Škoda's Kvasiny plant builds its one-millionth Karoq as paint shop modernisation continues
Škoda Auto's Kvasiny plant has produced its one-millionth Karoq and is modernising its paint shop and adding a chassis pre-assembly section so it can build plug-in hybrid and hybrid models.
- 1 million
- 301,500 vehicles
- around 60
- CZK 329 million
What Happened
It was a busy summer at Škoda Auto's Kvasiny plant. The carmaker began the next phase of modernising the plant's paint shop, which it says will meet the highest industry standards for quality, efficiency and environmental performance. A new chassis pre-assembly section on the ML1 assembly line will enable plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid (HEV) models to be integrated into production. Plant Manager Jan Umlauf thanked all employees for their hard work and dedication, and the KOVO Trade Union for its cooperative approach.
1 million
The one-millionth car was a Graphite Grey Karoq 1.5 TSI with an output of 110 kW.
The Karoq has been built at Kvasiny from the outset and ranks as Škoda's third most popular SUV, now sold in around 60 markets with the strongest demand in Germany, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. It has also won recognition from industry experts, including a Red Dot Award in the Product Design category. In 2025 the plant set a new production record of 301,500 Škoda vehicles after Kodiaq production was extended to both assembly lines and the Octavia was added to the production programme; the Octavia Combi has been built there since May 2026. Preparations for the next generation of the Karoq are continuing, with its unveiling planned for late 2027 or early 2028.
The Karoq is launched and has been built at Kvasiny ever since.
The Octavia Combi estate version is added to the Kvasiny production programme.
A roadshow brings the new all-electric Epiq and Peaq models to the Kvasiny plant for employees.
The Maják family festival of light comes to Rychnov nad Kněžnou, with events at the château, its park and the Church of the Holy Trinity, including giant models of the Earth and Moon, light and music installations, projection mapping on the bell tower and the audiovisual projection Horizont nekonečna (Horizon of Infinity).
Planned unveiling of the next-generation Karoq.
- A memorandum of cooperation for 2026–2028 was signed by the Škoda Auto Endowment Fund (NFŠA), the town of Solnice, the municipality of Kvasiny and the Voluntary Association of Municipalities of the Bělá Microregion.
- Planned projects include the U Mohyly forest park on the border between Solnice and Kvasiny, a natural playground and a new meeting place for residents of both communities.
- The memorandum provides for revitalising Solnice town square and the centre of Kvasiny.
- It also covers plans for a multipurpose building with social service facilities and housing for older people.
- Support is planned for nursery, primary and lower secondary education, and the Bělá microregion's involvement brings support for cultural events and activities run by local associations.
- A participatory budget is being considered, allowing residents to propose projects for the NFŠA to support, and the NFŠA is offering scholarships with educational organisation AFS for secondary school students from the Rychnov region to study abroad in 2027.
- The roadshow brought the new all-electric models to the plant from 9 to 11 September: the entry-level crossover SUV Epiq is built in Spain, while the flagship SUV Peaq comes from Mladá Boleslav and seats up to seven.
- Nine Škoda Auto employees each won a Superb 1.5 mHEV outright as a top prize in the ZEBRA idea management programme's prize draw.
- More than 2,000 improvement proposals were entered into this year's draw, and these solutions generated benefits worth CZK 329 million in 2025.
“Our success goes hand in hand with the development of the region.”
Why this matters
Kvasiny ranks among the Volkswagen Group's best operations for quality and efficiency, and the new chassis pre-assembly section will let it build plug-in hybrid and hybrid models. The plant's production record, its model line-up and its cooperation agreement with neighbouring municipalities directly involve employees, suppliers and residents of the surrounding region.
Terms in This Story
- PHEV
- Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle: a car with both a combustion engine and a battery that can be recharged from an external power source.
- HEV
- Hybrid electric vehicle: a car combining a combustion engine with an electric motor and battery that is not plugged in to charge.
- mHEV
- Mild hybrid electric vehicle: a car whose small electric system assists the combustion engine but cannot drive the car on electricity alone.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.