This year’s new Skoda Epiq still wearing a psychedelic disguise, but underneath the swirls and squiggles is a very clear message. This is the electric SUV for people who like their cars small on the outside, big on the inside and don’t want to pay a premium for swapping a combustion powertrain for an electric one.

Think of the Epiq as the baby brother to the Elroq and Enyaq, and the electric cousin of the Kamiq. At just under 4,200 mm (165 inches) long and riding on a 2,601 mm (102 inches) wheelbase, it’s squarely in city-friendly crossover territory.

Related: Skoda’s Affordable EV Looks Like It Wanted To Be A Jeep

However, Skoda claims packaging magic gives it one of the biggest boots in its class, at a surprising 475 liters (16.8 cu-ft). Fold the seats and you get 1,344 liters (47.5 cu-ft), which is properly useful family car stuff.

What’s Underneath?

Under the skin, the Epiq is Skoda’s first model on the new MEB Plus platform, a cost focused evolution of the VW Group’s electric toolkit. Unlike larger rear drive MEB cars, this one is front wheel drive, which helps free up cabin and cargo space.

It’s also closely related to the upcoming VW ID. Polo and the Cupra Raval, all part of the group’s affordable urban EV push along with the ID. Cross SUV.

Tortoise Or Hare?

The not very epic entry-level Epiq 35 makes 85 kW, or about 114 hp (116 PS), from a single front motor that gets it to 62 mph (100 kmh) in 11.2 seconds, and uses a 38.5 kWh LFP battery for up to 196 miles (315 km) of range. But a maximum 50 kW charge speed means fills will be slow, so this one is best suited to urban sorties from the house, not road trips.

The Epiq 40 bumps power to 133 hp (135 PS / 99 kW) and drops to 62 mph sprint to 9.8 seconds, with similar battery capacity but slightly faster 90 kW DC charging. At the top sits the Epiq 55 with 208 hp (211 PS / 155 kW) and a larger 55 kWh NMC battery good for up to 267 miles (430 km) of range.

Charging peaks at up to 133 kW on the bigger battery, meaning a 10 to 80 percent top up can take just over 20 minutes, and the 62 mph time is a spritely 7.4 seconds. That makes this little Skoda more road trip capable than you might expect from something that looks ready to spend its life dodging delivery vans and cyclists.

Big Screen, Eco Materials

Inside, Skoda promises its usual Simply Clever touches, a 13 inch central screen, a small digital driver display and lots of recycled materials. It hasn’t released any interior images of the finished car yet, but the cabin pics of the Epiq concept shown in the gallery below are surely at least 85 percent on the money.

We’ll get the real images in the coming weeks, along with prices, which are expected to start at $26,000 (£25k for the UK), matching those of the combustion Kamiq. That looks like good value next to Kia’s EV3, though the base EV3 is much more powerful and longer-legged. Renault’s 4 E-Tech also poses a strong threat thanks to its even lower entry price, better range and acceleration and more interesting design.

Epiq concept (Skoda)

The Volkswagen Group is working on a slew of affordable electric vehicles and spy photographers recently caught up with the Skoda Epiq. It will debut later this year as an electric counterpart to the Kamiq.

Previewed by a thinly veiled concept at last year’s Munich Motor Show, the production model looks virtually identical and features a Modern Solid design with a vertical grille as well as split lighting units. The latter have upper LED daytime running lights and turn signals as well as lower boomerang-shaped headlights.

More: Skoda’s Smallest Electric SUV Comes With Gas-Car Pricing

They’re joined by a unique front bumper with eight oval-shaped holes. The model is also notable for having a gently sloping roof and a relatively plain rear end with T-shaped taillights as well as a small spoiler.

The “city SUV” should measure approximately 163.8 inches (4,160 mm) long and have a wheelbase that spans 102.4 inches (2,600 mm). While the exact numbers remain to be seen, the model is the Skoda equivalent of the Volkswagen ID. Cross.

Baldauf

Interior pictures don’t show much beyond a prominent freestanding infotainment screen. Still, the cabin is expected to mirror that of the ID. Polo, featuring a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster alongside a 13-inch central display. Physical controls are likely to remain in place, along with a redesigned steering wheel.

The Epiq will ride on the MEB+ platform and likely have a front-mounted motor producing 208 hp (155 kW / 211 PS). It should be powered by a 52 kWh nickel manganese cobalt battery, which delivers a range of around 264 miles (425 km).

Additional powertrains are possible including an upgraded motor with 223 hp (166 kW / 226 PS). We can also expect a DC fast charging capability of up to 130 kW.

The crossover will be built in Spain and Skoda has previously suggested pricing will start around €26,000 ($30,400).