The thinking person’s EV... is a Skoda

SNOBS LOOK AWAY, BECAUSE THE ENYAQ IS PRACTICALLY PERFECT

SKODA says it has never attracted so much interest in a new car as it’s had for the Enyaq iV.

I’m not surprised. This is just the sort of car that would appeal to your average Skoda customer; a punter I’ve always credited with having a higher than average intelligence when it comes to shopping for value in a motor and, more importantly, an admirable lack of snobbishness.

So what’s caused the excitement? The Enyaq iV (the iV denotes electrification in Skoda language) is Skoda’s first pure electric car that’s built on a bespoke EV platform – as opposed to the Citigo-e iV which is built on an existing car.

The platform is the VW Group’s MEB structure that we’ve already come across in the VW ID.3 hatchback and the ID.4 SUV.

The former we found slightly underwhelming but the ID.4, which we tested just a few weeks ago, impressed much more.

Skoda offers a wide choice with its new Enyaq. Your first decision will be on battery capacity and your options are a 62kWh unit or a 77kWh one.

Obviously the bigger the battery the more you will spend but you benefit from the greater range. Those numbers are net, which explains why the name of our test car is Enyaq iV 80 Suite.

Instead of offering traditional trim levels, Skoda is giving customers the choice of battery size then a selection of interior styles that include Loft, Lodge, Lounge, Suite and ecoSuite. They’re different in style, not price or content. On top of this you can order various packages such as Assisted Drive Plus package, and options such as a tow bar.

Our car has a whole list of these that have raised the price from £40,660 to £53,825. Many of them you could live without.

I’m not convinced that the larger battery is the right choice. The range of our 80 is officially 333 miles, which in itself is 23 miles more than the VW ID.4, with exactly the same hardware, can manage.

The range for the Enyaq 60 is 256 miles which I think for many will be more than adequate. Stick to that battery and equip your car modestly and you can pay as little as £31,995 for an Enyaq, which puts it well under the PICG threshold.

The Skoda lacks some of the visual snazziness of the ID.4 but it is recognisably a Skoda with a more aerodynamic profile. It’s rather more appealing than the Kodiaq to which the Enyaq is close in size.

Ah, size. You will be extremely impressed by the space inside. It’s the greatest selling point. Even sliding the driver’s seat back to a super generous legroom setting, there was a huge amount of rear legroom when I slid in to sit behind ‘myself’ (I’m 5ft 10in by the way). The boot holds an enormous 585 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,710 litres with them folded flat. That first figure is actually 42 litres larger than the ID.4’s.

Up front you’ve got a 13in infotainment screen through which, in current VW fashion, most functions are controlled.

It’s easy to operate and even the voice control seemed to work reasonably well. In one of the packs is a head-up display, which is brilliantly useful and has crisp graphics.

The Enyaq steps off the line with familiar EV urgency and then settles down to a quiet and calm driving experience. The ride is very comfortable and the car is easy to drive and feels safe. In other words, it has all the dynamic prowess that the average Skoda owner will want.

More powerful versions of the Enyaq are due to follow, including one that will wear a vRS badge and four-wheel drive models. They might have more kerb appeal but I doubt that they will offer a lot more.

Skoda reckons it will shift around 8,000 Enyaqs a year and I don’t doubt they will. Sure, you don’t get the dinky gear selector that the ID.4 gives you or the stain-attracting white dashboard, but the Skoda gives more space for legs and luggage, plus it costs less.

The new Enyaq iV is the thinking person’s EV; a customer who places practicality and value above brand prestige. Talking of brand, I think Rolls-Royce is the only other company that includes an umbrella, and a hidey hole in the door to put it.