Skoda Elroq and Enyaq Select 60

Overview

Skoda’s Elroq and Enyaq electric SUV line-up has expanded in Australia with the arrival of the entry-level Select 60 model, each equipped with smaller batteries.

The Elroq Select 60 – priced at $47,990 before on-road costs – slots into the range below the Select 85 ($54,990 + ORCs) and the outgoing 130 Years Edition ($64,990 + ORCs).

Compared to some of its key rivals, this places the Elroq Select 60 between the Kia EV3 Air Standard Range ($47,600 + ORCs) and the Air Long Range ($53,315 + ORCs), makes it less expensive than a Hyundai Kona Electric (starting from $54,000 + ORCs), but more expensive than a range-topping BYD Atto 3 Premium ($44,990 + ORCs).

As for the larger Enyaq, the Select 60 ($50,990 + ORCs) drops in below the Sportline 85 SUV ($59,990 + ORCs), the Coupe 85 Sportline ($65,990 + ORCs), as well as the incoming RS SUV ($75,490+ ORCs) and Coupe ($76,490) models.

This makes it a little under $8000 less expensive than a Tesla Model Y RWD Single Motor ($58,900 + ORCs), $9000 cheaper than a Volvo EX30 Plus Extended Range ($59,990 + ORCs), and $4000 cheaper than a BYD Sealion 7 Premium RWD (although this model has a significantly larger battery than the Enyaq 60).

Both the Enyaq and Elroq 60 are powered by a rear-mounted electric motor – producing 150kW and 310Nm – sourcing electricity from a 63/59kWh lithium-Ion battery. The battery supports 11kW AC charging and 165kW DC charging, the latter allowing 10 to 80 per cent charges to be completed in approximately 24 minutes.

In the case of the Elroq, this is good for a 0-100km/h in eight seconds and combined WLTP range of 504km. Energy consumption is quoted at 15.86kWh per 100km.

The Enyaq makes the run from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds, has a claimed WLTP range of 410km, and has a claimed energy consumption figure of 16.57kWh per 100km.

Standard exterior features on the Elroq Select 60 include 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights, rear privacy glass, and black roof rails.

Inside, it gets a 13-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, a 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, an eight-speaker sound system, four USB-C ports, ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, fabric and leatherette upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, a driver’s door umbrella, rear centre caddy storage, and centre console jumbo box storage with a removable sunglasses compartment and a tablet holder.

The Enyaq Select 60’s standard exterior features include 19-inch alloy wheels, rear privacy glass, a heat reflecting windscreen, silver roof rails, chrome window frame surrounds, a ‘virtual pedal’ electric tailgate, and LED headlights with range control as well as LED tail-lights and daytime running lights.

Inside it gets the same infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument cluster as the Elroq, wireless phone charging, four USB-C ports, and eight-speaker sound system, ambient lighting, a two-spoke leather steering wheel, cargo fasteners, a luggage net system, rear centre caddy storage, heated front seats, and fabric and leatherette upholstery.

A $6000 Signature back is available for both the Elroq and Enyaq, adding additional features including a heads-up display, roll-up rear window shades, matrix LED headlights with dynamic cornering assist, LED front fog lights with a cornering function and all-weather light, dynamic rear indicator lights, a Canton premium sound system, an illuminated "tech deck”, a power adjustable driver’s seat with memory and massage functions, rear side airbags, and an area view camera.  Larger 20-inch wheels are also available for both cars as a $1000 option.

Both models are equipped with adaptive cruise control with stop and go, a rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors, advanced driver fatigue detection, crew protect assist, front assist, side assist, lane assist with adaptive lane guidance, emergency assist, exit warning, rear traffic alert, traffic jam assist, travel assist, turn assist, and seven airbags as standard.

The Enyaq holds a five-star ANCAP rating carried over from the pre-facelift version. While the Elroq remains unrated by ANCAP, it scored five stars when it was tested by its European sister organisation, Euro NCAP.

When it comes to boot space, Skoda quotes 470 litres with the rear seats up and 1580 litres with the rear seats down in the Elroq. The Enyaq has 585 litres of boot space with the rear seats upright and 1710 litres with them folded.

Both the Elroq and Enyaq are offered with a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and an eight-year, 160,000km battery warranty.

The Elroq and Enyaq are each available with either an eight-year, 120,000km or a 10-year, 150,000km pre-paid service pack priced at $1750 and $1990 respectively, with service intervals every 24 months or 30,000km. 24 months of roadside assistance is activated with each scheduled service.

