Skoda's Enyaq electric family hatch gets a further useful update. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Background

Back in 2021, Skoda finally brought us its very first full-electric car, the Enyaq, then known as the 'Enyaq iV' and a model that started a bold new era in Skoda design. First launched as a boxy SUV hatch, followed two years later by an SUV-Coupe variant, this was the Czech brand's take on VW Group EV engineering - and successful it proved to be, with over a quarter of a million versions of this car sold in its first four years of production. By early 2025 though, competition had ramped up substantially, so Skoda introduced a mid-term Enyaq update, further built upon by a package of improvements introduced in Spring 2026, which created the car we're going to look at here. Despite it being frequently Europe's most popular electric car, the original Enyaq was, in truth, a slightly confusing product. Not just because it was Skoda's first EV, rear-driven and enormously heavy but also because of its design conundrums. It looked mid-sized but was priced compact. It claimed to herald 'a new era in electric Skoda motoring' but had an enormous combustion-style grille. And the 'iV' in its model name was the same as the brand had used on its fossil fuel Plug-in Hybrids. So in the last few years, Skoda has had some sorting out to do with this car - and some repositioning too, after the arrival of its second EV in 2024, the only slightly smaller Elroq. So is there still an important place for the Enyaq in the Skoda EV line-up? And how does it fare against more recently introduced EV segment rivals?

Driving Experience

Given recent updates made to this car's Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Explorer MEB platform segment cousins, we had expected a few EV drivetrain changes for this further updated Enyaq, but those are clearly still to come. What Skoda has added is an extra 'one-pedal' energy recuperation mode for the brake regen system, which (with the gear shifter set in B) means that the car can virtually bring itself to a stop when you come off the throttle. The Enyaq's ADAS drive assist features are also more adanced with the introduction of a new 'Travel Assist 3.0' system with new radars and sensors for more precise guidance. The car can even now stop itself at traffic lights and STOP signs. As before, to expect engaging driving dynamics from a car of this kind is clearly over-optimistic; realistically no Enyaq weighs in at under 2-tonnes. To hope for journeying refinement is a little more realistic; aided the sleek bodywork, this Skoda serves up plenty of that. As for ride quality, well as we said in our test of the smaller Elroq, it's pretty good by class standards - but could be so much better if body control wasn't so tightly reined-in to satisfy the industry press. You'll hear more positive comments about Enyaq ride quality elsewhere, but that's usually because the testers concerned have been in a version of this car fitted with the DCC adaptive chassis control system that hardly any customers will specify. The name 'Enyaq' is apparently derived from the Irish word 'Enya', meaning 'source of life', the source in this case being the same two-way choice of 63 and 82kWh battery packs that the Enyaq has used for some time now. The smaller 63kWh battery pack (which can't be had on the Coupe version of this car) features in the base 60 model allied to a 204PS motor which takes you to 62mph in 7.8s or, if you're more restrained, offers a range of up to 269 miles. We tried a mid-level 85 model with the larger 82kWh pack which works with a 286PS motor, this combination delivering a sprint time of 6.5s and a range figure of up to 359 miles. Further up the line-up lie the 82kWh AWD dual motor variants; the 85x model with 334 miles of range. And a top vRS variant that offers 340PS, 0-62mph in 5.2s and 344 miles of range. Since your budget will probably restrict you to a single motor model, that's what we opted to try. In case you're not familiar with VW Group engineering in EV of this size, it's worth pointing out that, unlike quite a few rivals, the motor in question sits on the rear axle rather than the front one. Which prior to this Enyaq's original introduction was a format we hadn't seen in any Skoda since the '70s. Here, it allows for a turning circle that at just 9.3-metres is so impressive that you might wonder whether this car has 4-wheel steering (it doesn't). When fitted with an optional folding towbar, any Enyaq is also capable of towing trailers weighing up to 1,400kg.

