Skoda Enyaq vRS review

The Skoda Enyaq vRS is the sportiest, range-topping version of the Czech brand's largest electric SUV – so there should be lots like like.

You see, we’re big fans of the comfortable, practical and well-priced Skoda Enyaq, so a sportier vRS version, designed to add a dose of fun without overly compromising other aspects of the car, should be right on the money.

The vRS formula is one Skoda has been using to create hot hatch, estate and SUV models for years, but the Enyaq was the first of Skoda's electric cars to get a vRS variant. You can have the vRS in regular Skoda Enyaq form or as a Skoda Enyaq Coupé.

But is the vRS worth the premium over cheaper versions of the Enyaq? And how does it square up rival sporty electric SUVs, including the Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y?

The Skoda Enyaq vRS has 335bhp on tap, so putting your foot down hard is a pretty lively affair, regardless of whether or not you’re already moving.

In fact, the Enyaq vRS is the fastest-accelerating Skoda to date (matching the slightly smaller Elroq vRS) and can sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.4sec – around the same time most four-wheel-drive versions of the Kia EV6 take.

That said, the Enyaq vRS isn't rapid enough to worry a Tesla Model Y Long Range (0-60mph in 4.6sec) or the more expensive Kia EV6 GT (0-62mph in 3.5sec).

Unlike the regular Enyaq, the vRS has lowered adaptive suspension that stiffens or softens depending on the driving mode you’re in. Alternatively, you can jump into custom mode, which gives you a slider with 15 levels of stiffness. 

Sport mode is the one you’ll want when you're driving on country roads. It helps the car feel less floaty and better tied down, and also adds weight to the steering. 

In this mode, the vRS corners tidily enough, although as with many other fast electric SUVs, you're always aware that this isn't a light car. If cornering performance is really important to you, you’d be better off with a BMW i4, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N or Tesla Model 3 – they're all lower and much more agile.

When ride comfort is more of a priority, you’ll want to flick the vRS into its Normal driving mode, at which point the suspensions soaks up bumps better than a Model Y while still ensuring the Enyaq it doesn’t feel too floaty over undulations.

There’s an even softer mode, called Comfort, but on most roads, this makes things a bit too soft and floaty. 

Refinement is impressive, whichever mode you select. There's not much wind noise and only a faint rumble from the big tyres slapping against the surface of the road at motorway speeds. Overall, the Enyaq vRS is a more peaceful cruiser than the Tesla Model Y.

The only fly in the ointment is that the Enyaq’s brake pedal doesn’t make it easy to slow your progress smoothly. It’s too light and doesn’t have much bite until you’ve pressed the pedal quite far down.

At least the adaptive regenerative braking system, which harvests energy when you lift off the accelerator, is quite subtle. The system automatically varies the braking strength depending on your distance from the car in front or an upcoming junction , and it feels natural as it gradually slows you down.

Officially, the SUV version of the vRS can manage up to 344 miles on a charge, with the Enyaq Coupé version can do up to 347 miles (its more aerodynamic shape boosts range a little).

That means both versions have a longer range than the Kia EV6 AWD (339 miles), but the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD (364 miles) can go even farther between plug-ins.

"I was really impressed by how capable the Enyaq vRS was on a fast gravel off-road course. It stayed composed and predictable despite the loose surface." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

You feel perched relatively high up in the Skoda Enyaq vRS. Okay, it's not Range Rover lofty, but you look down on anyone in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6.

To help you get comfortable, the seats feature electric adjustment, including for lumbar support, and allow you to save your preferred settings so you can quickly restore them after someone else has driven the car. The headrests are fixed but our testers found them comfortable, and the seats offer plenty of side support.

You're treated to a great view down the road ahead, and rear visibility isn’t too compromised – even in the Enyaq Coupé version (the rear window isn't split in two as it is on the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback). 

Better still, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera all come as standard. Plus, there's a system called Trained Park Assistant, which allows you to save parking manoeuvres for places you visit regularly. Once you've stored a parking space, the car will automatically repeat the process needed to get into it next time you're there.

The 5.3in digital instrument panel behind the steering wheel is small and shows only limited information. It seems a bit mean for a car costing more than £50,000, but then the Tesla Model Y doesn’t have a panel here at all, and puts all the information you need, even the speedo, on the main infotainment screen.

Most functions are controlled through the vRS's 13in infotainment touchscreen. It's packed with features, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, and most icons are big and easy to hit. The software could be more responsive though; there's occasionally a delay between you prodding the screen and anything happening.

Overall, the interior is a pleasant place to spend time. It feels well screwed together and the vRS makeover includes lots of leather trim – or you can have suede-like material for no extra charge.

"I’d personally swap the leather interior for the suede option. Not only does it look and feel great, but I like the the Hyper Green stitching and detailing." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

There's loads of head room in the front of the Skoda Enyaq vRS, along with generous leg room. The width of the interior means you won’t find yourself rubbing shoulders with your front-seat passenger.

As a bonus, there's a good amount of storage within easy reach, including an area at the base of the dashboard, which is wide enough to stow two phones and has a wireless charger, two cupholders and a big cubby under the armrest.

There's also lots of head room in the back – even if you go for the swoopy-roofed Enyaq Coupé version. Even really tall passengers will fit in absolutely fine, helped by generous rear knee room.

The coupé version has a slightly smaller boot than the SUV but can still swallow an impressive eight carry-on suitcases below its parcel shelf. Both versions have more luggage space than the Kia EV6 and the EC40, but not the Tesla Model Y (which has a front boot and a huge well under the floor of the main boot area).

When you need even more space for luggage, you can split the rear seats in a 60/40 configuration or use the ski hatch to feed long items through from the boot without sacrificing one of the outer rear seats. Helpfully, there are levers in the boot that let you remotely drop the rear seats from inside the boot.

"I think it's a shame there's no front boot in the Enyaq, like there is in the EV6 and Model Y. At least there's height-adjustable boot floor, though, giving you somewhere to store the charging cables." – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

The Enyaq vRS is hardly cheap, but it does undercut equivalent versions of the Kia EV6 and pricing is roughly in line with the Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD.

Plus you get lots of kit for your money, including keyless entry, heated front seats, matrix LED headlights, wireless phone-charging, a Canton sound system, adaptive cruise control, three-zone climate control and an electric tailgate.

Mind you, Skoda charges extra for a heat pump for more efficient warming of the interior in chilly weather. The Volvo EC40 and all Tesla models get one of these as standard.

Like all electric cars the Enyaq vRS is very cheap to run as a company car because it's in a low benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax band.

The Enyaq vRS now has a maximum charging speed of 185kW and you can top up the battery from 10-80% in around 26 minutes if you use a quick enough charger. A full (0-100%) charge at home using a regular 7kW wallbox will take around 12 hours.

When it comes to reliability, the Skoda Enyaq did fairly well in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing in the top half of the electric SUV category. Skoda as a brand came 13th out of 31 manufacturers ranked, below Kia (11th) but above Tesla (15th).

Should anything go wrong, most components are covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty but the main battery is covered for up to eight years with a 100,000-mile limit. The Kia EV6 has a seven-year warranty on both its battery and most other components. 

The Enyaq was awarded five stars out of five when it was tested for safety by Euro NCAP in 2021. That’s thanks in part to the standard safety equipment, which includes e-Call emergency assistance, automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and blind-spot monitoring.

"As someone who enjoys listening to music on a long drive, I’m a big fan of the vRS's standard Canton stereo system. It gives music lots of clarity and sounds better than the Merdian system in the Kia EV6." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

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