Skoda Elroq first-drive review

You can think of the Elroq as a slightly shorter and more affordable version of the popular Skoda Enyaq. Skoda hasn’t messed around – it wanted to give the Elroq the most spacious cabin possible, so the Elroq actually shares its wheelbase (more or less) with the bigger Enyaq. The Elroq is 4.48m long – 20cm shorter than the Enyaq – but the vast majority of the shrinkage has come from the boot.

There are no un-camouflaged photos of the Elroq yet, but you can expect a bit of a diversion from the Skoda norm. There’s no round ‘winged arrow’ badge anywhere on the car, instead you’ll find ‘Skoda’ written in block capitals – likewise on the steering wheel. The Elroq also marks the debut of Skoda’s new ‘modern solid’ design language, which includes a wide black ‘tech deck’ face, somewhat reminiscent of Vauxhall’s visor grille. 

The Elroq’s ‘tech deck’ hides a litany of sensors and cameras, and can be specced with an illuminated pattern that mimics a traditional Skoda grille. LED daytime running lights sit in strips above LED headlights, which are upgraded to matrix LED headlights on higher-spec models, gaining the ability to block out other cars from their beam patterns.

You’ll be able to get the Elroq with a range of wheel sizes, ranging from 19 inches up to 21s. Skoda's added some wheel-arch cladding to improve aerodynamics – it reckons they give you an extra 2.5 miles of range when driving at 70mph.

Through the camouflage, the back end of the Elroq appears more traditional, with taillights that seem to be a direct copy from the Enyaq.

In terms of cabin space, the Elroq seems to get a copy of the Enyaq’s dashboard, with a 13-inch infotainment screen and small five-inch driver’s display. Back-seat space is brilliant and, while the 470-litre boot may be 51 litres down on a petrol Karoq, it’s still a big load area with some clever features that we’ll get on to in the practicality section.

Three battery sizes will be offered in the Elroq, with the largest offering range of up to 348 miles of range, while a selection of rear-drive motor options start from 170hp and stretch to a top-spec dual-motor version topping out at 300hp. 

Our initial impressions are that the Elroq drives much like the Enyaq – it’s set up for cruising and comfort rather than razor-sharp handling, but that’s exactly what most people want from a family SUV. We'll reserve final judgement until we've driven a production-ready example and have seen the UK prices. For now though, we're impressed.

We’re not allowed to show you the Elroq’s interior yet, but we can tell you about it. The Elroq’s cabin will be very familiar if you’ve seen the inside of an Enyaq. Depending on trim level, the dash can be covered in soft-touch recycled fabrics, and on all models it’s dominated by the latest Volkswagen Group 13-inch infotainment screen. It’s fast, sharp and easy to use, and built-in wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mean you don’t have to use Skoda’s own software if you don’t want to – although it’s perfectly good. We’d have liked to see physical climate controls in the Elroq but, instead, you’re left with permanently displayed temperature icons at the bottom corners of the touchscreen.

Behind the steering wheel, you’ll find a five-inch colour screen that shows your speed, lane-keep assist and cruise control settings, as well as battery charge and range indicators. There’s a head-up display on the options list too, which uses augmented reality to overlay directions and also visual warnings when you wander out of your lane.

A single wireless charging pad is also present – it's ventilated and can fast-charge at 15W. A pair of 45W USB-Cs is also on hand if you want to really bump up your phone’s charge before your next stop.

The cabin feels plush and solidly built and, for the first time on a Skoda, you can spec the Elroq with bright orange seat belts… should you wish.

We sent our 6’3” test dummy to Amsterdam to try the Elroq, and he had no problems whatsoever getting into any of the Elroq’s five seats. Headroom in the back is generous, as is kneeroom and foot room. The rear-middle seat’s just about wide enough for comfort, and there’s not much of a hump in the middle of the floor. 

There’s tonnes of storage in the cabin. We like the felt-lined doorbins up front, though it’s a shame to see Skoda’s fluffy fabric budget expired by the time the bean-counters got to the ones in the back doors – so stuff will rattle around in the rear stowage.

The Elroq’s 470-litre boot is a decent shape and size, and Skoda’s invented a new ‘simply clever’ item – a strong net under the parcel shelf which can hold 3kg, and is designed to keep your charging lead in a handy place, but also out of the way of your cargo. The parcel shelf itself is adjustable, and can be dropped down to form a shelf in the middle of the boot. 

As on the Enyaq, the traditional Skoda ice scraper is tucked into the left-hand-side of the bootlid, and there’s an umbrella stowed in the driver’s door.

If Skoda’s IKEA-like obsession with clever storage solutions gets too baffling, you can scan a QR code on the right-hand side of the boot to see video tutorials for the various systems. 

The Elroq comes with three battery sizes from launch, with useable sizes of 52kWh, 59kWh or 77kWh – with the top-spec battery being the one to pick if you want that 348-mile claimed range. All can charge from 10% to 80% to under 28 miles, with fast charging of 175kW on top-spec models.

Skoda hasn’t released range figures for all models yet but, in terms of power outputs, the entry-level Elroq 50 gets a 52kWh battery with a 170hp motor, the Elroq 60 gets a slightly bigger 59kWh battery with about 204hp, then the Elroq 85 and dual-motor 85x get the 77kWh battery. The 85 packs about 290hp, while the 85x gets 300hp.

Setting out on the streets around Amsterdam in a heavily camouflaged Elroq 85, it’s instantly apparent that it’s set up for comfort and refinement as opposed to having any sporting pretensions – just like the Enyaq. Over cobbled streets, the Elroq’s ride is pretty soft, with only bigger bumps making their presence felt in the cabin.

Once past a few canals, windmills and stroopwafels, a short bit of dual-carriageway driving showed how the Elroq doesn’t let much wind or tyre noise into the cabin – perhaps the result of Skoda’s work to make this car as aerodynamic as possible – its 0.26 coefficient of drag matches the Enyaq exactly.

The 290hp motor setup punches you away from the lights with plenty of vigour, but the accelerator mapping has a soft edge, so you’re never going to snap your passengers’ heads back with a sudden burst of acceleration. The gearshift paddles behind the steering wheel let you adjust the level of regenerative braking you get when you lift off the accelerator, and can bring the car to a full stop if set accordingly.

Skoda’s nailed the basics in terms of making the Elroq a car that’ll fit into your life as easily as an air fryer and breaded chicken subscription service. The steering is light and accurate, while visibility is mostly good with the caveat that the rear pillars of the car are thick and do restrict the view over your shoulder somewhat.

Given that our drive was on a mix of urban roads and dual carriageways, questions still remain about the Elroq’s handling when the going gets twisty but, so far, it feels like another sensible electric Skoda that’s been developed to fit into family life just about perfectly. Check back for a full review of the final production version later in 2024.