Skoda Enyaq review

Buying an electric car used to require deep pockets or an acceptance of mediocrity, but that's no longer the case – and the Skoda Enyaq is a shining example of why.

The Enyaq is a fairly big family SUV (about the same size as the Audi Q5) that offers plenty of passenger space and a healthy range between battery charges. And you don't need to be a lottery winner to afford one.

Of course, the Enyaq isn’t the only SUV you plug in rather than fill up with petrol.

Skoda Enyaq video review

There's also the closely related VW ID 4, the Kia EV6, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the incredibly popular Tesla Model Y to consider – plus a fair few others (see our best electric SUVs guide for more).

Read on to find out how the Skoda Enyaq stacks up against those and other rivals in terms of performance, range, practicality and more...

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There are three power outputs available for the Enyaq, and in this review we're looking at the 60 and 85 versions, which have 177bhp and 281bhp. (To read about the fastest model, see our Skoda Enyaq vRS review.)

The 60 comes with rear-wheel drive, while the 85 is available with rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The four-wheel-drive version is called 85X, and has better traction to deploy its power.

Both rear-wheel-drive versions feel quick enough, with the 60 getting from 0-62mph in 8.7 second, which is slightly quicker than the VW ID 4.

The 85 – with 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds – is quicker off the line than entry-level versions of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6, although most versions of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Tesla Model Y are much faster.

The 85 version has a clear edge when it comes to range and can officially manage up to 348 miles on a full charge (it varies slightly depending on trim). Mind you, even the 60 has a respectable 249-mile official range. The 60 managed 208 miles in warm summer weather in our Real Range test.

Electric cars have to carry around heavy battery packs, so they tend not to smother bumps as brilliantly as the best-riding (and lighter) petrol and diesel alternatives. The same is true of the Enyaq, and there’s a slightly unsettled quality to the ride in urban environments. 

It's still one of the most comfortable electric cars for the money, and the ride becomes even smoother on faster roads, where the Enyaq betters the Model Y.

There's the option of adaptive suspension (as part of the Maxx package), but the standard set-up is good enough to make the extra outlay unnecessary.

The Enyaq isn’t a supremely fun car to drive, so you won't be waking up early on a Sunday morning to go for a spin just for kicks. It handles tidily though, and while it's not especially engaging, it is easy and relaxing to drive, which is the overwhelming priority for a car like this.

As long as you're not overzealous, the car stays fairly upright through corners, and the light but precise steering allows you to position the car with confidence. Rear-wheel-drive models have a relatively tight turning circle, which is a boon when you're parking and manoeuvring.

If you enjoy driving more spiritedly, try the lower, squatter Cupra Born or the Kia EV6 (both have sharper handling).

Also, bear in mind that the four-wheel-drive Enyaq (the 85X) is not quite as manoeuvrable as the 60 and the 85. Three-point turns require a bit more space because the 4x4 gubbins means the front wheels can't turn as sharply as on other versions. You'll find the same with the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Electric cars have a big advantage here over petrols and diesels because there’s no engine chugging away, but the Enyaq is quiet even by electric SUV standards. In short, it's a peaceful companion.

There's not much road noise except on really coarse surfaces, and only the faint whistle of wind around the door mirrors at a steady 70mph cruise. Indeed, our only slight criticism is the suspension thudding away occasionally in the background that can be heard when you’re driving along a bumpy stretch of road. It's quieter than the Model Y, though.

Despite the regenerative braking system, the brakes behave predictably, making it easy to slow down without doing an impression of a learner driver.

"It may lean more in bends than some rivals, but the Enyaq still inspires me with plenty of confidence, thanks to the accuracy of its steering.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

If you’re choosing an SUV because you want to sit high up, you’ll like the Skoda Enyaq’s driving position, because it places you higher up from the road than you are in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6.

The standard seats are mostly comfortable on long journeys, and you get adjustable lumbar support as standard. The wraparound shoulder supports keeps you in place when cornering hard, but some of our testers found the lower back support slightly lacking.

