NEW Skoda Enyaq review: Enough changes to stay relevant?

The new Skoda Enyaq is proof that some manufacturers stay true to their core focus, even in the age of the rebrand.

Kia and Hyundai have taken the 'reinvention' baton and run a country mile, Mercedes is going to launch 21 new models in just two years, and Jaguar's new look needs no introduction. But Skoda and its cars have always stayed true to their intentions; they're easy to live with, easy on the eye and easy to use.

When the previous Enyaq made its first appearance in 2020, it quickly became a car we liked because of its inherent Skoda qualities. It was relatively affordable, energy-efficient, had decent performance and a cleverly thought-out, good-quality cabin. No surprises, then, that it was one of Europe's best-selling electric cars in 2024.

Many of its competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID 4 have all been updated since, and now Skoda has given the Enyaq some new styling in line with its current design language, an upgrade to the infotainment system and a small boost in range.

In light of this, then, let’s find out how it stacks up.

As before, you can have the Enyaq in regular SUV or coupé guise. Both come with the choice of two battery sizes and three powertrain options. 

At the entry-level is the Enyaq 60, which comes with a 63kWh lithium ion battery (59kWh usable) good for up to 446km (277 miles) of range. The next levels up, the 85 and four-wheel drive 85x, use an 82kWh battery (77kWh usable), with electric ranges up to 595km (370 miles) and 557km (346 miles) respectively.

The 85 was originally called the 80, but in 2024 Skoda upgraded the rear motor of it, the 80x and vRS for more power and better efficiency and renamed the first two to 85 and 85x.

The entry-level 50, meanwhile, has been discontinued for this generation, owing to a lack of demand.

In lieu of trim levels, Skoda offers interior design themes (Loft, Lounge, Lodge, Suite Cognac, Suite Black and Sportline) and a selection of other option packages.

The Enyaq is the latest Skoda to gain the brand's new Tech-Deck face, which includes a new-look, flush-fit front 'grille', a deeper, more chiselled front bumper, thin LED headlamps and redesigned taillights.

The new front end makes it slightly more aerodynamic than before, with the SUV boasting a drag coefficient of 0.245Cd (compared with 0.257Cd previously) and the coupé 0.229Cd (down from 0.240Cd). Skoda claims this makes the coupé the most aerodynamic car it has ever made.

On 85 and 85x models, you have the option of bi-directional charging for the first time, which means you can use the car to power your home. Skoda claims that in the height of summer, when temperatures are warm and battery efficiency is at its highest, the 82kWh unit could power your house for a few days.

Elsewhere, the changes are minimal. Its detailing is more restrained than its Volkswagen ID 4 and Audi Q4 E-tron siblings, with fewer fake air intakes or profligate design flourishes in evidence on the exterior. Skoda has seen fit to remove any chrome badges or panelling for this generation in the name of sustainability.

It has the same short, flat bonnet and chunky, slightly bus-like cab as we’ve seen elsewhere. It’s also bigger than the Audi, being marginally wider and 61mm longer. The wheelbase is the same, but the Skoda has a much longer rear overhang, continuing the established brand theme of offering the most practical option among Volkswagen Group model relations.

Despite this absence of particularly extravagant styling, the Enyaq succeeds in making an impression and seems to invite passers-by to take an interest, especially in swooping coupé guise, which will do it absolutely no harm throughout its showroom life.

Skoda has given the Enyaq a more comprehensive standard equipment list for this generation. There's a new-look steering wheel that, along with the front seats, is heated as standard, and you get tri-zone climate control straight out of the bag. 

On top of this, the upholstery has more of a focus on sustainability than before. If you go for the new 'Lodge' design, which we think looks excellent and feels plush, the seats are made from recycled fishing nets, fabric scraps from factories and old carpets, while the dye used for the leather seats on higher trim levels is made from olive leaf extracts.

Finally, there are a series of new 'Simply Clever' features for this generation. One of them is a QR code in the boot which links to the user manuals. You also get an ice scraper that doubles up as a tyre tread depth gauge sitting in the tailgate, as well as the usual umbrella in the doors and coin holders, the latter of which are a nice touch if a little antiquated.

Perhaps over and above the small details, however, you buy a car like this for the amount of space it offers. Indeed, the cab-forward proportions and long rear overhang pay dividends for the packaging of the Enyaq’s interior, resulting in a spacious-feeling cabin. 

