Skoda Enyaq review

Until fairly recently, buying an electric car required either ocean-deep pockets or an acceptance of mediocrity. Thankfully, 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 space for the family and a healthy range between battery charges, yet it doesn’t require you to bank with Coutts to be able to afford it.

The entry-level car (badged 60) has a 58kWh battery that gives an official range of around 250 miles. That's not bad, but if you go for the slightly more expensive 80 model, you’ll get a larger 77kWh battery that promises a similar range to the Tesla Model Y Long Range (almost 340 miles) but, thankfully, for less money.

Of course, the Skoda Enyaq isn’t the only electric SUV that you plug in rather than fill up with petrol. There's also the closely related VW ID 4 (which uses the same underpinnings, batteries and electric motors), the Kia EV6 (a halfway house between an SUV and a regular hatchback), the Ford Mustang Mach-E (similar in size yet offers more performance), and the incredibly popular Model Y.

In this review, we'll tell you how the regular Skoda Enyaq SUV squares up against its closest rivals. If you're interested in the sleeker-looking coupé version, head over to our Skoda Enyaq Coupé review. Or if you want more performance and perhaps some luminous lime green paint to help your Enyaq stand out, check out our review of the Skoda Enyaq vRS.

When you’ve chosen your perfect new car, don’t forget we can help you secure a big discount on it. Just check the What Car? New Car Deals pages for some tempting new electric car deals.

There are three power outputs available for the Skoda Enyaq. The 60 and 80 are rear-wheel drive, with the 60 putting out 177bhp and the 80 delivering 201bhp. The difference between the two in acceleration isn’t dramatic, partly because the 80 has to lug around a heavier battery pack. It’s a different story with the 80X, which has four-wheel drive for better traction to deploy the 261bhp at its disposal.

In short, both rear-wheel-drive versions feel quick enough, with the 60 getting from 0-60mph in just under 8.5 seconds – faster than many petrol and diesel alternatives in this price bracket. Performance is almost identical to the closely related VW ID 4 although you’ll need the 80X (0-62mph in 6.9sec) to beat the entry-level versions of the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6 off the line. Just bear in mind that most versions of the Tesla Model Y are way faster.

The 80 version has a clear edge when it comes to range and can officially manage up to 339 miles on a full charge (it varies slightly depending on trim). Mind you, even the 60 has a respectable 246-mile official range. In our Real Range testing, the 60 managed 208 miles in relatively warm summer weather.

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, though, and the ride becomes even smoother on faster roads, where the Enyaq betters the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Model Y.

On Sportline models there's the option of adaptive suspension (as part of the Maxx package). However, 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 EV6 (both are sharper-handling electric cars). Also, bear in mind that the 80X versions of the Enyaq aren’t quite as manoeuvrable. Three-point turns require a bit more space because the four-wheel-drive 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 over petrol and diesel alternatives here because there’s no combustion engine chugging away under the bonnet. However, even compared with many electric SUV rivals, the Enyaq is 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 background "thud, thud, thud" from the suspension that can be heard when you’re driving along a bumpy stretch of road. It's still quieter overall than the Ioniq 5, though.

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

If you’re choosing an SUV because you want to sit high up, you’ll love the Enyaq’s driving position. Granted, you’ll still be looking up at Range Rover drivers in traffic jams, but you’re placed much higher up from the road than in a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6. 

The standard seats are mostly comfortable on long journeys. You get manually adjustable lumbar support as standard, but some of our testers found the lower back support slightly lacking. The wraparound shoulder supports keeps you in place when cornering hard. The optional Plus and Maxx packages add an electric driver's seat, but neither is cheap.

You control the air conditioning using the touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard. We’d prefer there to be some physical buttons and dials, but at least the heater icons are large and permanently on display at the bottom of the screen, so this set-up is nowhere near as fiddly to use as the touch-sensitive sliders you get in the VW ID 4. The battery range counter on the Enyaq's rather small and recessed digital instrument screen is harder to see clearly than the larger ones on rival cars, though.

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 a reasonable amount compared with 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. A 360-degree bird’s eye view camera and park-assist system that allows you to save parking manoeuvres for places you visit regularly so that the car can park there autonomously are included as part of the optional Maxx package. 

LED headlights are fitted as standard and adaptive matrix LED headlights are optional (as part of the Plus package). You can even 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 huge 13in touchscreen positioned high up on the dashboard that’s tilted slightly towards the driver. It’s really easy to see and reach but the software isn't always as responsive as the system in the EV6 or the Tesla Model Y, sometimes taking a moment to load and occasionally crashing. It's not as bad as the system in the ID 4, though.

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 so you don’t need to strain your eyes too hard to find the one you want. The Enyaq has a DAB radio, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and two USB-C sockets up front as standard. Two more USB-C sockets can be added for rear passengers as part of the Clever Package (this is standard on 80 Sportline Plus models). 

The standard eight-speaker stereo sounds very good (there’s not much background noise to contend with, after all). There’s a phone app you can download 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 optional on most versions (as part of the Clever Package) and standard on the Sportline trim.

The quality of the interior is very good for the money. It's slightly more impressive inside than the more expensive Mach-E and ID 4, for example, and roughly on a par with the 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 Lodge trim, the seat covers are made of 40% new wool, which qualifies them for Woolmark approval.

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 too, 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 poky 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 (although if you want even more room in front of your knees, check out the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the Kia EV6). Head room is plentiful, too. Overall, the Enyaq is brilliant for carrying people in the back.

There are loads of other handy features, including phone pockets on the backs of the front seats. If you add the Clever Package, you’ll get sun blinds for the rear windows, folding tray tables and extra-soft rear headrests that feel like pillows when you lean back for a snooze.

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 without turfing out your rear passengers.

The Transport Package also adds some cargo netting and a height-adjustable boot floor, which, when raised, 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 the Plus Package if you want an electric tailgate with gesture control.

If you're looking for a practical runaround and only need to make the occasional long journey, the Enyaq 60 is worth considering. However, given that the 80 version has a much longer range (thanks to its bigger battery) and doesn't cost a huge amount more to buy, it's the one we'd go for.

Besides, even the Enyaq 80 is cheaper than an equivalent Ford Mustang Mach-E or VW ID 4. Resale values are predicted to be strong and the Enyaq is exceptionally cheap to run if you’re a company car driver because it's in a very low benefit-in-kind (BIK) company car tax band.

The Enyaq 60 can charge at speeds of up to 120kW for a 10-80% top-up in around half an hour. The 80 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 Enyaq gets a reasonable amount of standard kit, including dual-zone climate control, 19in alloys, power-folding door mirrors and cruise control. Some of the interior packages include leather seats or attractive cloth alternatives for little extra outlay.

However, you'll very likely want to add at least the Clever Package. It isn't cheap but bundles together adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and various other safety aids and creature comforts. We’d also recommend adding the Transport Package for the height-adjustable boot floor.

The Plus Package is tempting too, but pushes the price up too much to make it recommendable.

Skoda came 13th out of 32 brands in the 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey overall manufacturer league table, ahead of Volkswagen, Ford and Nissan, but behind Hyundai and Kia. The Enyaq itself wasn't included.  

Every Enyaq comes with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty on most parts, but the battery is covered for up to eight years with a 100,000-mile cap. If the battery falls below 70% of its original useable capacity in that time, Skoda will pay to put it 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. Other aids, including blind-spot monitoring, are offered as part of the Clever Package.