Design and Build

There are no further visual changes as part of this further Enyaq updates - we had quite a far-reaching exterior makeover for both the SUV and SUV Coupe versions of this design back in early 2025. But a few important things are different. Like the fact that there's now an under-bonnet 'frunk' - of 21-litres in size - for the charging leads, so they don't have to slide around in the boot any more. Plus you can now unlock, lock and start the car via a 'Digital Key' feature of the MySkoda app. Otherwise, the look of the Enyaq is much as it was, the shape slightly larger than the VW Group segment norm for a mid-sized EV crossover. The so-called 'Tech Deck' front face is based on the Skoda's Vision 7S concept car from 2022. Inside, things are the same as before apart from a few minor changes - like the fact that the wireless charging mat will now more powerfully support the Qi2 Magnetic Power Profile for wireless charging up to 25W. Something else you might note on closer cabin inspection is that the layout of the 12.9-inch central infotainment monitor has been completely redesigned. Changes to the Android-based software have brought a redesigned home screen, a different grid layout and more intuitive search and favourites functions as well as enhanced personalisation options. And there's easy access to selected third-party apps such as Spotify and YouTube, along with a number of apps from categories such as audio and video streaming, casual gaming, news, weather and more. The small 5.3-inch VW Group instrument binnacle display still features. And as usual with an Enyaq, you'll like the wonderfully-named 'Jumbo Box', which adds 6.2 litres of storage underneath the centre console. Thanks to the clever design of the MEB platform it sits on, the Enyaq has always offered superb interior space. With the traction battery housed in the floor and a compact motor mounted beneath the cargo area base, this Czech EV has a cabin unburdened by the packaging compromises of a traditional internal combustion engine car. The cabin is 'inspired by modern living environments', according to Skoda, and uses 'natural, sustainably processed and recycled materials'. Get settled in the back and, as usual in a Skoda, you'll find leg room that's difficult to better in segment. Two six footers could sit comfortably behind a couple of front seat occupants of the same size. This is also a wider cabin than you might expect a mid-sized SUV to be able to provide and with no central transmission tunnel to obstruct things, three adults could actually fit reasonably easily into the back of this car. Boot capacity is ample at 585-litres for the SUV and 570-litres for the Coupe. Fold the rear bench in the SUV and up to 1,710-litres of space is available (it's 1,610-litres in the Coupe).

Market and Model

Things in the world have changed quite a bit since 2020 - which is when we first tested the original version of this car (then called the 'Enyaq iV'). And they certainly have for the Enyaq price-wise, which, with the government grant that then applied, could be on your driveway in its most basic form for around £32,000. If that's still your price point today, you now need to be looking at the brand's only slightly-smaller Elroq EV model, which will save you around £5,500 over a comparable Enyaq. Freed from the shackles of being the price starting point model for Skoda's electric range, Enyaq prices have since gone onwards and upwards, but in more recent times the two base variants with the smallest 63kWh battery and 'SEL' or 'Edition' trim have been helped by the availability of a £1,500 government grant, which meant that at the time of our review in Spring 2026, it was possible to get an entry-level 63kWh 'SEL'-spec Enyaq for just over £38,000 with the grant applied. The grant's only available with base 'SE L' trim or with an 'Edition' model with the smaller 63kWh battery. At the same time as the grant arrived, Skoda also introduced something quite surprising - a van version of this Enyaq - the Enyaq Cargo. It's really more an after-market conversion which costs £1,815 excluding VAT over the price of the bigger-battery Enyaq 85 and 85x models. And includes tinted black rear windows, a bulkhead and a strong loadbay surface. Unfortunately though, that 'Enyaq Cargo' model doesn't qualify for any government grant. Here, our focus is on the standard Enyaq model; as you might know, you can also have it as an SUV-Coupe - we'll cover that model separately. The ordinary SUV version has a much cheaper price starting point than that sleeker body style because it's available with a base 'SE L' trim level and a smaller 63kWh battery that customers of the Coupe version can't have. Most customers of this ordinary Enyaq SUV ignore base trim and find the extra £1,100 required for the mid-range 'Edition' version we tried. With that car, you'll be offered the option of finding a substantial £4,200 more for the larger 82kWh battery we tested - but by that point with a few extras added, you'd be looking at a spend of around £45,000. If that figure doesn't bother you, then you can push on up towards £50,000 with more dynamic-looking 'Sportline' trim (based around the 82KWh battery and available for around £1,500 more in dual motor AWD form). Or you could go well beyond £50,000 with the fastest version, the top Enyaq vRS, another dual motor model, but this time with an 84kWh battery. Where standard and Coupe versions of the Enyaq are directly comparable, choosing the ordinary SUV body shape will save you £1,900.

