Skoda Elroq review

Like Noah Cyrus, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Austin Swift, the Skoda Elroq has a better-known older sibling – but we doubt it'll be long before it's famous in its own right.

Perhaps more famous, in fact: while the Elroq is based on the same underpinnings as its big brother, the Skoda Enyaq, it’s a smaller, cheaper car, which opens it up to a wider audience. It joins a raft of family electric SUVs to have hit the market in recent years, including the Renault Scenic and Tesla Model Y. Buyers might also be considering smaller models such as the Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30.

The Elroq is also the first car to show off Skoda’s new design language, Modern Solid. Its main elements are a closed-off grille, narrow LED headlights and the Czech brand’s name spelt across the bonnet in place of a badge. We’ll leave it to you to decide whether it’s a good look.

Skoda Elroq vs Mini Aceman triple test video

So can the Skoda Elroq replicate the success of the Enyaq or will it struggle to compete against rival family electric SUVs? Read on to find out…

There are three versions of the Skoda Elroq to choose from, called the 50, 60 and 85. They're all rear-wheel-drive, single motor cars and produce 168bhp, 201bhp and 282bhp respectively. (No four-wheel-drive version will be offered in the UK.)

The Elroq's performance is pretty competitive for an electric SUV of its size. The 50 and 85 models we’ve driven so far provide smooth, progressive acceleration, with the 85 managing 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds at our private test track. Sure, it’s not as fast as a Volvo EX30 Extended Range but it's significantly quicker than an equivalent Renault Scenic.

The standard suspension has a firm edge to it, which means it thumps and fidgets over harsh bumps, but it absorbs most minor imperfections well and delivers impressive body control on undulating country roads.

For maximum comfort, you can add Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive suspension as part of the Driver Package on 85 Sportline cars, allowing you to adjust the set-up by switching modes using the infotainment screen.

The Comfort mode does exactly what its name suggests, giving the Elroq a comfier ride than a Renault Scenic, Tesla Model Y or Volvo EX30 – although it’s not quite as plush as the smaller Kia EV3. In its firmest setting, body lean in corners is noticeably reduced.

The Elroq handles well for a family electric SUV, with good body control and plenty of grip, and feels more nimble through quick changes of direction than a Scenic or EX30. The steering is well-weighted, and becomes progressively heavier as you increase speed.

Unfortunately, the Elroq’s brake pedal has a spongy feel to it, with plenty of travel before the brakes engage. The same is true of other VW Group electric cars – including the Cupra Tavascan – and it’s mostly down to the regenerative braking system.

You can minimise the effect by increasing the strength of the regen braking with the paddles behind the steering wheel. Annoyingly, though, the paddles are only available on SE-L trim upwards, so the entry-level Elroq doesn’t get them.

The Kia EV3, Kia EV6 and Tesla Model Y have a more progressive brake-pedal feel, and also allow for one-pedal driving (which the Elroq doesn't).

The Elroq strikes back with impressive refinement. During testing at our private track, it proved quieter at 70mph than both the EV3 and Scenic, with minimal wind or road noise intruding into the cabin. The only audible disturbance was a faint flutter around the door mirrors.

As a result, long-distance journeys should be relaxed and stress-free – an important consideration given the model’s range credentials.

The Elroq 50 gets a 52kWh (usable capacity) battery and an official range of 232 miles, while the 60 gets a larger 59kWh unit that lifts range to 260 miles. The 85 model gets the longest range, with a 77kWh battery for an official range of 360 miles.

That's further than the Smart #1 Premium (283 miles) and Volvo EX30 Extended Range (295) but not as far as an 81.4kWh Kia EV3 (375) or Renault Scenic E-Tech Long Range (379).

“Among Skoda Elroqs without DCC suspension fitted, I found the lighter 50 version to be the most comfortable. Even so, the suspension in the 85 is still very forgiving.” – George Hill, Used Car Writer

The driving position in the Skoda Elroq is very good. The Renault Scenic and Tesla Model Y sit you up a little higher to give you more of an SUV feel, but the relationship between the seat, pedals and steering wheel is spot on.

We also like that the Elroq's seats get more side-bolstering than you’ll find in a Scenic or Model Y to hold you in place through the bends. It all feels well thought out right, down to the small digital driver's display that remains unobstructed regardless of how you position the steering wheel. That's something that can’t be said for the Kia EV3 or the Scenic. 

The Elroq has a long dashboard and shallow-angled front pillars but visibility at junctions is no more restricted than in a Tesla Model Y or VW ID 5. Plus, you get front quarterlights, which help in poor light conditions. Rear visibility is less impressive due to the relatively small rear window – an issue that blights many streamlined electric SUVs. 

Fortunately, all Elroqs get rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. You can add front parking sensors by stepping up to SE L trim. The Maxx Package on Edition and SportLine cars adds a 360-degree camera and an autonomous parking system. 

Design-wise, if you’ve ever sat in an Skoda Enyaq, you’ll find that the Elroq’s interior looks very familiar, with a similar dashboard design and a big 13in infotainment touchscreen. The screen has sharp graphics and a relatively intuitive lay-out, and there are configurable shortcut tabs at the top and bottom.

Overall, the infotainment system is much easier to operate than the overly complicated set-ups in the Mini Countryman Electric and Smart #3. We didn’t find it quite as snappy as the systems in the Kia EV3 and Renault Scenic but it stops short of feeling laggy.

