- What an electric ride!
The past few weeks have been filled with negative news about E-cars. Apparently, especially German models are hardly being bought, causing the automotive industry to suffer greatly. This is not entirely true. While the sales of electric vehicles are indeed decreasing in 13 European countries, German car manufacturers remain in demand. In 2023, two products from the Volkswagen empire, the VW ID.4 and the Enyaq, a model from the Czech subsidiary Skoda, followed Tesla's Models Y and 3 in the EU sales statistics.
The Enyaq has become the most popular electric car among Germans
The Enyaq (supposed to sound a bit Irish and mean "source of life"), introduced in 2021, became a shooting star in Germany. Last fall, the SUV built in Mlada Boleslav was temporarily the second most popular electric car in Germany in terms of registrations. In the first half of 2024, it continued to rank stably among the top three. A reason for this: For the 2024 model year, the Czechs have revised the car. They focused less on optics and more on efficiency. The aerodynamics have been optimized, and the drive train and electric motors have been brought up to the latest technological standards. The Enyaq is said to be a small electric car miracle, as rumored internally.
My family is excited. Because now the new one with the designation Enyaq 85x Sportline 4x4 is standing as a test car in front of our door. It's quite chic, we all agree immediately. The paint is called Velvet-Rot Premium Metallic, but it costs a shameless 660 euros extra. Without surcharge, the car is only delivered in a somewhat lackluster "Energy-Blue". But the red is so striking that several passers-by enthusiastically address us during the test. It's a shame that not even six percent of Germans buy red cars - three quarters are gray, black or white. Our dilapidated streets could at least be more colorful!
An SUV that doesn't come across as massive
The body of the test Enyaq stands on 21-inch light metal wheels, giving the car an imposing presence. However, it is not really massive in terms of technical dimensions, so SUV critics can calm down. At 4.65 meters in length, it is shorter than a 3 Series BMW, and at 1.62 meters in height, it is as tall as a Golf Plus. But it offers plenty of interior space for passengers, thanks to the perfected MEB platform from the electric drive kit of the VW group. Behind the driver (1.91 meters), the son (1.95 meters) has plenty of room, with a fist's width of space between his knees and the front seat.
Our longest test route leads from Cologne to Hermagor in Carinthia, Austria. We start at 6:30 am. We have to make a detour via Koblenz to pick up our son and his girlfriend. In total, we have exactly 950 kilometers ahead of us that day. I have created a charging plan in advance using my phone. The navigation system of the Enyaq is reliable, but not tailored to my needs. I can't set it to only consider Tesla Supercharger in automatic charging planning, for example. There, the electricity is cheap and there are almost always free charging points. Only Ionity charging stations (Ionity belongs to VW, among others) can be selected, but even then, the navigation system strangely looks for what it wants first. Only when you want to change a charging station later, it exclusively suggests Ionity. Annoying because cumbersome. Skoda should take a look at app providers like ElectricRoutes, they can do that. Fortunately, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work perfectly in the Enyaq, so you can comfortably route with apps like Maps, Waze or Google Maps.
Charging goes faster than drinking coffee
I calculated that the best places to charge in Weibersbrunn, Schweitendorf, and again in Austria's Spittal an der Drau. To reassure all range anxiety sufferers who might hyperventilate at such distances, it worked out excellent. There were no problems despite the holiday season. None of the passengers felt that the charging stops were a loss of comfort. In fact, after around 300 kilometers, at least one bladder was pressing or coffee cravings were kicking in. About 20 minutes of charging, with the Enyaq sometimes sucking at over 180 kW, would have been sufficient each time, according to our plan. That's less than the time fossil fuel cars had to wait at the highway pumps and cash registers, where incredibly long lines had formed that day. We always stayed longer voluntarily to enjoy coffee and snacks at leisure, so the battery would fill up to at least 90 percent.
All Enyaqs come with an 82 kWh lithium-ion battery, of which 77 kWh can be used (the rest is safety reserve). When we left the Schweitenkirchen rest area after 598 kilometers, the average consumption including charging losses was just under 20 kWh. On the highway at around 25 degrees Celsius, we could travel 385 kilometers on a single battery charge. That's an excellent value for a 2.2-ton vehicle carrying four adults and a lot of luggage, which had to battle through heavy rain for the first 100 kilometers. The route from the Rhineland also tended to go half a kilometer uphill, where we glided along at 130 km/h whenever possible. By the way, that was also our travel speed with internal combustion engines in the past. On the way back, we didn't even consume 17.5 kWh per 100 kilometers. A gasoline Golf would have consumed around 62 kWh. Impressive.
The massage seat is rather uninspired
The interior is high-quality and well-processed. Hard plastic is only found in the lower regions, with other surfaces being softly padded and designed. Decorative stitching adds elegance, and the sports seats provide excellent support. However, the massage function in the driver's seat is rather uninspired – unfortunately. The technology kneads the lower back for ten minutes in a rather unmotivated way. Those who have tried modern massage seats in premium competitors like the VW ID.7, where you can choose from extensive programs, will likely be disappointed by the Enyaq version.
