Review: Skoda's new EV Elroq takes aim at Chinese rivals
The Skoda Elroq could be the right vehicle for EV buyers who want a new car that won't give them the sh**ts.
This all-new midsize SUV competes with a whole host of models from China, and many of those offer a number of frustrating features that may grow tiresome, but this car – on first impression – is a different kind of machine.
The Elroq is smaller than Skoda's other EV, t he Enyaq, by a fair margin, but shares the same wheelbase and electronic architecture, including the same big 82kWh NMC battery pack that promises a huge 529km of EV driving range in mixed situations, and a staggering 660km in city driving.
It starts at approximately $59,000 drive-away for the entry-level '85' model, and it scores a decent array of standard equipment including LED lights, 19-inch wheels, proximity keyless entry, a 13-inch media screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel, auto-folding heated side mirrors with dimming, an umbrella in the door (so Skoda!), and you also get a Mode 3 charging cable included.
The more highly specified Edition 130 (celebrating 130 years of Skoda) is a $10,000 premium, but adds 21-inch wheels, matrix LED headlights, and dynamic indicators, an electric boot lid, an auto-parking system, 360-degree surround-view camera, and power adjustable front seats with memory and massage settings, a head-up display with augmented reality, and a 12-speaker stereo.
Plus it gets a specific interior trim that looks terrific.
I didn't get a chance to test both versions during my early drive of a pre-production model, but what was evident is that the Czech-built electric SUV is a complete feeling package when it comes to driving.
Smooth and punchy power delivery (0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds), and rear-wheel drive underpinnings mean this is a bit more dynamic and joyful to drive than some front-wheel-drive rivals, and it hustles when you plant your foot.
It also steers delightfully, and while the ride comfort seemed good at Luddenham Raceway, it remains to be seen if the stiff underbody and 21-inch wheels with low-profile tyres are a commute-friendly combo.
The cabin treatment is familiar from the new-gen Skoda line-up, and that's a promising thing. The big centrally-mounted screen will take some learning, but I like the way Skoda doesn't have another massive screen in front of the driver, rather there's just a 5.5-inch display with speedo and a bit of configurability.
The high-grade model with the heads-up display (HUD) will also be able to project Apple Maps directions in augmented reality onto the windscreen, which is a cool bit of tech.
The seats are comfortable and, being an eco-focused model, they're trimmed in recycled materials.
The central part is repurposed fishnets (presumably from fishing, not stockings!), and there are other parts made from recycled PET plastic bottles.
In the second-row there's a family-friendly amount of space, with head and legroom easily accommodating someone six-foot tall and half as wide. Amenities include three-zone climate control, USB-C ports with 45W output (enough to charge a laptop!) and plenty of clever pockets and hidey holes, not to mention a centre-mounted ski-port.
The boot is another exercise in practicality, with an adjustable parcel cover with hidden storage nets underneath, great for putting your cables so you don't have to lift up the boot floor. Loads of hooks for bags and compartmentalised storage options mean it lives up to Skoda's mantra of being 'simply clever'.
Indeed it is a simpler, cleverer electric SUV than many rivals, based on my early impressions. Well worth a look if that's the sort of EV that you're looking for.
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