Skoda Elroq review

What does the Skoda Elroq have in common with brunch, Wikipedia and parasailing? Answer: the names of all four were created by combining two other words.

In the case of ‘Elroq’, it’s a portmanteau of electric and Karoq. So, you won’t be surprised to hear that the model it's attached to is an electric vehicle (EV) that’s about the same size as the conventionally powered Skoda Karoq SUV. As such, it’s a smaller and cheaper car than the brand’s other electric SUV, the Skoda Enyaq.

It joins a raft of family-friendly electric SUVs to have hit the market in recent years, including the Renault Scenic and Tesla Model Y. In addition, potential Elroq buyers might be considering slightly smaller models such as the Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30.

Skoda Elroq vs Kia EV3 vs Mini Aceman triple test video

The Elroq is also the first car to show off Skoda’s latest design language, called Modern Solid. Its main elements are a closed-off front grille, narrow LED headlights and the Czech brand’s name spelt across the bonnet in place of a badge.

You can decide for yourself whether it’s a good look, but in this review we'll focus on how well the Skoda Elroq stacks up in more objective areas. Read on as we put it to the test against rival electric SUVs...

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There are three versions of the Skoda Elroq to choose from, called the 50, 60 and 85. They're all rear-wheel-drive, single motor cars and produce 168bhp, 201bhp and 282bhp respectively (four-wheel drive won't be offered in the UK).

Even the 50 offers acceptable performance, but the 60 responds noticeably more keenly when you put your foot down, while the 85 managed 0-60mph in 6.2 seconds at our private test track. Sure, that's still not as fast as a Volvo EX30 Extended Range, but it's significantly quicker than an equivalent Renault Scenic.

The standard suspension absorbs most imperfections in the road surface well and delivers impressive body control on undulating country roads. That said, we'd recommend avoiding the big 20in and 21in alloy wheels if comfort is a top priority.

Alternatively, if you go for the 85 Sportline model (which gets 20in alloys as standard), you might want to consider adding Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive suspension. It's available as part of the Driver Package and allows you to adjust how firm the car feels using the infotainment screen.

The Comfort mode of DCC does exactly what its name suggests, giving the Elroq a plusher ride than a Scenic, Tesla Model Y or EX30. Meanwhile, in the stiffest setting, comfort is less impressive but body lean through corners is reduced noticeably.

Even without adaptive suspension, though, the Elroq handles well for an electric SUV. It feels far more nimble through quick changes of direction than a Kia EV3 or Scenic, plus the steering is well-weighted and the turning circle remarkably tight.

As a bonus, the brakes are more consistent in the way they respond than those in some other VW Group electric cars – most notably the Cupra Tavascan. But the EV3 and Tesla Model Y still make it easier to brake to a smooth stop, and also allow for one-pedal driving (which the Elroq doesn't).

On the other hand, during our back-to-back testing, the Elroq proved fractionally quieter at 70mph than the EV3 and Scenic. The only issue was a faint flutter of wind from around the door mirrors. As a result, big journeys should be relaxing and stress-free – an important consideration given the Elroq's long-distance credentials.

The 50 version has a 52kWh (usable capacity) battery and an official range of 232 miles, while the 60 gets a 59kWh unit that lifts its range to 260 miles. The 85 model offers the longest range of all, at 360 miles, thanks to a 77kWh battery.

By comparison, the Smart #1 Premium is limited to 283 miles and the EX30 Extended Range 295 miles, although the EV3 Long Range has an official average of 375 miles and the Scenic Long Range up to 379 miles.

“I like that Sportline models let you adjust the strength of the Elroq's regenerative braking using paddles on the steering wheel, but I wish they were standard across the range.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

The driving position in the Skoda Elroq is generally excellent. True, some alternatives, including the Kia EV3 and Tesla Model Y, sit you up a little higher to give you more of an SUV feel, but the relationship between the seat, pedals and steering wheel is spot on.

We also like that the Elroq's front seats have more side-bolstering than you’ll find in a Renault Scenic or Model Y to hold you in place better through the bends. In short, everything feels well thought out, right down to the fact that however you position the steering wheel, you get a clear view of the small digital instrument display.

The Elroq has a relatively deep dashboard and shallow-angled front pillars, but visibility at junctions is no more restricted than in a Model Y or Volkswagen ID 5. Rear visibility is less impressive due to the relatively small rear window – an issue that blights many streamlined SUVs. 

Fortunately, all Elroqs come with rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. You can add front parking sensors by stepping up to SE L trim. The Maxx Package on Edition and Sportline cars brings a 360-degree camera and a self-parking system.

Design-wise, if you’ve ever sat in a Skoda Enyaq, you’ll find that the Elroq’s interior looks very familiar, with a similar dashboard and big (13in) infotainment screen. This screen has sharp graphics and a relatively intuitive layout, and there are configurable shortcut tabs at the top and bottom.

Overall, the infotainment system is much easier to operate than the overly complicated set-up in the Mini Countryman Electric. That said, the systems in the EV3 and Scenic are even better.