On the other hand, the core functions are truly outstanding. Using school grades: Driving dynamics: 1. Ride comfort: 1. Driving noise: 1-. Air conditioning: 1-. Seat comfort: 1-. Canton sound system: 2+. Multimedia system: 2. Assistance systems: 2+. Battery management: 2+: The battery is brought to the ideal temperature automatically or manually to achieve the highest charging efficiency even in winter.
The adaptive cruise control thinks two kilometers ahead
On the road, the assistance systems work reliably even in chaotic construction sites. After just a few kilometers, you can confidently hand over control to them. The "Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control" is not easily fooled. A radar sensor is mounted at the front of the car, a camera reads traffic signs, and the exact position is determined via GPS. Additionally, the on-board computer continuously processes information from detailed street maps. According to Škoda, the system can calculate the next one to two kilometers in advance and start planning.
The lane-keeping assist works flawlessly, especially when you know how tricky it can be with the competition (like our private Chinese MG4). The Enyaq maintains a steady lane automatically, reduces speed when necessary before curves, and maintains a set safety distance from the vehicle ahead without any jerking. It can move independently in traffic up to 60 km/h. It watches out for oncoming traffic when turning and crossing traffic when parking. If needed, it will brake on its own after warning signals. This saves both nerves and energy. It can even park autonomously. Once you've shown it the way to your home garage, it will remember the maneuver and perform it independently in the future, if desired. You can then sit in the driver's seat and watch in amazement as everything happens smoothly.
The assistant makes a mistake – once – with consequences
However, the assistant failed once during our test. One evening after a hike, we want to do some shopping. There's a short parking bay at the wall in front of the store. The sun is low, long shadows are cast, and it's hardly noticeable that the wall has a projection next to which the gutter runs. Slowly approaching, the Enyaq beeps calmly, as if it's still 50 centimeters from the wall. Then a jolt. Impact! The car collides with the projection. No warning from the assistant. No emergency braking, for which the assistant is responsible in such cases. Instead, there are now ugly marks from the exterior paint. I imagine there wasn't a wall, but a child on a tricycle. Skoda cannot yet explain this technical confusion. Perhaps the diversity of shapes confused the ultrasound? They want to investigate this.
An SUV, especially with all-wheel drive, is perhaps not the best choice for Hamburg or Cologne City, but it's well-suited for the mountains, which we quickly realize. From Hermagor, it's a six-kilometer steep climb up the Guggenberg to the farm where we've rented a holiday apartment. We've known the hosts for many years. Without all-wheel drive, they say, they would be lost up here at 1100 meters in the winter. They've equipped their barn roof with PV and would also like an electric car. They like the Enyaq immediately.
One day, we want to drive to the Rattendorfer Alm on the Carnic High Trail to climb up to the Zottachkopf via a path. The road to the Alm leads almost ten kilometers on unpaved ground and through narrow bends up the forested mountain. The Enyaq masters the route as if it's being pulled up on a rope. The adaptive suspension continuously evaluates driving situations (braking, accelerating, turning) and reacts with adjusted damping and steering characteristics. This provides a comfortable, secure driving feeling.
The strong regeneration dramatically reduces consumption
On the way down, we have a new, fun experience. Since we let ourselves slide down the mountain for ten kilometers using regeneration, the display shows a consumption of -40 kWh at the bottom of the Gail Valley where it's flat. We've thus refilled a significant portion of the battery without stopping at a charging station. Back on the Guggenberg, the consumption display then shows zero. While an electric car isn't a perpetual motion machine, of course, the benefits of energy recovery are clearly shown here.
Upon returning to Cologne and picking up the Skoda wagon, we felt a pang of sadness. We'd all grown quite fond of it, which isn't typical with test cars. It had become a friend, offering practical ideas like the umbrellas stored in the driver and passenger doors. We even overlooked a few quirks, like having to grip the steering wheel firmly to prevent the assistant from constantly nagging "Take the wheel!" or even initiating an automatic emergency brake, which happened once. Or the light next to the charging port glowing green when the car is charging, when it should be blue to indicate a functioning charging process.
A Lot of Electric Car for Quite a Bit of Money
The question of price remains. Would we buy it privately? The Enyaq starts at 48,900 euros in good basic trim, though the actual price in stores might be around 42,000. Our nearly fully loaded test car was 65,630 euros. A dealer in Hameln offers it for 54,437 euros including delivery costs on Carwow, which is a fair price for such a well-rounded family electric car with a large battery. A comparable Tiguan, one of Germany's most popular combustion engine cars, costs even more in the "Allspace RS" version with a 245 PS engine.
When manufacturers like Skoda introduce a new car, they usually invite the media to an event at a nice location. Several models are available for a one or two-hour test drive, often with pre-programmed scenic routes. These short tests give a first impression, but not much more. We believe it's important to test a car for many days and kilometers in everyday life before recommending to our readers to invest over 40,000 euros - or not.
The star was on the road with the new Enyaq for two weeks and over 3,000 kilometers. The family verdict is rarely unanimous: four thumbs up for the Skoda Enyaq.
The Enyaq, with its impressive efficiency improvements for the 2024 model year, continues to be a popular choice among German buyers. During our test drive, we were impressed with its compact size despite its imposing presence and abundant interior space.
Despite its premium features and excellent performance, the Enyaq's price point is quite substantial, placing it in the same range as higher-end combustion engine cars.
