Skoda Enyaq interior, tech and practicality

If you’ve ever bought or sat in a Skoda, it’s usually fairly clear that the materials are a bit cheaper and scratchier than in the equivalent Volkswagen. Not so in the Enyaq – yes, there are some hard plastics here and there, but there are also a lot more considered details than in the Volkswagen ID.4, for example. The fabric dash insert really lifts the ambiance of the car, and makes it feel wide and spacious.

We also love the floating metal door handles, the crystal-effect air vent controls and the two-spoke steering wheel that have graced other recent Skodas. There’s metal-effect trim across the dash and doors, and configurable ambient lighting to illuminate night-time drives.

One thing we’ve noticed is that the standard grey upholstery – the ‘Loft’ theme – can pick up stains quite easily, so it might be worth investing in some upholstery protection to keep it looking its best.

Other choices include Suite, with black leather and brown stitching – Lounge, with a mix of leather and suede – and EcoSuite with brown leather tanned using olive leaves.

Surprisingly, the Skoda also takes points off the ID.4 in terms of usability. A handy ledge to rest your wrist on when using the touchscreen is built into the dash, there’s a proper panel of window switches – unlike the VW’s confusing ones – and still some physical buttons to press. The Enyaq also gets a really useful space under the centre console, which is shaped to store two phones side-by-side. This area is home to the wireless phone charger on some models.

Every Enyaq boasts two-zone climate control, LED lighting for the front, rear and interior, plus rear parking sensors, lane-keep assist and auto wipers.

Move up to the 80 battery and you get front parking sensors, a rear-view camera and a heated steering wheel. Then, there’s the standalone Sportline trim, with an exclusive interior theme, 20-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlights and carbon-fibre-effect trim.

Newer cars get a reversing camera as standard – which addresses one of our frustrations with earlier cars. Find an Edition trim and adaptive cruise control and heated seats are among the bits added to the kit list, and they’re both desirable for a car like this. Our entry-level 60 test car had £5,000 worth of optional extras added, at which point the Enyaq doesn’t look such good value.

At the other end of the range, there’s now an L&K luxury model and the racy vRS if you’re happy to spend a bit more on your Skoda. Both get exclusive upholstery changes and Skoda’s Crystal Face light-up grille panel.

Also fitted as standard is a vast 13-inch freestanding touchscreen, kitted out with built-in sat nav, Bluetooth, DAB radio and Skoda Connect remote services. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is also included on every Enyaq.

The screen can be frustratingly slow to load at times, especially when you get in the car and want to get going. However, once the processor’s had its Weetabix, the screen is really good to use. The wrist rest and big icons make it easy to hit the intended button on the move, and the huge amount of screen real estate means there’s plenty of room to show lots of information simultaneously.

Most of the submenus are intuitive to find and to use – more so than VW and SEAT models with a similar system – although it takes a few too many taps and a few too many looks away from the road to disengage the driver assistance systems.

Accompanying the massive screen is a small digital driver’s display. Looking like it’s just peeping out from the dashboard, the screen isn’t very configurable but it is cleverly designed, giving you all the important information at a glance. The white-on-black layout of both screens makes them easy to read in any light.

Those in the back are treated just as well as those in the front – there’s an impressive amount of legroom and headroom, and plenty of space to slide your feet under the front seats. Unlike some electric cars, the floor isn’t so high that your knees are almost under your chin.

There’s room for three adults to sit next to each other across the back row, and the Enyaq’s electric-only platform enables a flat floor – so there’s less need to fight for foot space. We’ve even found that the Enyaq is wide enough to allow an adult to sit between two child seats in the back, which might be an important consideration if you have very young children – or if older ones need to be kept apart.

The Enyaq is very family-friendly. It’s easy to get children in and out, and you get three sets of Isofix points – the third being on the front passenger seat – as standard. Optionally, you can also add tray tables, sunblinds and rear USB sockets.

Under the retractable load cover, the Enyaq offers a big boot – as we’ve come to expect from Skoda. The 585-litre space is one of the biggest of any electric SUV, and it’s a long, wide and flat space. Really useful, in other words. There’s not much of a load lip to haul big items over, but there is a false floor available on the options list to flatten the lip out.

The Enyaq is more than practical enough for family life. It’ll swallow a week’s worth of holiday luggage with ease, even if you need to take prams and kids’ bikes along for the ride. The square body means there’s plenty of space above the load cover, too, for those times when you’re fully loaded up.

Under the boot you’ll find a deep storage area that’s big enough to store a couple of charging cables, keeping the boot free for luggage. Its location might be a little frustrating if you have a full boot, but the side pockets in the boot are also big enough for a charging cable.

Further forward, the glovebox should be bigger but, overall, there’s a lot of storage space in the Enyaq. Another advantage of the electric powertrain is that there’s space under the centre console for a large, semi-hidden storage area. The door bins are big, there’s a phone tray with space for two devices, and cupholders with a movable middle bit to accommodate different sized drinks. And, don’t forget Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ add-ins, such as the car park ticket clip on the windscreen and the umbrella in the driver’s door.