You get a 585-litre boot with the rear seats up. That beats the technically-identical Volkswagen ID 4 and Audi Q4 E-tron by some margin, as well as the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Fold the seats down and the Enya's boot extends to 1710 litres, again almost class-leading but beaten by the Tesla.

In the coupé version, boot space reduces to 570 litres with the seats folded up, and 1610 litres with them down; still not what you’d call small. 

There is more than enough head and legroom on the back seat, even in the middle, thanks to the absence of a centre tunnel. Even in coupé guise, where headroom is sacrificed for the sloping body, those over six foot aren’t likely to struggle. 

The standard seats offer the usual adjustments, including lumbar support, although side bolstering is limited. You’re kept comfortable on long journeys, though, with good under-thigh support.

The same 13in infotainment screen and 5in digital instrument cluster are carried over from before. It has some updated software aimed at making it easier and more intuitive to use, with clearer menu structures, sharper graphics and a faster processing unit.

Skoda has put its own finish on the menu screens, which actually make it easier to use than the efforts from VW or Audi. More physical buttons or dials, like the rotary knobs on the Kodiaq, wouldn't go amiss, however, not least because the menu icons for the HVAC system and heated seats are quite small.

That being said, there are two bars of customisable shortcuts that are permanently on screen, which makes it easy to access things like the settings menu, switching certain ADAS functions off, smartphone mirroring and battery preconditioning.

Some annoyances remain, however. The touch bar for the volume is still unlit, and the settings menus require you to rotate a picture of the car to find the right function, which is very form-over-function and not very Skoda.

Much more than the performance of the Enyaq, it’s the refinement that impresses most. Beyond some minor wind flutter from the large door mirrors and over the chunky A-pillars, the cabin is very hushed. This applies at pretty much any speed and is no doubt helped by its lower drag coefficient.

As far as the power is concerned, the entry-level 60 uses a 150kW (204hp), rear-mounted electric motor for a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 8.1sec, while the 85 uses a more powerful 210kW (286hp) unit. 85x, meanwhile, gets an extra asynchronous motor on the front axle for all-wheel drive running. Both 85 and 85x versions have the same top speed of 180km/h (112mph) and a 0-100km/h (0-62mph) time of 6.7sec.

204hp even in the entry-level model may sound like a generous amount, but in a car of this size it quickly becomes apparent that it doesn’t want to be pushed.

The 286hp 85 or 85x models offer more performance and work with a sense of effortlessness that the entry-level car lacks. With a healthy 545Nm (402lb ft), both pull strongly up to around 115km/h (70mph) where acceleration begins to tail off.

You can alter the sharpness of the throttle response and steering weight through one of four driving modes: Eco, Normal, Sport or Individual. The accelerator response can be a bit jumpy in Normal mode, and we preferred Eco mode for its duller and more progressive step-off.

Battery regeneration can be controlled using the paddles behind the steering wheel, although the Enyaq is a bit of a control freak in this respect. There are three levels of regen to choose from, but touch the accelerator and it will switch back to its automatic mode, rendering the paddles rather redundant.

If you want the strongest regen mode all the time, you can shift into ‘B’ on the gear selector, but for anything in between you have to juggle the setting continually using the shift paddles. In fairness, the adaptive mode does a good job, but the excessive interference is frustrating, as is the lack of either a coasting mode or a true one-pedal mode that brings the car to a stop.

Another gripe we have is that the brake pedal feels spongy and a bit vague, although when in ‘B’ mode you often don’t need to use it.

Generally, the Enyaq handles as you would expect. There are no apparent quirks on one hand, but few distinguishing features on the other. This is most likely what its customer base will expect, and indeed they’ll be welcomed by the car’s all-round versatility, with pleasant, assured-feeling steering down a country road or motorway and a very tight, Mini-beating turning circle for urban manoeuvres (just 9.3m).

Manoeuvrability is also helped by the good outward and rearward visibility, although it’s still a hefty car, with proportions that make its edges hard to see and substantial pillars that render visibility quite poor in some directions.

Around town, it can fidget very slightly over imperfections but overall, body movements are deftly controlled.

If your budget allows, we would recommend getting a car that rides on adaptive dampers as these give the Enyaq an absorbent, marshmallow-like ride quality that irons out imperfections very well. Faster roads with long undulations cause the body to dip and rise gradually, giving it a wafty quality that is very comfortable and satisfying on longer journeys. 

