Skoda Enyaq iV or The first proper "Czech" electric car that surprised in many ways
Electrification is moving forward and by 2035 the sale or production of cars with combustion engines should be virtually impossible, which largely affects the portfolio of almost all global car companies, which are churning out one electrified model after another. This is also the case with the "Czech brand" Škoda Auto, which reportedly wants to have up to four fully electric models by 2035. The Enyaq is the very first, unless you count the electrified Citigo. Will this electric car stand a better chance of getting the often conservative Czechs behind the wheel of electric cars? That remains to be seen!
Imaginative design
I really liked the Enyaq when I first saw the pictures and I applaud the designers for their work. Despite the attractive design, the Enyaq remains a very practical car. It is a giant family car with a 580 litre boot. The car is pleasantly wide inside too, giving you plenty of room to sit comfortably. Although I'm long-winded, I never felt cramped inside the Enyaq.
What caught my eye at first glance was the extended lollipop at the front of the car that clears the air in front of the car. The majestic front grille will "wow" you with its look, let alone when you opt for its illumination ("Crystal Face") as an option, where the grille literally takes on the appearance of crystal thanks to the illumination of 130 LEDs. At night, this creates a unique light signature that no one can miss.
The wheels also look very good, as they are mostly filled in to avoid excess air circulation. Especially with an electric car, any excess air turbulence needs to be avoided and the design is often influenced by this requirement. The main role in this is, of course, to maximise the range of the electric car and minimise the need to charge it. It is also for this reason that EVs often have very rounded, minimalist shapes, which is not the case with the Enyaq. In this respect, Skoda is going a bit against the grain.
Electromobility as the future? Some are sceptical, others see it as the only wayPhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Alexandry Šnaid
Like the new Skoda Fabia, Octavia or Superb, the Enyaq's shapes are rather sharper and more broken. In this respect, it doesn't copy other electric cars at all. I have to say that the car is balanced in every way - although it is big, it doesn't feel like a clumsy giant, and although it is practical, it is not boring at all. Admittedly, the piece I tested wasn't exactly eccentric, and I personally would have opted for a more distinctive design, but you can choose an Enyaq like that too. Take a look at the picture below, for example, for the Sportline version. I think it's really very sexy!
Skoda Enyaq in Sportline iV versionPhoto: Foto: Škoda Auto
Cosy and timeless interior
It's one thing to have a beautiful design and it's understandable that you have to like a car to get one, but the other half of the decision is influenced by the feeling you get when you get in the car. This is where Skoda literally has aces up its sleeve with the Enyaq. The interior is timeless, well crafted and in my opinion really beautiful. It is dominated by a gigantic 13-inch display that has rich colours, is easy to read and features hilarious graphics as well. It's balanced by an unobtrusive but well-functioning instrument panel. Overall, the displays blend nicely into the dash and the user experience is very user-friendly. And whenever you don't know what to do, the voice assistant will help you out by hearing "Okay, Laura!" on command. I just keep asking myself who's supposed to remember all those names... Laura... Siri... I get confused sometimes. :)
It's worth mentioning that those opposed to touch can also look forward to a couple of hardware controls, but you won't find, for example, climate or driving assist controls in this version, and you'll also look in vain for the rotary dial for volume control (although one rotary dial is located on the multifunction steering wheel in our case). On the dashboard, volume selection is handled by a touch-sensitive slider that you slide your finger left or right to add or subtract volume. Fortunately, it works very well, so there's no need to worry about any problems. There are plenty of charging connectors for your other devices, as well as storage compartments to put them in. If the space in your car or boot isn't enough, there's even a towbar that can hold a maximum of 1000kg for a braked trailer and 750kg for an unbraked trailer.
I really like the sharp lines of the car, to which the taillights with dynamic directional lights fit beautifullyPhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Alexandry Šnaid
Strong and agile at the same time
The rear-wheel-drive Enyaq offers 150 kW (204 hp) and a maximum torque of 310 Nm. Of course, it doesn't pull on the road like, say, the Porsche Taycan, which was one of the last EVs I tested, but I wouldn't expect something like this from the Enyaq. It's a cool and practical car that can also be properly stylish. However, if you'd like to do a bit of work occasionally and want an even more nimble car, you can reach for the top-of-the-range ENYAQ iV 80x with its 195 kW (262 hp) electric motor.
However, for me, the Skoda Enyaq is set up more for a comfortable ride, which is further enhanced by a very comfortable chassis. The steady response to the driver's instructions also adds to the comfort, making the vehicle feel very confident on the road. And you'll enjoy a great silence in the interior while you're driving. The only thing you hear is the quiet hum of the electric motor.
The Enyaq is very easy to drive and I really enjoyed driving it on the predictive adaptive cruise control that is part of the Assisted Driving 2.0, which integrates several other systems and features. Linking them together makes the car even easier to control. Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control also recognises signs and speed limits in the navigation system and can adjust the speed even before bends and roundabouts. There's also adaptive lane keeping, which can keep the car in the middle of the lane. I tested the car primarily in the Prague area, and in this case the collision assist was also great, allowing the car to brake and turn in a way that follows other vehicles in the convoy.
Plenty of "juice" even on longer journeys
The model I tested had a larger battery capacity of 82 kWh. There is also a smaller 62 kWh variant, but if you want the most practical car, I definitely recommend the higher battery capacity. The official figures talk about the range of the 80 to 534 km version (according to WLTP), but if you really try hard, you can manage a maximum of 450 km on a single charge, which is also a very nice result. For the version with the smaller battery capacity, the official range figure is 411 km (WLTP).
During the test, I was running at around 17 kWh/100 km, and I was driving both in city traffic and on the highway, where consumption naturally increased proportionally. However, even on longer routes you don't have to worry, because you can recharge up to 125 kW and you can get to 80% capacity in about 40 minutes. I, for example, travelled from Prague to Olomouc, and it was enough to set off with a fully charged battery and still have enough power left as a reserve. I stayed in a hotel with EV charging facilities, recharged overnight and in the morning I was good to go. My point is that life with an electric car is not a chore, you just need to put some thought and planning into your trip. With the expanding infrastructure, I believe that life with EVs will get more convenient every year.
The interior of the car looks stunningPhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Alexandry Šnaid
In addition, I must say that such a half-hour rest at a petrol station is certainly not a bad thing, on the contrary, it contributes to driving safety. Personally, however, I am looking forward to the development of the infrastructure for electric cars, because it is true that there are not so many really fast chargers in the Czech Republic yet, most of them offer a power of "only" 50 kW.
A few words in conclusion
The first real electric car from Skoda really surprised me very pleasantly and I hope I will have the opportunity to try the Sportline version. It is no wonder that the Škoda Enyaq iV has won the prestigious Golden Steering Wheel 2021 automotive award, which the readers of the German trade magazine Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag helped it to win. But that's not the only award. The Enyaq also impressed on its debut at the "Red Dot" awards, winning the prestigious award for outstanding product design. The international expert jury was particularly impressed by the emotional and expressive design. I am not an "expert jury", but I have been enjoying cars for some time now and I know that the Enyaq has left a very good impression on me and I will remember it for a long time to come. I hope we haven't seen the last of each other!
