The Skoda Enyaq gets a mild mid-life refresh, adding more power and reduced charge timings. So who says you can’t have your koláč and eat it?
Singapore – Since Skoda introduced the Enyaq electric SUV about 2 years ago, there has been quite a bit of movement within the automotive market. Just weeks ago, Tesla unveiled the facelifted Model Y, BYD announced that the Sealion 7 reached our shores, the Omoda E5 appeared the year before, and so did XPENG with its D-Segment premium G6 SUV.
Yet the Enyaq is quite the understated electrified Czech offering, which I feel is quite ta pravá for growing families. The Volkswagen ID.4 sister car is built upon the group’s MEB platform, which also underpins the soon to be (finally) unveiled Cupra Born and the Audi Q4 e-tron.
While there is that real risk that EVs can become as utilitarian as white goods, the Enyaq stands out with its distinctive ‘Crystal Face’ grille; where it incorporates 130 LEDs to produce animated light sequences, for a warm-welcoming effect. This, together with a bold, high-waisted side profile, makes for a strong road presence. This example, which is the Sportline variant, is accentuated by its 20-inch ‘Vega’ Anthracite alloy wheels and black detailing. To cap things off, the rear sports “pincer-shaped” LEDs, complete with dynamic turn indicators.
Family Space
The Enyaq is among the first in Skoda’s lineup to have Skoda’s new dashboard design language. The free-standing 13-inch infotainment touchscreen sits on a bulged centre console, which is sculpted forward – a design continuation of the design bulge where the crest resides on the bonnet. For a softer touch, the dashboard is padded in a leatherette cushioning, while carbon trim adds a dash of go-faster inspiration.
A premium 12-speaker ‘Canton’ sound system complements the infotainment, which produces quite decent audio quality in my humble opinion. The infotainment which is fronted by what Skoda calls the Modular Infotainment Matrix (MIM), is very similar to what is offered by its Volkswagen cousin. It features a touch slider for easy adjusting of your volume, while virtual buttons are large-enough, and therefore hard to miss.
Connectivity for both Apple and Android devices are also now wireless, which is a significant improvement, since it would be strange having to plug-in, leaving a bit of a mess, while still having a wireless charger available. Also, I like that Skoda has kept a row of physical buttons for crucial functions on the dash, ensuring ease of access.
Like in its Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5 sister cars, the Enyaq does away with that tall transmission tunnel, which means that the floating console provides you with additional storage space below (and perhaps could the best place to have that nasty unsightly vehicle IU installed). This is just me, but between the VW and Skoda design, I do have a preference for the latter’s, as it comes across as much neater; even though the Czech SUV lacks the adjustable cup holders.
In typical Skoda tradition practicality is prioritised, where there are heaps of compartments and cubbies for storage, making the Enyaq quite the ideal family transport. Bottle holders on all four doors are designed to carry full 1.5 litre bottles, while at the rear, passengers have an additional pocket for their mobile devices, which they can then charge with via the rear-facing USB ports. The icing on the cake are the signature self-draining umbrella compartments located in both front doors. Front occupants in the Sportline trim car benefit from supportive sports seats, which are lined with leather and Suedia microfibre. At the rear, passengers benefit from roller blinds, which help dampen the harness of direct sunlight.
As for the boot, the Enyaq’s at 585 litres is by far very generous. For scale, it would easily dwarf the Hyundai IONIQ 5’s 527 litres, and be still some 42-litres more than its VW sibling. To give you even more perspective, it is also larger than the 570 litres offered by the BMW i5 Touring. With the rear seats folded, the Enyaq swallows up to a whopping 1,710-litres.
Power comes from a 77kWh lithium-ion battery which drives the rear motor, the latter which puts out 281hp and 545Nm. This is a significant improvement over the previous iteration, which had 201hp and 310Nm. The improved on-paper numbers translates to a reduction of the SUV’s century sprint timing, where it now does 100km/h in 6.7 seconds, versus 8.7 seconds previously.
While still not as quick as its performance-oriented Enyaq Coupe RS sibling, which does nought-to-one-hundred in 5.5 seconds, this bog-standard car still delivers more than enough torque for effortless overtaking on highways.
What also surprises me is the SUV’s ease of manoeuvrability. I can’t ask for more from its accurate accelerator response. There are also no unpleasant initial jerks under heavier acceleration once off the lights – something which I have noted on some EVs. It rides well, and despite some body roll, it sits around a bend with assuring predictability.
However, while there is plenty to laud, the Enyaq does suffer from the same weak braking, which dogs many of the SUVs built on this very MEB toolkit. This is probably the result of the decision to use drums at the rear, since much of its stopping power is perceived to be from the motor’s regenerative braking. Hence you may need some time to get used to applying additional brake pressure needed to stop the car.
Along with performance improvements, the Enyaq’s range has also increased. Official numbers state 565km, 45km more than when we first saw the car.
In the face of steep competition from the ever-increasing number of Chinese EV offerings, Skoda might still offer that edge with its ‘Simply Clever’ mantra. Where things-fundamental, like practical cabin space and generous cargo room, together with features like simple-moulded umbrella holders within its front doors, might be the factors which win a buyer over.
Text: Clifford Chow
Photos: Lim Weijie | Edits: Clifford Chow
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Supportive sport seats | Brakes need improving on |
| All the power and torque you actually need | |
| As practical as a Skoda should be |
2024 Skoda Enyaq Electric Sportline
| Drivetrain | Full Electric |
| Layout | Single Motor, Rear Drive |
| Motor power / torque | 281hp / 545Nm |
| Battery capacity | 77kWh |
| Efficiency | 19.2kWh/100km |
| Electric Range | 565km |
| 0-100km/h | 5.5 seconds |
| Top Speed | 180km/h |
| VES Band | A1 |
| Dealer | Škoda Singapore |
| Price | S$236,900 with COE and VES |
| Verdict | A stylish compact-yet-practical SUV for families, topped-up with enough performance to keep you smiling |
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