It is clear that the adaptive dampers have been set up for comfort over handling engagement. Tighter, twisting roads can sometimes cause the car to pitch and heave more than you would perhaps want, but this is well controlled and only something you’d realise if you were looking for it. 

Combine that with good grip and the EV-typical low centre of gravity and it means that the Enyaq has roadholding to spare. If you really push it, you can even unearth some rear-drive balance. It's more likely that you'll run into very mild, stabilising understeer. 

You feel the benefit of rear-wheel drive more in the absence of torque steer than any sort of driver engagement, but the instant torque gives the sensation of being pushed out of the corners.

The trade-off of the four-wheel drive 85x model is slightly heavier steering, but it feels a bit more planted, stable and assured than the rear-wheel drive car at pretty much any speed. If you live somewhere colder, more remote or generally with less predictable weather patterns, this will likely be the best option for you. 

That the steering of the rear-wheel drive cars is quite light means there’s very little feedback on the subject of grip, but because the rack itself is direct and precise enough means you generally don’t have to guess how much lock is needed. 

Some might be tempted by the smaller, cheaper Elroq over the Enyaq, but Skoda insists the latter is aimed at the fleet market and the former private sales. What’s more, the levels of equipment on a standard Enyaq will get you into a mid-spec Elroq, at which point the price difference is much smaller.

The entry-level Enyaq's range of 446km (277 miles) is just above average for the class and compares to 423km (263 miles) for an equivalent-spec Hyundai Ioniq 5 and about 400km (250 miles) for the same basic Audi Q4 E-tron and Nissan Ariya.

The higher-spec 85, however, with its 595km (370-mile) range makes more sense for long-distance work and is close to class-leading, being better than the 558km (347-mile) big battery EV6, 529km (329-mile) 87kWh Nissan Ariya and 550km (342-mile) Audi Q4 E-tron 45. It is beaten by the Tesla Model Y Long Range with its 622km (387-mile) capability.

During our test of an 85, we averaged a disappointing 20kWh/100km (3.1mpkWh), which misses the official figure of 15.5kWh/100km (4.0mpkWh) by some margin and should result in 409km (254 miles) of real-world range. An 85x car we also tried returned the same.

That’s a fair bit below the claimed range but not unusually so for an EV.

Prices start at just under 45,000 euros (£40,000), which makes this less expensive than all of its main rivals and one of the cheapest cars in its class. This, combined with an extra dose of standard equipment, makes it quite compelling. Be aware, however, that if you want adaptive dampers you’ll have to specify the Maxx pack, which adds around 7000 euros (£4000) to the purchase price.  

It helps that all cars are now quite generously equipped, though. You get heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, tri-zone climate control, a 13in touchscreen display, keyless entry, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, alloys between 19in-21in and an electric bootlid.

Maximum charge rates have mostly stayed the same. The old Enyaq 60 has gone from 120kW to 135kW, but the 85 and 85x have remained at 135kW and 175kW respectively. This is some way down on the 350kW Hyundai Ioniq 5 and 235kW Kia EV6 but about the same (surprise, surprise) as the identically-underpinned ID 4.

We've done a rapid-charging test with the 85 and although its peak rate is not very impressive and it can't match the Hyundai Ioniq 5 overall, it did put in a good performance because it keeps charging at over 100kW until the battery is 70% full. The 175kW speed of the 85 and 85x may not be quite as big as it seems either. We've tested a VW ID Buzz with the same battery pack and 175kW charging capability, and while it peaked higher very briefly, it also ramped down quicker.

The Enyaq was already a pretty convincing car, being in the top five best-selling EVs in Europe in 2024 and Skoda’s third best-selling model. But it’s now in an even stronger position to succeed now that it’s got an extra dose of usability and standard equipment for little to no extra outlay over the previous car.

It has truly excellent levels of refinement and in-cabin noise isolation that beat nearly all of its immediate rivals, the new face has brought some interesting detailing and it generally looks more comfortable in its skin.

While it is a shame we couldn’t coax better energy efficiency, the extra equipment, cosseting driving dynamics and highly usable infotainment system granted by an already polished car keep it a compelling choice in the class.

Move Electric verdict: 9/10

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