The Elroq has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, plus two USB-C ports in the front. If you want wireless phone-charging with a cooling function and two USB-C ports in the rear, you’ll need to step up to Edition trim.

Disappointingly, you control the air-conditioning using the touchscreen. We’d prefer physical buttons and dials like you get in the EV3 and Scenic, but at least the temperature icons are permanently on display and there's a physical shortcut button to take you to the main climate control menu.

Interior quality is, for the most part, very good, with soft-touch plastic on the upper part of the dashboard and the tops of the doors. If you go for the entry-level Loft design option, there's padded fabric with contrast stitching on the lower part of dashboard and centre console.

The Lodge design option (available on SE L or Edition cars) introduces a two-tone black and light grey faux leather interior with orange seat belts. Meanwhile, Suite (also available on SE L and Edition cars) includes some leather upholstery.

“I found the Elroq's optional head-up display, which is part of the Advanced Package, really useful. It projects your speed and navigation directions on to the windscreen directly in front of your eyes.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

There are lots of handy storage cubbies between the Skoda Elroq's front seats, plus its door bins are large and lined with felt so your possessions don't rattle around when you're driving.

The driver and front passenger get plenty of space, but it's in the back that the Elroq really impresses: even a six-footer will have plenty of head and leg room to spare when sitting behind a similarly tall driver. The rear seats themselves offer more under-thigh support than you’ll find in a Renault Scenic or Tesla Model Y.

Better still, because the Elroq was designed from the ground up as an electric car, it has a flat floor, allowing three passengers to sit side by side in relative comfort. It makes you wonder why you’d ever need to upgrade to the larger Skoda Enyaq.

In terms of boot space, the Elroq is more middle of the pack. At 470 litres, its luggage capacity beats the Kia EV3 (460 litres) but is down on the Scenic (545 litres). We managed to squeeze seven carry-on suitcases into the boot of the Scenic (below the parcel shelf) compared with six in the Elroq.

Disappointingly, unlike an EV3 or a Model Y, the Elroq doesn’t have additional storage space under its bonnet. Therefore we recommend adding the reasonably priced Transport Package, which includes a net under the parcel shelf designed to store your charging cable. It also adds a height-adjustable boot floor which, in its highest position, gives you more underfloor storage and reduces the size of the lip at the boot entrance so that it's easier to load and unload heavy items.

Like the Enyaq, the Elroq has 60/40 split-folding back seats, which are not as versatile as the 40/20/40 split seats in the Scenic. You do, though, get a ski hatch, and while the seat backs don’t lie completely flat when folded down, the slight incline doesn’t present much of a problem when loading longer items.

“Skoda’s Simply Clever features are genuinely useful, but I think it's odd that the charging cable net is an optional extra, when an ice scraper and umbrella are standard.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Not only is the entry-level 50 version of the Skoda Elroq cheaper than its closest electric SUV rivals – ranging from the Renault Scenic to the Tesla Model Y – but it’s also cheaper than entry-level versions of smaller models, including the Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30. 

If you’re a cash buyer, it’s worth bearing in mind that the Scenic is expected to depreciate at a slower rate than all of those alternatives, but the Elroq’s monthly PCP finance deals are still very competitive.

The Elroq is available in a choice of four trims: SE, SE L, Edition and Sportline. Entry-level SE – which is available only in combination with the 50 battery – is reasonably well equipped, with 19in alloy wheels, a two-spoke steering wheel, LED headlights and single-zone climate control.

SE-L trim (available only with the 60 battery) adds a few more goodies, including a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, selectable driving modes and adjustable regenerative braking.

Our favourite Edition trim (available with both the 60 and 85 batteries) has all of the above, plus adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and wireless phone-charging.

Meanwhile, range-topping Sportline (also available on both the 60 and 85) gets sportier styling, sport front seats, a three-spoke steering wheel, a powered tailgate and adaptive LED headlights that can stay on full beam without dazzling other road users.

If you do lots of miles, it might be worth considering the optional EV heat pump (available on SE L trim and up). It's not cheap but should improve efficiency.

The Elroq 85 has a maximum charging rate of 175kW and its battery can be topped up from 10-80% in 28 minutes. The 50 and 60 versions have slower peak charging rates (of 145kW and 165kW respectively), but because of their smaller batteries, the 10-80% charge time is about the same.

Using a regular 7kW home EV charger, the Elroq 50 takes around eight hours to charge from 0-100%, while the range-topping 85 model needs around 12 hours. 

The Elroq hadn't been tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP at the time of writing, but even the cheapest version comes with lots of safety kit, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), traffic-sign recognition, a driver attention warning system, blind-spot monitoring and plenty of airbags.

The Elroq was too new to feature in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, but Skoda finished in 13th place out of 31 brands in the overall manufacturer league table. That’s above Tesla (15th) but behind Volvo (12th), Kia (11th) and Renault (ninth).

Every Elroq comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, while the main battery is covered by a separate eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. If the battery falls below 70% of its original capacity in that time, Skoda says it will fix the problem free of charge.

“I think it's disappointing that Skoda charges extra for a heat pump – even on the most expensive versions of the Elroq.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

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