All versions except the entry-level 60 have an electrically adjustable driver's seat, while the optional (and quite pricey) Maxx package adds a massage function and electric adjustment for the passenger seat.

You control the air conditioning using the touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard. We’d prefer some physical buttons and dials, but at least the heater icons are large and permanently on display. It's nowhere near as fiddly to use as the touch-sensitive sliders you get in the VW ID 4.

One slight complaint it that the battery range counter on the Enyaq is rather small and the recessed digital instrument screen is harder to see clearly than the larger ones in rival models.

The Enyaq’s long and shallow-angled front pillars are a minor nuisance, obscuring some of your diagonal view and hiding the kerb area around the car (the ID 4 has the same problem).

The rear pillars are fairly substantial too, although you can still see more than in the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which has even wider pillars at the back.

Front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera come as standard on all versions. The optional Maxx package comes with a 360-degree bird’s eye view camera and a system that can park the car for you once you've stored the manoeuvres for a particularly place. 

LED headlights are fitted as standard. Edition trim upgrades them to matrix LEDs that allow you to use high beam without dazzling other road users. You can spec a "Crystal Face" that covers the grille with 170 LEDs to make the car look as though it’s baring its teeth.

All trim levels get a 13in touchscreen positioned high up on the dashboard and tilted slightly towards the driver. It’s easy to see and reach, and the software responds quickly enough to inputs. It’s smoother to use than the set-up in earlier Enyaqs and much better than the system in the ID 4.

We’re not huge fans of touchscreen-only infotainment systems because they can be distracting to operate when you’re driving, but at least here the icons are large and clear. The icons are logically grouped together along the bottom of the screen (rather than being bundled in a single place), while five customisable icons on the top directly take you to your favourite functions.

The Enyaq comes with DAB radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring and two USB-C sockets up front. Edition trim adds two more USB-C sockets for rear passengers.

The standard eight-speaker stereo sounds very good (there’s not much background noise to contend with, after all) and a 12-speaker Canton upgrade is available as part of the Advanced package.

There’s a Skoda phone app available that lets you check the charge level of the battery, schedule charging and heat up the interior so it’s toasty when you get inside. Wireless phone-charging is standard on Edition trim and above.

The quality of the interior is very good for the money. It's slightly more impressive inside than the Mustang Mach-E and the ID 4, for example, and roughly on a par with the Tesla Model Y.

It feels pretty well screwed together and there's plenty of squidgy plastic on the dashboard and the insides of the doors, plus piano black and metal highlights to jazz things up. If you go for Loft trim, large parts of the dashboard are trimmed in fabric, which is swapped for artificial leather in the Suite and Ecosuite versions.

The seats in both those versions and the Sportline trim are covered in genuine leather while the leather in the Ecosuite is sustainably sourced and treated with olive leaf extract rather than chemicals. If you go for Lounge trim, you get part-leather seats with grippy suede-like material.

“There's a pleasing mix of finishes inside the Enyaq, and I like that most versions feature smartly textured plastics on upper surfaces.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

You certainly won’t complain about space in the front of the Skoda Enyaq, even if you’re well over six feet tall. There’s loads of head room and the seats slide back a long way on their runners.

Storage space is excellent, thanks to the sizeable, carpeted door pockets and an enormous cubby under the centre armrest. You’ll find more stowage at the base of the dashboard and between the seats, including two good-sized cupholders. The only minor gripe is the slightly small glovebox.

The Enyaq is huge in the back, with more than enough leg room for a couple of six-footers to lounge out behind equally tall folk sitting in the front.

If you want event more space in front of your knees, check out the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6. Head room is plentiful, too, and overall the Enyaq is brilliant for carrying passengers in the back.

All that applies to the regular Enyaq, of course – if you want to know how the sleeker coupé version does for interior space and practicality, see our Skoda Enyaq Coupé review.