The Elroq gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring as standard, plus three USB-C ports in the front. If you want wireless phone-charging with a cooling function and two USB-C ports in the rear, you’ll need to step up to Edition trim.

Disappointingly, you control the air conditioning using the infotainment touchscreen. We’d prefer physical buttons and dials like you get in the EV3 and Scenic, but at least the heater icons are permanently on display, not positioned as far down as they are in a Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Interior quality is, for the most part, very good, with pleasant soft-touch plastic on the upper dashboard and door tops. If you go for the entry-level Loft design option, there's padded fabric with contrast stitching on the dashboard and centre console. Lodge (available on SE L or Edition cars) introduces a two-tone black and light grey faux leather interior with orange seat belts. Suite cars (available on SE L and Edition cars) have real leather upholstery.

“The Skoda Elroq's optional head-up display, which is part of the Advanced Package, is useful, especially with the augmented-reality sat-nav that projects arrows on to the windscreen.” – George Hill, Used Car Writer

The Skoda Elroq's interior does a good job of offering enough storage space. The "floating" console between the front seats, for example, includes a tray beside the gear selector, another tray in front of the cupholders and a large area beneath the whole assembly. The door bins are large and lined with felt so your possessions don't rattle around when you're driving.

Space up front is very good, but it’s in the back seats where the Elroq really impresses. Even a six-footer will have enough head and leg room to spare when sat behind a similarly tall driver, while the rear seats themselves offer a touch more under-thigh support than you’ll find in a Renault Scenic or Tesla Model Y.

Better still, because the Elroq was designed from the ground up as an electric car, it has a flat floor, allowing three passengers to sit side by side in relative comfort. It makes you wonder why you’d ever need to upgrade to the larger Skoda Enyaq.

In terms of boot capacity, the Elroq is more middle of the field. At 470 litres, its boot is bigger than what you’ll find in the more compact Kia EV3 (460 litres) but smaller than a Scenic's (545 litres). We managed to squeeze seven carry-on suitcases into the boot of a Scenic compared to six in the EV3 and Elroq.

Disappointingly, unlike a Model Y, the Elroq doesn’t come with a front boot. Therefore we would recommend adding the reasonably priced Transport Package, which includes a net under the parcel shelf designed to store your charging cable. It also adds a variable-height boot floor that in its highest position gives you underfloor storage and removes any semblance of a load lip, making it easy to load heavy items into the boot.

Like an the Skoda Enyaq, the Elroq has 60/40 split-folding back seats, which are not as versatile as the 40/20/40 split seats in a Renault Scenic. You do get a ski hatch, and while the seat backs don’t lie completely flat when folded down, the slight incline doesn’t present much a problem when loading in longer items.

“Skoda’s Simply Clever features are genuinely useful, but it is a little odd that while an ice scraper and umbrella are standard with the Elroq, the charging cable net is an optional extra.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Not only is the entry-level 50 version of the Skoda Elroq cheaper than its closest electric SUV rivals – ranging from the Renault Scenic to the Tesla Model Y – but it’s also cheaper than entry-level versions of smaller models, including the Kia EV3, the Smart #3 and the Volvo EX30. 

If you’re a cash buyer, it’s worth bearing in mind that the Scenic is expected to depreciate at a slower rate than all those rivals, but the Elroq’s PCP rates are competitive.

The Elroq is available in a choice of four trims: SE, SE-L, Edition and Sportline. Entry-level SE – which is only available in combination with the 50 battery – is reasonably well equipped, with 19in alloy wheels, a two-spoke steering wheel, LED headlights, single-zone climate control, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

SE-L trim (available on 60 models) adds a few more goodies, including a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, selectable driving modes, adjustable regenerative braking and front parking sensors.

Our favourite Edition trim (available on both 60 and 85 models) comes with adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and wireless phone-charging as standard.

Range-topping Sportline (available on both 60 and 85) gets sportier styling, 20in alloys, adaptive LED headlights, sport front seats, a three-spoke steering wheel and an electric tailgate.

In terms of options, we’d recommend selecting the reasonably priced Transport Package. If you live in a cold part of the UK, it might be worth considering the optional EV heat pump (available on SE L cars and up). 

The Elroq 85 has a maximum charging rate of 175kW and can top up from 10-80% in 28 minutes. The 50 and 60 versions have a slower rate of 165kW, but because of their smaller batteries, they can achieve the same charge in 26 minutes. That’s similar to most rivals – including the Kia EV3 – and quite a bit quicker than the big-battery Renault Scenic.

With a 7.2kW home EV charger, the Elroq 50 takes around eight hours to charge from 0-100%, while the 85 model takes around 12 hours. 

The Elroq had not been tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP at the time of writing, but comes with lots of safety kit, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), traffic-sign recognition, a driver attention warning system, blind-spot monitoring and plenty of airbags. Edition trim adds predictive adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist.

The Elroq is too new to have featured in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey but Skoda finished in 13th place out of 31 brands in our manufacturer league table. That’s above MG (31st) and Vauxhall (29th), but below Kia (11th), Hyundai (10th) and Renault (ninth).

Every Elroq comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, while the main battery is covered with an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. If the battery falls below 70% of its original usable capacity, Skoda says it will pay to put it right.

“I find it useful that Skoda has made it easy to choose which driving assist features you want to use in the Elroq. There’s a shortcut button below the infotainment screen that brings up a menu with functions such as your lane-keep assist and driver attention warning.” – George Hill, Used Car Writer

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