Driving Impressions

Given the Enyaq and Elroq are made by the same manufacturer, ride on the same platform and use the same powertrain, it’s unsurprising that both cars share very similar characteristics.

In the front row, they’re essentially indistinguishable with the same dashboard, infotainment system and the immediate touchpoints are made of the same materials. This is hardly a bad thing though, as Skoda gets it right in both vehicles.

The touchscreen is crisp and easy to navigate, aided by the intuitive physical buttons, allowing for easy access functions such as the air conditioning controls, ADAS, and drive mode selections.

While some may miss the leatherette dashboard appointment found in the Elroq 130 Years Edition and the Enyaq Sportline for instance, the fabric and plastic surfaces feel fairly pleasant.

The immediately available amenities and storage options are also useful, including the wireless phone charger and the cleared out space beneath the dashboard.

Visibility is excellent in both as the bonnet doesn’t obscure your view forward, the a-pillars are thin, and the front windows each extend beyond the front of the wing mirrors.

Both models excel in backseat space, with impressive amounts of knee room and headroom. Backseat amenities are also strong, with passengers having access to a centre folding armrest with cupholders, rear air vents, rear centre caddy storage, and two USB-C ports.

The first vehicle we drove on the Select 60’s local launch was the Enyaq, specifically on a mix of urban streets and twisting backroads through Sydney’s Royal National Park.

During our time behind the wheel, the Enyaq provided a quiet, comfortable experience while also proving itself to be very dynamically capable.

While not receiving Skoda’s dynamic chassis control adaptive suspension system, the Enyaq’s suspension tuning is very well-balanced. It has a touch of European firmness, but not to the point of feeling crashy while not feeling too soft or floaty either.

It’s also very quiet while on the move, with little in the way of intrusive wind or tyre noise to report.

Through the corners, the Enyaq is incredibly well sorted. The steering is progressive and direct and its body control is also impressively tidy.

The Enyaq Select 60 isn’t marketed as a performance car – the incoming RS model gets those honours – but it’s still a quick car.

It benefits from immediate throttle response – an EV hallmark – and while the Select 60 has the lowest outputs of the Enyaq range, it builds speed quickly and dispatches slower traffic equally so.

Like the rest of the Enyaq range, the brake pedal has a disconcerting sponginess to it. It’s not dangerous by any means, but the amount of travel in the initial part of the pedal means you’ll sometimes find yourself making an additional brake pedal application on top of what you thought you initially needed. However, you do get used to it after a while.

During our time with the Enyaq, it recorded an energy consumption figure of 15.4kWh per 100km.

Our Elroq drive time was spent first on motorways and faster B-roads, then on a shorter drive loop containing urban sections and country roads.

When GoAuto reviewed the Select 85 and 130 Years Edition Skoda Elroq in September last year, we found the ride to be too harsh, with a setup that seemed to prioritise cornering ability over comfort.

The Elroq Select 60 is just as capable dynamically as the Enyaq, and with the same powertrain, it’s just as quick too.

However, our experience with the ride seemed to be better this time around, perhaps due to the Select 60’s lighter weight compared to the 85 models.

Particularly low quality surfaces will expose the weaknesses in its ride, but the Elroq Select 60 delivered a much more comfortable experience on this occasion than its larger-battery equivalents.

As for the rest of the experience, there’s a little bit of wind noise at higher speeds but aside from that it's reasonably quiet. Like the Enyaq, the Elroq occasionally suffers from a similarly spongy brake pedal feel, but, again, you get used to it after a while.

During our first stint with the Elroq, it returned 19.1kWh per 100km, while on the second drive loop it posted 18.3kWh per 100km.

The ADAS tuning in both cars is sensibly non-intrusive yet helpful when it needs to be. The adaptive cruise control works as expected and lane centring interventions are light, for instance. However, the lack of traffic sign recognition and the absence of an area view camera as standard were noted as omissions.

When it comes to regen’ braking, both cars have two levels: the standard ‘D’ mode along with the stronger ‘B’ mode, each selectable via the shifter. ‘B’ generates noticeable stopping force while not being uncomfortable to use.

Overall, the Elroq and Enyaq Select 60 are a pair of stylish, comfortable SUVs with well-sorted driving experiences. If you can stomach the drop in driving range compared to the rest of their respective line-ups, the Elroq and Enyaq’s respective entry-level price tags make these two models even more compelling.