Skoda Enyaq iV vRS - Change is a good thing.
Building on the previous generation Enyaq vRS, Skoda is giving customers more bang for their buck.
Pronunciation and Branding
Have you noticed from the latest TV adverts that we’re being told how to pronounce the names of various companies?
Hyundai’s adverts ignore the cars. It’s all about how High-un-dye is now pronounced Hunn-day, as in Sunday. If you’d been to the USA at any time over the last 30 years or so, you’d have spotted that they’ve always called it Hunn-day.
Which brings me to Skoda. Which became written as SKODA. Then to Škoda with that funny thing over the S which looks like a fly has landed on it. And now we’re being told that it should be pronounced Shh-ko-dar.
The bloke who lived over the road from me when I was a kid had a Shh-ko-dar though he rarely called it that. I daren’t use the words he used otherwise the Driven site would be blocked. He had a rear engine Skoda 120, which he hated, as it refused to start on an almost regular basis.
Company Evolution
Anyway, while names have changed, so has Škoda as a company. They went from a state owned Czech company to being owned 100 per cent by the mighty Volkswagen Group in 2000 - and they’ve never looked back.
The Škoda Enyaq vRS
Coupé vs SUV Hatchback
Take this Škoda Enyaq vRS for example. The one you see here is the coupé version. It’ll set you back £54,820 or you can go for the more traditional SUV hatchback style model and save yourself around £1700. It all comes down to whether you prefer the swoopy lines of the coupé version. I’m not fussed either way although the coupé is a strikingly good looking car, I think it looks better than the hatchback plus it’s almost as roomy.
Performance and Range
The Enyaq was Škoda’s first all-electric car and it hit the bullseye. The power in the vRS tops out at a very healthy 335bhp and Škoda reckons you can get 340 miles on a full battery. Okay you won’t get that on a chilly winter’s day with the climate, lights, wipers, DAB blasting, lights, heated seats and sat nav running, but you should still manage top 200s. Give it full beans and you’ll arrive at 60mph in 5.5 seconds with the top speed eventually reaching 111mph. Electric cars are insanely rapid up to, say, 60 mph, but they run out of puff beyond that.
Latest Model Enhancements
This is the latest Enyaq vRS. The previous model could develop just under 300bhp, but Škoda felt the car could handle more power so lumped another 35bhp onto the pair of motors which give this vRS all-wheel drive. They’ve also improved the charge rate which means you can go from 10 - 80% charge in 28 minutes. That’s pretty impressive and let’s face it, if you drive for about 250 miles you’ll need a break at some point so bung in a rapid charger and by the time you’ve had a sausage roll and a cuppa, you’ll be good for the remainder of your journey.
Driving Experience
A lot of powerful electric cars are about the 0-60mph time or even the 0-30mph time because acceleration away from a standstill is hugely impressive. After a while though, you get fed-up of the whole thing and then revert to driving like a normal person. You’ll also be shredding tyres like they’re going out of fashion.
And this is where the Enyaq vRS comes into its own. Yes, you have the oomph of terrific power and road holding thanks to the 4x4 set-up, but it is also a seriously relaxed cruiser. Motorways can be a pain when you either join from a slip road or need to overtake. The Enyaq vRS solves this because it can offer serious power to help you slot into a sensible gap.
Suspension and Ride Quality
The suspension has been tuned to give you a sportier ride and to allow some fun on back roads, but I think this car is much better doing a long-legged run than being a boy racer. It’s a bit firm at town speeds but once you get moving on the quicker stuff, it’s fine.
Features and Interior
In terms of goodies, I won’t bore you with the full details other than to say that you get everything you could possibly need. Bearing in mind that Škoda is part of the VW / Audi / SEAT / Porsche / Bentley / Cupra / Lamborghini conglomerate, they’ve got plenty of parts bins to dip into - and thankfully they’ve ditched the old infotainment system. The new setup is easier to use with customisable buttons.
The build quality is excellent and there’s a premium look and feel to the interior. There’s also loads of space and three adults will be fine in the back.
Conclusion
The Škoda Enyaq is one of my favourite cars that I’ve tested. If you want performance, the vRS model certainly fits the bill but if you want to save the pennies, you’ll love the entry-level models which, if you go for the hatchback, kick off at a not too expensive £38,970. You get a lot of bang for your buck.
words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Skoda
