimal visual changes, it went on to become the Superb Mk3; then, two years, later, the Vision S performed much the same trick, as it went on to become the company's first-ever SUV, the brilliant Kodiaq. Last year, we got the chance to drive the Vision E electric vehicle (EV) concept, which is said to '85 per cent' preview Skoda's first EV that will go on sale in 2020.

Right, I'm seeing a pattern here. So what have we got here?

This is the Vision X.

I see. And this will inevitably morph into Skoda's... what, precisely?

The Vision X is going to be the new small crossover/SUV, to sit alongside the pre-existing, larger Karoq and Kodiaq lines. Skoda refers to Vision X as an 'urban crossover concept' and the first chance we'll have to see it will be at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show, running March 8-18.

OK, so the production car will look a lot like this?

Precisely. Indeed, the Geneva concept almost looks production-ready, if you were to take away the lurid FlexGreen paint and the whopping 20-inch alloys. But the bold bumpers, that contrast roof featuring a panoramic glass section, the creased lines and chunky side sills... all of them have a good chance of making their way onto a small Skoda SUV with a name that begins with 'K' and ends in 'q' in the very near future. Interestingly, the green paint signifies the Vision X is a hybrid.

Is it really?

Yes, although Skoda quotes no specifications or figures for its part-electric running gear. However, the company's Strategy 2025 plan states that plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and EV models will be a big part of its business, with one-in-four vehicles that it delivers worldwide in seven years' time being either a PHEV or an EV. Which raises an intriguing thought.

Which is what?

Well, as the Vision X is going to be the Czech answer to the VW Group's Spanish SEAT Arona and home-grown T-Cross models, might we get electrified versions of those two MQB A0 cars as well? It's possible.

It certainly is. But let's leave the navel-gazing for now - what else can you say about the Vision X?

The interior is one of its main talking points. With a wide, contoured dashboard and a freestanding colour display, this design language previews Skoda's future cabin architecture. So expect to see interiors like this making their way into the current range of models in the coming years. Although the Vision X's illuminated elements made out of cut-crystal glass are, we regret to inform you, one feature that is highly unlikely to make it to production.

Matt Robinson - 1 Feb 2018