The KAROQ Naming Story

MODELS KAROQ

Where did we go to find the name of the younger brother of KODIAQ? To Kodiak, of course.

22. 5. 2017

Names don't just identify. They can evoke, inspire and trigger our imagination. They can go the core of who we are, where we come from and where we are going.

So the Kodiakers brewed their coffee, sharpened their pencils and started scratching their heads. From the Mayor to the fireman to the fisherman to surfer; the entire population turned into naming enthusiasts.

It wasn’t all easy though. As many found out, it’s simpler to remember a name you’ve long forgotten than actually come up with a new one. Easy or not, it was as much fun as it was when they changed the name of their city from Kodiak to Kodiaq, for a day, back in 2016.

After receiving gems like ‘ER…’, ‘CHINOOK’, ‘GRIZZ’ and ‘ICEBUG’, three others were shortlisted and sent over to the ŠKODA Marketing Department. They, along with a little help from a furry beast, chose the eventual winner, KAROQ!

The genesis of this name is as beautiful as it sounds. One of the native American tribes call an arrow (as found on the ŠKODA logo) ‘RUQ’. Another Alaskan tribe uses the word ‘KARAAQ’ to describe a car. An inventive blend of the two led to ‘KAROQ’.