Skoda Enyaq iV 80

EcoSuite

Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, front
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, nose
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, side
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, rear
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, tail
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, boot
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, seats
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, rear seats
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, interior
Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite, 2021, front, upright

THE Skoda Enyaq name may be relatively new to most people but it's a car that's likely to make a very big impact on the all-electric scene.

The spacious five-door SUV is on sale with a choice of battery sizes - the iV 60 with a 62kWh unit that can deliver 256 miles between charges and the iV 80 with an 82kWh battery that can achieve 333 miles and that's a figure that will certainly quell any range anxiety fears.

We opted for the Enyaq iV 80 costing £40,920 (£45,622 with options fitted). While this model does boast a superior range, it's high-end price-tag means that it fails to qualify for the Government's plug-in car grant. However, the Enyaq iV 60 does meet all the criteria, so that is something to consider when weighing up the options.

Our car was also in high-end EcoSuite trim level which meant it featured lots of tech as standard. The Enyaq looks modern in its design with quite an angled design including crisp lines and curves.

There are LED headlights with daytime running lights, body-coloured wing mirrors and door handles, a panoramic roof, blacked-out grille, neat chrome edging, black side skirts and bumpers plus some of the best wheels available - these were upgraded 21-inch Betria Anthracite metallic alloys costing £550 and well worth the extra cash.

Move inside and the interior is modern, clutter free and packed with technology. The nerve centre is a 13-inch touchscreen display where all the onboard tech is accessed, along with the climate control function which is quite frustrating. Who wants to navigate a computer menu to adjust the temperature after all?

Creature comforts are plentiful and include an eight-speaker sound system, Bluetooth, DAB radio, Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices and wireless smartlink to connect your smartphone.

The readouts are nice and clear, along with a virtual cockpit display behind the steering wheel that offers all the vita data such as speed, charge levels and existing driving range.

On the downside, the infotainment screen did freeze completely at one stage when linked up to Apple CarPlay. The only way it could be rectified was to stop the car, unlink the iPhone and leave the vehicle turned off for a few minutes. I'm hoping that was just a glitch, but I did experience a similar issue with a VW ID.3 recently too.

The car featured a number of optional packs such as the Light and View Package Basic, costing £1,115 that added full LED Matrix beam headlights with variable light distribution, full LED rear lights and headlight washers.

Powered seats, rear window blinds, a three-spoke heated steering wheel and a number of other options were included as part of alternative packs.

Comfort levels are impressive and the high-end upholstery looks stunning in its design too. Then when it comes to performance, the Enyaq delivers on all counts.

The 0-62mph sprint time is a creditable 8.5 seconds and the car tops out at 99mph. There are zero carbon emissions which results in good tax savings for the business driver and low road tax bills, but possibly the most important figure is the driving range between charges. On the higher powered version we tested that was 333 miles.

That figure is achievable if you are careful with your speed and acceleration on motorways and also have plenty of cruising and stop/start driving to recoup some extra energy along the way through regenerative braking.

The acceleration is smooth and instant with no delay while you wait for engine revs to build, and the driver can switch through drive modes called Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual that alter the characteristics of the car quite considerably.

It offers good levels of grip on country lanes and cruises through tighter bends with ease. It is also nice and nimble in busier town settings with the good all-round driver visibility being another plus point.

Charging is an easy enough process and takes about 12 hours from empty on a 7.4kW wallbox or just 36 minutes to boost to 80 per cent on a public rapid charger.

There is room in the back of the Enyaq for two adults - or three at a bit of a squeeze and storage will not be an issue. The boot is well-sized and can swallow 585 litres of kit, plus there is a small compartment beneath the floor to store the charging cables.

Drop the split-folding rear seats and that capacity increases to 1,710 litres. There are also numerous handy storage compartments scattered throughout the car, along with Skoda's Simply Clever touches such as an umbrella tucked away in the driver's door, high visibility vests and a few other bits and pieces.

And, as one would expect, the Enyaq is packed with safety kit too. Our car featured an Assisted Drive Package Basic, costing £685, that introduced adaptive cruise control, blind spot detection, plus lane assist with traffic jam assist.

FAST FACTS

Skoda Enyaq iV 80 EcoSuite

Price:£40,920

Mechanical: 77kWh battery with 150kW (204PS) motor output and 310Nm of torque driving single speed transmission with rear-wheel drive

Max Speed: 99mph

0-62mph: 8.5 seconds

Combined MPG: 333 miles

Insurance Group: 26

C02 emissions: 0g/km

Bik rating: 1%

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles

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