by Volkswagen prepares for major cutbacks
The Volkswagen Group is on the verge of the most strategically significant changes in its history. The company plans to cut 50,000 jobs, close several plants and halve its model lineup. These measures could ultimately lead to the gradual disappearance of the Seat brand, while other group brands will also feel the consequences.
At Skoda, the situation looks a little better, but this brand will not avoid losses either. On the contrary, several models are under threat of being removed from the lineup.
Skoda keeps Fabia, Kamiq and Scala
In an interview with Autocar, Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer said that Fabia, Kamiq and Scala will continue to be produced throughout the 2030s. However, this does not mean they will stay forever. According to the executive:
They will gradually disappear.
However, these models are not considered completely dead. Zellmer stressed that the company needs replacements, including an electric version of the Fabia. This looks unexpected, as there had previously been reports that the Fabia might be removed from the market altogether.
We need replacements for them, such as a fully electric version of the Fabia.
Electric Fabia: a matter of time
Zellmer noted that the current Fabia still has very strong demand. He was quite restrained in his comments, as the numbers speak for themselves:
Very good demand.
In the first half of the year, the company sold about 61,900 such cars. That is 2.5% more than in the same period last year. The Fabia thus became the fourth most popular model of the brand after the Octavia with 96,500 sales, the Kodiaq with 74,600 and the Kamiq with 65,400.
According to Skoda’s CEO, the Fabia should receive a worthy replacement in the lineup because the brand needs an affordable entry-level model. Zellmer explained this by comparing it to stairs:
It is like stairs: you enter at a certain level, and if you raise the first step too high, no one will come in. So we will have to find an electric version of the Fabia.
What will happen to the Scala and when to expect changes
The decision to keep the Fabia looks logical, but the Scala is in a much worse position. In the first half of the year, only about 27,000 customers bought this model. This is the weakest result among all Skoda models, excluding the Kylaq, Kushaq and Slavia, which are aimed at the Indian market.
Planning is still underway, but Zellmer suggests that the current Fabia, Kamiq and Scala could stay on the market until 2034. After that, internal combustion engine versions will most likely be gradually phased out along with the European Union’s transition to cleaner cars in 2035.
What to expect from Skoda next
Skoda’s decision to hold on to the Fabia, Kamiq and Scala shows an attempt to preserve the affordable segment. Without these models, the brand risks losing young buyers who are not yet ready to switch to more expensive cars. The electric Fabia looks like the most likely successor, but it could be many years before it arrives. It will all depend on the pace of EV development, battery costs, and how quickly Europe is ready to abandon traditional engines. For now, Skoda is trying to balance preserving time-tested models with preparing for a fully electric future.
