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Škoda Auto is celebrating 130 years of its history, and Škoda Storyboard is marking the occasion by revisiting some of the brand’s most remarkable moments through items from the company’s archives and museum collections. This time, the spotlight is on ingenious features and gadgets designed to make everyday life with a Škoda easier.
Even the smallest innovations can make daily driving more enjoyable. All these ideas are united under the Simply Clever term – a label given to smart, practical solutions developed directly by Škoda’s engineering teams. Thanks to them, every new Škoda model today comes equipped with dozens of smart features.
When you hear Simply Clever, the first thing that likely comes to mind is the iconic ice scraper. In today’s combustion-engine Škoda cars, it is integrated into the fuel filler cap, which locks with the central locking system, keeping it safe from theft. A simple, elegant, and effective solution that perfectly embodies the Simply Clever philosophy. Did you know this signature feature first appeared in the 2012 Škoda Rapid? Alongside the scraper, the model also introduced a door-panel waste bin and a reversible luggage compartment mat.
The scraper has since become an indispensable part of nearly every Škoda car. Over time, it has evolved: the original Rapid version was a bright green design with soft polyamide surfaces to prevent scratching windows, while today’s scraper is made from recycled materials and even doubles as a tire tread depth gauge.
Sometimes innovation is required by a change in circumstances. Škoda electric models feature an ice scraper in the trunk lid, as the charging socket cover remains open during charging and is often left unattended, which could lead to the scraper being stolen. Electric cars also have their own special feature, a charging cable cleaner, which can be used when the cable is lying on dirty ground or in a puddle during charging.
While the ice scraper made winter mornings easier for countless drivers without garages, it is just one part of the Simply Clever mosaic. The term itself was first used for the Škoda Roomster concept, unveiled at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show. The concept impressed with its spaciousness, distinctive design, and smart features such as a sliding rear bench and swivel front seats. The production Roomster, launched three years later, came with numerous clever additions, including a PET bottle holder in the front doors and an elastic strap for securing newspapers. The luggage compartment featured sturdy fold-out hooks for shopping bags.
The bag hooks, however, debuted even earlier – in the 2001 Škoda Fabia sedan. That same year, the first modern Škoda Superb was introduced, bringing another hallmark Simply Clever feature: the umbrella integrated into the door.
Today, Simply Clever solutions can be found in every corner of Škoda cars. Many have become everyday essentials – from the ice scraper and umbrella to the integrated funnel for washer fluid, a ticket holder on the windscreen, or pop-out door protectors for tight parking spaces. Bringing this practicality into the digital era, a QR code in the luggage compartment now links drivers to video tutorials on how to use all the car’s smart features. Even more smart accessories are available through Škoda Genuine Accessories at Ingram Škoda Parts / Service Team.
The tradition of clever ideas at Škoda goes back nearly a century. A prime example is the 1925 Laurin & Klement Škoda 110 with its convertible body design: the front section of the car remained fixed up to the front seats, while the rear could be reconfigured to transform the car from a two-seat to a four-seat convertible, or even into a two-seat utility vehicle with a flatbed trailer with a payload of 500 kg. With this ingenious solution, Mladá Boleslav engineers offered affordable flexibility at a time when automobiles were still regarded as luxury items.
We can also find a clever feature in the very beginnings of the brand. Slavia bicycles had a valve cap attached to a chain so that it wouldn't roll away when inflating the tires. In the chronicle of clever ideas, we also come across various playful experiments with which the creators of Škoda cars wanted to provide solutions for different situations. However, not all of them caught on. In 1935, for example, there was an attempt to build a unique snow car. Engineers equipped the Popular model with skis on the front wheels and chains on the rear. Thus equipped, the Popular was supposed to facilitate the supply of mountain huts.
