The first “from the ground up” electric car designed and produced by the Skoda automobile company in Mladá Boleslav shows the direction. The concern made it clear – electricity is the future and we will put everything into it. So far, he is fulfilling what he set out to a large extent, and Skoda Auto, as an important part of the concern, cannot remain on the sidelines.
A few years ago, Skoda flashed its small, inexpensive electric car CitigoE iV. The success of this little guy (in our country also thanks to subsidies at the time) excited many, and his end pissed off even more people. Such a favorable purchase of an electric car will not be here for a long time, and even the new Enyaq iV will not do anything about it.
Enyaq is in a completely different category – segmentally, price-wise and also technologically. It is the latest generation of electric car, built on the MEB platform, on which VW wants to build most of its electric cars. It currently produces 9 different “trams” of the concern, and another 6 models are planned for the near future. At the moment, however, the Enyaq is the only electric car on this platform that is not manufactured in Germany. This also testifies to the good position that Skoda Auto has in this concern.
I like that the electric novelty from Skoda is going its own, new way. It is not a classic SUV in shape like the Kodiaq , but rather a futuristic “something” between an MPV and a station wagon with huge wheels (not so much in the tested version, but the Enyaq with 21″ wheels is on the road like a revelation from the future). However, the proportions are balanced, there are a lot of moldings and curves, but at least they break up the mass of sheet metal, which would otherwise appear too bulky. In terms of design, the Enyaq is much closer to me than its twin in the form of the VW ID.4.
Enyaq came to the market in two performance variants. We currently have an offer with three different batteries and up to four power levels. Here we have the basic version with 109kW of power and a 51kWh battery for a range of 362km, according to the WLTP measurement methodology. For a range of 413 km, you have to reach for a 58 kWh battery and a motor with a power of 132 kW, and with a 77 kWh battery (tested version) with a range of 536 km WLTP, you get a power of 150 kW. The highlight of the offer is also the 77kWh battery with 195kW (albeit only for 30 seconds and when meeting special conditions for temperature and the like…), bi-electric motorization and therefore 4×4 drive. The price of the lowest version called Skoda Enyaq iV50 starts at €36,750, and the price of the currently tested iV 80 starts at €49,610.
You can pay extra for the highest performance and quad bike at Enyaq, and there we are already moving beyond the €51,880 limit without additional packages. There is an even more expensive variant in the SportLine version, which is actually the same, only tuned to a sporty touch (reduction of axles, cosmetic modifications and accessories). A single-speed transmission takes care of the transmission of power from the electric motor to the wheels. Max. the speed of all versions is limited to 160 km/h, the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is around 8.5 to 8.7 seconds, and the most powerful Enyaq starts from 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds.
The versions also differ in the maximum power of fast charging, which is 100 kW or 125 kW for the stronger version. The on-board charger has a power of 11 kW and (when charging via a three-phase socket) you can charge both cars practically overnight with it in both versions. However, it will take several tens of hours on a regular 230V outlet, so a three-phase outlet or wallbox is a must, as with all electric cars with a battery over 40 kWh.
As can be seen from the performance parameters, Enyaq is not an electric car that will hit the seats. It is tuned for maximum comfort and maximum range, and this face fits it best. It is a comfortable family car with which you don’t have to worry about traveling even on relatively long distances. All the usual Simply Clever goodies from Skoda, such as an umbrella in the door, a window scraper on the tank cap (or if I’m correct – the cover of the charging connector?), hooks and dividers in the luggage compartment and the like, will also please you.
The car does not deny the practicality of a family vehicle. The spacious interior can easily accommodate five passengers, who always have plenty of space. They also have enough space for their luggage, 585 liters as standard. A minor disappointment is the infotainment system, which deserves a bit faster response and also freezes twice while driving. However, this can all be fine-tuned with a software update. Otherwise, the screen with a diagonal of 33 cm is the dominant feature of the interior, it has fine graphics and many functions. Smartphone mirroring using a wireless connection to Apple CarPlay or AndroidAuto is a matter of course. In Enyaq, we can also find a virtual assistant, Laura, who understands Czech and can send a lot of commands and requests to her. So, those who like to chat with artificial intelligence can give Enyaq a virtual point of good.
Compared to the megalomaniacal infotainment, you will have to get used to the practically miniature chapel of the dashboard. However, this can be done very quickly and you won’t be bothered by any alarms anyway, because we have a great HUD projected on the windshield, which also supports so-called “augmented reality” and beautifully marks the vehicles in front of you, demarcates the road in turns, and displays navigation instructions exactly to the place where it is necessary to turn or change lanes and similar gadgets of the modern age.
From me, as an opponent of assistance systems, it may sound comical, but I would like to highlight a very well-tuned autonomous driving system. Although it does not reach the level of Tesla, etc., in its category it is such a small miracle that works. And the word works is important for these systems. As well as reliability, because not once did Enyaq make a mistake that could be evaluated as dangerous. He always warns about everything in advance and if he can’t give advice, he tries to save the situation as much as possible. It can pass a roundabout with ease (if you have the navigation enabled and with an exit), sharper turns where it slows down to the optimal speed and even some of our beautiful 1st-class roads that do not have shoulders or medians are not a problem lines. They won here in Škodovka and tuned it to perfection for a very long time. Virtual thumbs up…
When driving about 200 km (city, county, highway in a ratio of 30/40/30) in winter with the heating on, the vehicle consumed an average of 26.4 kWh/100 km. However, if you do not intend to spend time with the electric car exclusively on German highways, you do not have to worry about a range of less than 350 km in almost all situations. And with a little experience, it is not a problem to go over 400 km even in this weather. Of course, it is not the declared 500-536 km, but with an electric car, we must always take into account the season and the load on the vehicle. However, it is always better than the sad ranges of some quasi-electric cars, built on converted combustion car platforms.
And now let’s go to what worries almost everyone, potential ecologically and economically minded buyers. Enyaq’s biggest weakness remains its price. Although the car starts at easily over €36,000, the tested version already goes well over €50, and we still don’t have the highest performance. Enyaq suddenly jumps from the “family car” category to a significantly more expensive, more luxurious SUV.
However, comparison with direct competition is not easy. The Enyaq iV is probably the closest to the outgoing Kia e-Niro, both in terms of concept and equipment. Then we have the Tesla Model Y, but it is a bit different in terms of price and concept. However, the pricing policy is apparently set correctly, as Skoda Auto has already successfully sold tens of thousands of Enyaqs in Europe.
It is quite clear that the majority of Skoda customers look down on the Enyaq, precisely because of the electric drive and out of fear of too much technology. It will not please even orthodox petrolheads and lovers of conservatism on wheels. And for transporting building materials and things to the cottage, the “Octáfka fkombíku” will probably be better. However, this does not change the fact that the Enyaq will definitely find its loyal customers, and the fact is that this car is simply a harbinger of the future of individual transport, whatever your opinion on electromobility…
