Ever wondered if carmakers will run out of names for new models? The thought crossed my mind when Skoda said its new compact SUV will be called the Karoq. The name and its spelling originate from the language of the Alutiiq, an indigenous tribe who live on an island off the southern coast of Alaska.
Skoda has drawn on the spelling of its newly-launched SUV, the Kodiaq. In doing so, Skoda says it ihas implemented a consistent theme for naming the brand’s current and future SUV models. The Karoq will be introduced to the public for the first time this month and Skoda says it represents a further milestone in the SUV campaign.
The Karoq is a completely newly designed SUV, which the carmaker claims sets new benchmarks for the brand and its segment in every way, while being the next logical step in its SUV strategy.
As with the Kodiaq, the people from Kodiak Island provided the inspiration for the name of the Karoq. The coordinates of the remote archipelago off the southern coast of Alaska are 57°N and 153°W, and its untamed, unspoilt landscape is said to be fascinating.
In the language of the indigenous people from the Alutiiq tribe who live there, ‘car’ is ‘Kaa’eaq’. They use the term ‘Ruq’ for ‘arrow’, the symbol that constitutes the central element of Škoda’s logo and also represents the brand’s dynamism. In the end, Skoda says the name for the new compact SUV – the Karoq - was formed from the powerful combination of both words.
As part of the 2025 future strategy, Skoda says the brand will continue to consistently advance the expansion of its model range.
The focus will be on expanding the SUV portfolio in particular. With the launch of the new large Kodiaq SUV to the international markets recently, and the introduction of the new Karoq, the company is now setting the next milestone. The market launch of the new Karoq in the second half of 2017.
