Skoda Enyaq Coupe (2024 – ) Electric review

Where the regular Enyaq gets the option of a more affordable base model with a smaller battery the Coupe is only available with the bigger battery, now badged 85 for rear-wheel drive, 85x for all-wheel drive or vRS for the performance version. So the starting price is a bit higher, like for like. On the plus side all get significant increases in power, performance and range with this updated model and generous equipment levels make some sense of the price. But for brand snobs still sniggering over playground Skoda jokes three decades on it’s a harder sell against the Q4 e-tron Sportback, ID.5 and others than it is for the regular Enyaq. Other than that it’s business as usual for electric cars, with incentives for company drivers in terms of significantly cheaper Benefit In Kind and much reduced running costs, assuming you have the facility to charge from home and score cheaper off-peak energy costs.

Given the number of cars across its various brands using the same essential ‘platform’ VW has invested heavily in the foundations shared by the Enyaq. There were some wobbles with the infotainment systems early on but these have hopefully been addressed with over-the-air updates and we didn’t experience any issues in our time with the car. Indeed, updates to the operating system on the big central screen are among the changes. The standard three-year warranty can meanwhile be extended to four or five years (or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first) for a relatively reasonable extra cost.

In a reflection of its more premium billing the Enyaq Coupe range starts with the better equipped Edition trim, meaning it comes as standard with the more advanced package of driver aids and safety systems. These include the Travel Assist plus package with more sophisticated lane-keeping and fancy active LED headlights that do a great job of turning night into day without blinding those around you. The only possible safety feature you might consider paying extra for is the 360-degree camera and assisted parking included in the Maxx Package options bundle, but even without that the Enyaq Coupe packs an impressive array of safety features.

Fresh from driving the updated Enyaq overseas our first impression of the Coupe on UK roads was a surprising amount of road noise from the big 19-inch wheels, the fact there’s no engine sound in electric cars often making things like this more obvious. As such we’d be cautious before choosing the optional 20- or even 21-inch wheels on the basis they often increase tyre roar, and typically make cars harsher over the bumps. Other than that it’s much the same as the regular Enyaq, which is to say confidence inspiring in its sense of substance, refinement and quality with a comfortable driving position and quality feel. The big question over going for the Coupe is, of course, how much that sloping roofline impacts on the regular car’s impressive practicality. Rear headroom does inevitably suffer somewhat, but probably not by as much as you would expect and there’s still plenty of legroom. And the boot is still huge, albeit not as usefully square as the regular car’s. The sleeker shape does help the range by a smidge as well. Skoda does useful storage and everyday handy features better than most brands as well, and we appreciated things like the useful holdall that hides mucky charging cables out of the way of your stuff and tucks into the side of the boot. So, objectively, you’re not losing much by choosing the Coupe. But, in spirit, the regular Enyaq feels more comfortable in its own skin, and the boxier shape suits the utilitarian, family-friendly nature of the car better.

When we reviewed the regular Enyaq we said skip the base trim and go straight to Edition – for the coupe that decision is made for you as Edition is the start of the range so you get all the good stuff from the off. This includes the ‘Loft’ design package (one of several you can choose from), heated front seats and steering wheel, rear window blinds, power tailgate and more. With expensive touches like proper metal door releases it all feels very solidly put together and genuinely premium as well, which may surprise some who still think of Skoda as a budget brand. Our Edition level test car also had the optional Advanced and Maxx Packages, these including the blingy new ‘Crystal Face’ illuminated grille, heated seats in the back, an upgraded Canton stereo system, power adjustable front seats, adaptive suspension and a head-up display projecting driver information into your sightline on the windscreen. At the heart of it all is the big 13-inch central touch-screen, the operating system powering it clear and easy to use and Skoda – unlike its VW parent brand – thankfully keeping a few physical shortcut switches for direct access to commonly used features. Same goes for the steering wheel, where the proper buttons prove easier to use than the fiddly touch-sensitive ones on VWs. The Enyaq Coupe looks and feels well equipped in any trim, then, but you can also make it properly luxurious by upgrading to the Laurin & Klement trim, or sportier with the vRS option. Various themed trim packages are also available, though the price can rise sharply if you get too busy with the options!

All Enyaq Coupes get the bigger ‘85’ battery pack, which is even more appealing given it benefits from the biggest upgrades with this updated version. Power has increased dramatically, especially for the single-motor version which goes from 204 horsepower to 286 horsepower, now matching the 85x twin-motor version and not far off what the previous high-performance vRS was doing . This also gets an upgrade to 340 horsepower to preserve its status as the fastest in the range. Frankly we were absolutely fine with the regular one we drove, the smooth and silent power delivery making light work of what is an otherwise big and heavy car and feeling quick enough without getting sucked into the arms race for ludicrous horsepower outputs or acceleration times seen elsewhere in the electric car world. You’ve have got the drift we’re not totally sold on the Coupe’s looks but you can’t argue with the benefits it brings in range, the single motor car having the best of any Enyaq and capable of 353 miles according to the official figures. You’ll do well to score that in real world driving but you should be able to do 300 or so before needing to plug in, which is more than enough for most people.