Skoda Mountiaq: a pickup for the most adventurous

The Skoda pickup is called Mountiaq, and it looks just as adventurous. But don’t get your hopes up: for now it is only a prototype built by students from the brand.

A few months ago, Skoda announced that vocational training students at the Czech brand were working on a prototype pickup vehicle. Now, here is the result. It is called Skoda Mountiaq, a name that plays on the words “Mountain” and the SUV it is based on, the Skoda Kodiaq.

And honestly, judging by the images, the work done by the 35 apprentices from the vocational school involved in developing the Skoda pickup deserves praise. It took eight months of development.

The pickup version of the Skoda Kodiaq

In total, over those eight months the students put in more than 2,000 hours of work to design a unique pickup, starting from the mechanical base of a Kodiaq, whose roof they removed in order to design a rear panel that separates the cabin from the cargo bed.

The latter has a special hidden storage compartment, something hard to find on a pickup. To keep harmonious proportions, the doors had to be modified. The bumpers, side steps and a completely redesigned rear end are also new, with a functional tailgate that makes the most of the real purpose of a pickup: the cargo bed.

The final dimensions of the Mountiaq reach 5 metres in length, 2 metres in width and 1.71 metres in height, with a wheelbase of 2.8 metres. The total weight reaches 2,450 kilograms.

The ground clearance is a generous 29 centimetres, thanks to Rockstar II 17-inch rims with special tyres and adapted suspension. The engine chosen is the 2.0 TSI with 190 CV of power.

Ready for adventure

The look of the Skoda Mountiaq is imposing, and not just because of its design. It has a host of details that enhance the image of a vehicle that seems clearly aimed at adventure rather than work.

Among the front bumpers is a winch that helps get out of the toughest situations, with a support designed specifically to withstand great stress. A raised air intake is also included to ensure wading capability. And as styling details, not only the cargo bed has lighting. The radiator grille, the brand logo on the bonnet and the engine compartment are also illuminated.

Even the bodywork colour, a spectacular orange, was developed by the Skoda students for the Mountiaq, who also included an integrated cooler, a brand logo on the roof lining, 3D-printed details on the wheel hubs and the Columbus infotainment system of the brand, with 320-watt speakers supported by a 2,000-watt amplifier and a subwoofer of the same power.