Cost of Ownership

Nothing much has changed with charging speed as part of this further update, but Skoda's own charging service Powerpass is now integrated directly into the navigation, showing charging-station ratings, prices and enabling charging authorisation straight from the navigation screen. Search filters include 20 selected providers, charging power, or availability. Users can also create lists of preferred charging point operators (CPOs), or CPOs they want to avoid. As of Spring 2026, 1,000,000 public charging points across 28 European countries were accessible via Powerpass. The vehicle's maps also offer Google Online Search, Satellite Maps and an overview of POIs (points of interest) along the route. Furthermore, Plug&Charge will also enable authorisation with compatible home wallboxes. If you haven't tried an Enyaq since its earliest days of production, you'll be pleased to hear that the feeble DC charging speeds of that original are these days a thing of the past, though they're still way off the top class standard. The mid-level 85 model we tried DC-maxes out at just 135kW, one of the segment's lower figures. Strangely, the smaller-battery 60 version is better (at 165kW), while the dual motor 85x manages 175kW and the top vRS can DC-charge at up to 185kW. Is all this good enough? Well plenty of other models in this sector (notably from other VW Group and Stellantis brands) can't much better the Enyaq in this area, but in a class where Tesla's Model 3 has long DC-charged at up to 250kW and an MG IM6 now DC-charges at up to 396kW, you'd have to say that Skoda has a long way to go here. The charging speed figures we just gave you reflect in the quoted DC 0-80% charge times - 24 minutes for the 60 63kWh model, 28 minutes for the 85 82kWh variant and 26 minutes for the 85x and the vRS. If all you mostly do is charge at home, you might not be much bothered about DC charging stats. Using a typical 7.2kW garage wallbox, the base 63kWh 60 model needs around 9 hours for a full charge (reducing to 6 hours 30 minutes if you're able to use an 11kW three-phase supply). The 82kWh 85 model and the two top dual motor variants need quite a lot longer - 12 hours from a 7.2kW wallbox - or 8 hours 15 minutes using an 11kW supply.

Summary

It's a pity that this Enyaq has lost its low-pricing trump card in the family EV segment in recent years, but it's still decent value for what you get, taking into account space, power and equipment. Whether it's worth the extra over its Elroq showroom stablemate is another question. For many customers, it won't be. Our advice is to try both cars before deciding - and take the family with you when you do. As for the way this Skoda stacks up against alternatives from other brands, well the market has changed beyond recognition in the years since this Enyaq first appeared and in some areas - notably charging speed and drive range - we're not convinced that it's evolved quite as much as it needed to. But that's artfully disguised by the sharp looks and what can be rather lovely interior packaging. A typical Skoda customer will also like the rather relaxed way that this car goes about its business on the road, its rear-driven urban manoeuvrability - and its many 'Simply Clever' practical cabin features. In summary, the evolution Skoda has made here might not be enough to sustain class-leading sales. But it will certainly be sufficient to keep this Enyaq as a car you simply can't ignore if you're shopping in the mid-sized EV segment. Of all the VW Group-engineered EVs in this sector, it's probably still the one that family folk should turn to first. And that continues to make it a very important player indeed.