There are loads of other handy features, including phone pockets on the backs of the front seats. If you go for Edition trim, you’ll get sun blinds for the rear windows.

The rear seatback splits and folds in a 60/40 arrangement, and if you stump up for the reasonably priced Transport Package, you get handy levers on the walls of the boot to make the process easier.

The seats don’t slide, recline or do anything else clever, but you do get a ski hatch, allowing you to carry long, slender items between two passengers.

The Transport Package also adds some cargo netting and a height-adjustable boot floor. When raised, that smoothes out the step in the floor you're left with when you fold down the rear seats. Whether you select it or not, there’s enough storage space for the charging cables under the floor.

The main boot compartment is absolutely huge – bigger even than in the VW ID 4 – and takes up to nine carry-on suitcases under the tonneau cover (although a Tesla Model Y can swallow 10 in total thanks to its front trunk).

It's also easy to load thanks to the wide tailgate opening and reasonably low load lip. You’ll need to go for Edition trim if you want an electric tailgate with gesture control.

“I have plenty of room to stretch out in the rear seats of the Enyaq, and if you regularly carry three people on the rear bench, then the Enyaq is a better bet than most rivals.” Dan Jones, Reviewer

If you're looking for a practical runaround and only need to make the occasional long journey, the Skoda Enyaq 60 is worth considering. However, the 85 version, with its much longer range, would be our choice.

Besides, the Enyaq 85 costs about the same as an equivalent VW ID 4 and is cheaper than a Tesla Model Y. Resale values are predicted to be strong and the Enyaq is exceptionally cheap to run as a company car because it's in a very low benefit-in-kind (BIK) company car tax band.

The Enyaq 60 has a maximum charging speed of up to 120kW for a 10-80% top-up in around half an hour. The 85 version can charge at a faster rate (around 135kW), but due to its larger battery a 10-80% charge is only around four minutes quicker than in the 60. The 85X is capable of charging at 175kW and takes 28 minutes for the same 10-80% charge.

The Enyaq gets a reasonable amount of standard kit, including dual-zone climate control, 19in alloys, power-folding door mirrors, ambient lighting, automatic wipers and cruise control. Some of the interior packages include leather seats or attractive cloth alternatives for little extra outlay.

Head up to Edition trim and you get a lot more kit for a relatively small outlay. This includes heated front seats, privacy glass, adaptive cruise control and three-zone climate control and heated windscreen washer nozzles.

Sportline Plus is only available with the four-wheel-drive Enyaq 85X, and adds sportier exterior styling, front sports seats, 20in alloy wheels and a heated three-spoke steering wheel (rather than a two-spoke one).

However, a heat pump (to warm up the interior more efficiently) is optional on all trims. We’d recommend adding the Transport Package for the height-adjustable boot floor.

The flagship L&K model focuses on luxury and adds the Canton sound system, ventilated and massaging front seats and a head-up display.

The optional Maxx Package pushes the price up too much to make it recommendable.

The Enyaq finished fourth out of nine electric SUVs in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey (the Ford Mustang Mach-E came top, while the Model Y came third). Skoda came 16th out of 32 brands in the overall manufacture rankings, ahead of VW, Ford and Nissan, but behind Hyundai and Kia. 

Every Enyaq comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty on most parts, while the battery is covered for up to eight years with a 100,000-mile cap. If the battery falls below 70% of its original usable capacity, Skoda says it will pay to have it put right.

The Enyaq scored five stars out of five for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP. Adult occupant crash protection was found to be fractionally better than in the closely related ID 4 – the two cars scored the same for child protection. The Enyaq also did well for protecting pedestrians. 

You get lots of safety technology as standard, including multiple airbags, e-Call emergency assistance, automatic emergency braking (AEB) and lane-keeping assistance. Blind-spot monitoring is standard from Edition trim up.

“All things considered, I think the Enyaq represents excellent value for money if you stick to the lower trim levels.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

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