NewsReview

Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe review: A big and bold break from the norm

Gareth Butterfield tests Skoda's all-electric SUV coupe and finds good things can often come in big packages

Skoda Enyaq iV Coupe

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NewsReview

Gareth Butterfield

09:45, 17 NOV 2023

Skoda's Enyaq iV is the marque's first solely electric sort-of-SUV, and it's a fine example of how an EV should perform.

Good road manners, a practical interior, reasonable levels of power and a decent range. All the boxes are ticked with the Enyaq, and you'd expect them to be, because it's built around similar architecture to its direct cousins the Volkswagen ID.4 and Audi Q4 e-tron.

Unlike its relatives though, the Enyaq iV comes as a coupe. That's right, an SUV coupe. Sound daft? Think about the BMW X6, the Citroen C4 Coupe and even the Audi E-tron. That's right, they're all at it. It doesn't seem to make sense, but for some reason it sells.

The normal estate-like Enyaq iV is becoming very popular, and Skoda surely won't expect to sell as many of the coupes, but I've been living with one for a week and, I have to say, I quite like it.

Firstly, it's remarkably stylish. The standard-shape car is no munter but the sleek outline of the coupe really does suit the overall aesthetic. It's been really nicely penned.

And it's not as if you lose all that much in the way of practicality, either. The boot is a bit smaller, obviously, and the headroom is slightly restricted, but not problematically so in either case. And you'd buy a coupe because you want a coupe. If you go everywhere in a top hat, you'd not have bothered.

And there's a good reason why the cabin feels so roomy. That's because it's a big car. It's the first impression you're left with, in fact, as you take a walk around the Enyaq iV.

It's quite heavy, too, at around two tonnes, but that's becoming par for the course with electric family cars now. And ride and handling reflect its bulk, but not intrusively so.

In fact the ride is firm, rather than soft and wallowy, which is nice, and the gutsy electric motor sends it surging at more or less any speed.

The steering is well-weighted, but the brakes feel a tad imprecise. They're more progressive than snappy, which is a bonus, but the pedal feel takes some getting used to.

That said, there's a remarkable simplicity about the feel of the interior overall. The dashboard layout isn't brutally minimalist, there are a few buttons about, and while the infotainment screen wasn't one of the best I've used, it's fairly intuitive and quick-thinking.

Rear seat space is good, and the boot is nice and big, with a wide opening thanks to the hatch-style boot lid.

It's just the sort of cabin we've come to know and love from the Germans. Simple and unfussy, some might say bland, but functional and well-judged. I don't dislike it at all, but you'd never rave about it.

The numbers involved in the Enyaq are less mundane though. Some may say it's actually quite interesting. In its most basic form, with a 77kWh battery and an impressive WLTP range of 353 miles it costs £46,440 - and for that you'll get adaptive cruise control and LED headlamps. It's a lot of car for the money.

And then you could hop up to the 85 X Sportline, which adds all-wheel drive and only slightly less range from the same battery for £50,305.

There's also a vRS version with nearly 300bhp, which costs just shy of £55,000 - and in all these iterations they trump their rivals on price.

I also found it to be a remarkably efficient car for its size, too. Consumption of four miles/kWh was possible, and the range-remaining indicator didn't plummet as sharply as they do in many modern EVs. Oh, and it charges at up to 135kW too, so an 80% top up can be dusted off in less than half an hour.

As an overall package, then, the Enyaq iV is well worth a look. It might lack a bit of excitement, but it definitely looks the part in coupe form, and the shape doesn't have any dramatic effects on practicality.

But, being more pragmatic, I'd find it hard to recommend it over the SUV version. In standard form the SUV is significantly cheaper - starting below £40,000 - and is just a touch more practical.

But if you absolutely must have a coupe SUV, you'd be silly not to check out the Enyaq iV.