How do you spend a day off when abroad? With more driving, of course. So, with a Sunday in between the Munich mobility show and another drive event in Austria, I spent the day driving the Skoda Elroq. Having attended its global debut last year, I knew the electric SUV looked promising, and while Skoda did say it wasn’t under active consideration for our market, they were open to the idea of getting it here. So, could a car like the Elroq cut into a market like India?
Skoda Elroq performance and refinement – 9/10
Power delivery isn’t instantaneous but measured out in a strong and purposeful manner.
The Elroq offers up a 340hp dual-motor vRS version and three rear drive models labelled 50, 60 and 85, which roughly correspond to battery capacity; the 50 gets a 52kWh battery with a 170hp motor, and a claimed range of 370km on the WLTP cycle. The 60 gets a 59kWh battery, 204hp motor, and a range of 385km. The 85 variant – what we have here – gets a larger 77kWh battery promising 560km of range and is powered by a 286hp motor with a claimed 0 to 100kph time of 6.6 seconds, which is plenty quick.
What’s nice is that, unlike many other EVs, power is not all served up at the start, followed by a linear run up the speedo. So even when you put your foot down, you don’t scamper off, but power delivery is still purposeful and strong enough to maintain a good pace. On the unrestricted stretch of the autobahn, we were very quickly able to hit the 180kph top speed limit.
High-speed motoring is generally a quiet affair, and powertrain refinement is good, even tyre noise is well contained. It’s only at higher triple-digit speeds that you will notice some wind noise around the A-pillars and tyre noise on certain road surfaces.
Skoda Elroq range and efficiency – 8/10
Skoda Elroq 85 WLTP range is a claimed 560km.
Skoda says the range of the 85 version stands at just over 560km on a single charge, which is good. Real-world range will be lower, but something in excess of 400km will be quite achievable for most motorists.
Skoda Elroq ride comfort and handling – 8/10
Good high-speed stability and a confident feel from both steering and suspension systems.
As with most European setups, the Elroq rides on the firmer side, and over the smooth tarmac everywhere we went, it’s hard to say just how the system would behave over bad roads. However, over a few ruts and broken stretches of tarmac, it absorbed them well, and the ride, while not plush, is pliant enough, and this is with the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive suspension system that our car had. High speed stability is excellent, maxing it out on the autobahn always felt controlled, and the level of composure it exhibits is really very good.
The steering too is typically European; not light and one-finger twirl effort levels, rather the weight goes from medium to firm as you move to sportier drive modes. So, it feels nice and controlled and gives you a sense of confidence through corners, mind you, like the suspension setup, its not sporty and agile just controlled and reassuring.
Skoda Elroq exterior design and engineering – 7/10
The front looks refreshing the sides and rear are too familiar for an all-new car.
The Elroq debuts the brand’s ‘Modern Solid’ design language and that’s evident really all up at the front. The nose now carries what Skoda calls the ‘tech deck’ – a black panel that hides all the new tech bits modern cars need like cameras, radar, lidar etc. It’s a nice idea and really well executed with none of the ungainly black blobs or domes sticking out like so many new vehicles. The panel extends into segmented DRLs on either end and has the typical indented center where the bonnet dips into it. The area now carries the new Skoda lettermark instead of the round logo. Headlights are set lower down within sharp and angular insets and the bumper lower edge contains automatic active cooling vents.
The newness of the front end however is lost at the sides and rear of the Elroq which stick with very typical Skoda design elements. The door and roof line are straightforward and crisp as are the lines at the rear. The positioning of the number plate, the sharp crease lines across the tailgate are all very familiar, and the taillights look near identical to those on the Kodiaq.
Skoda Elroq interior space and comfort – 9/10
Plenty of leg and head room at the rear, seats are nicely bolstered.
At 4.4 meters in length and with a wheelbase of over 2.7 meters, the Elroq is just slightly larger than the mid-size SUVs and so space inside is good. At the rear there’s ample legroom and headroom is good. With my 5-foot 8inch frame I had no shortage of space at the front or rear. The seats are comfy too with deep bolstering at the front and the outer two rear seats. The center seat is broad but rather flat as it houses a flip down armrest, should it be unoccupied you can also place on the ground a handy little storage tray, taking advantage of the Elroq’s flat floor.
There’s more storage space around the cabin; another clever one being a net fixed to the underside of the rear parcel tray that neatly holds the charging cable. Its space that is typically wasted plus it also frees up boot space where the cable would be stored. Boot space stands at 470 litres and there are a myriad of shelves, nets, compartments and trays about it, making storage of odd items very easy and handy. The rear parcel tray height can also be set at a lower level.
Skoda Elroq features and safety – 8/10
Well kitted out with lots of safety kits too like up to 9 airbags and predictive cruise control.
Equipment wise the Elroq has the typical bits covered, so there’s dual-zone climate control, an HUD and ambient lighting. There’s only a rear-view camera through; a surround view unit is only available on the vRS. There’s a large 13-inch touchscreen which is crisp and slick to use, the digital instrument panel though is a let-down as it’s rather tiny at a slim 5.3 inches, not very customizable and without a dial display option.
Below the touchscreen sits a bank of buttons for things like the drive mode selection and hazard warning, the HVAC controls though are sadly via the touchscreen only. Steering mounted controls are the signature Skoda scroll wheels that operate with a nice tactile feel to them.
In terms of safety kit, there’s up to 9 airbags, and a full ADAS suite with predictive cruise control that uses traffic sign recognition and GPS data to adjust cruise speed in advance, like reducing speed when coming up to a round-about for instance. As yet, the Elroq does not have a Euro NCAP rating.
Skoda Elroq value for money and verdict – 9/10
Superbly well packaged and competitively priced EV, once that has good potential in India.
A day with the Elroq has left me in no doubt about its potential in India. It could do very well indeed. It’s not lively to drive but that isn’t its brief and there’s really very little that’s wrong with it, the tiny non customizable IP screen being the only bit that really disappointed me. Besides that, its mid-size SUV footprint is just perfect for our conditions and it’s a phenomenally well packaged product. Performance is strong and the powertrain is perfectly calibrated for an easy drive, the ride and handling inspire confidence and the interiors are comfy, well equipped and in typical Skoda fashion packed with clever and useful features.
It’s keenly priced too, in the UK the range starts at 33 thousand pounds (INR 40 lakh) thus below rivals there like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Volvo EX30, Mercedes EQA and BMW iX1 LWB, all of which are also sold here in India.
For a while now, Skoda India has been talking about the possibility of launching its larger EV the Enyaq. It’s been spied on our roads and even showcased at the Bharat Mobility show last year. However, after having driven the Elroq – and the Enyaq briefly the previous day – I am convinced it’s the Elroq that would be a far better fit. It delivers similar levels of performance, space and equipment as the larger sibling but at a more affordable price, commensurate with Skoda’s mass-premium positioning in India. Bring it here Skoda.
Also see:
Porsche Cayenne Electric first look: What can we expect?
Citroen Basalt X Plus review: More affordable than a Dzire
