Skoda Enyaq review - Range, charging & running costs

​Skoda has long been famed for the excellent value offered by its cars and the Enyaq appears to continue this tradition, up to a point. The entry-level version costs just a few thousand pounds more than a Peugeot E-2008, despite the French model’s smaller overall size and battery capacity.

Stepping up to the 82kWh battery pushes the Skoda well beyond £40,000, and the 85x SportLine Plus model costs over £48k; our test car was around £50,000 including the price of options.

Skoda Enyaq range & charging 

The biggest decision facing Enyaq buyers is which battery size to choose, because it not only affects the Skoda's price, but also how far it can go between charges.

With a 62kWh capacity (58kWh usable), the smaller battery offers a range of up to 249 miles. It used to come with a 50kW charging speed at public rapid charging stations, but the faster 120kW speed was later made standard. This places this version of the Enyaq between the small and large battery versions of the Hyundai Kona Electric and just behind the entry-level Renault Scenic, with its 260-mile range.

Considering the average UK driver (covering around 12,000 miles) should only need to charge this version of the Enyaq around once a week, it’s our pick of the range. A full charge using a 7.2kW home wallbox takes just over nine hours.

If you do regularly drive further afield, there's also the 82kWh version (77kWh usable) that extends the Enyaq’s range to between 336-348 miles, depending on trim level. This model comes with a maximum charging speed of 175kW.

A full home charge using a 7.4kW wallbox takes around 12 hours, and a cable for home charging comes as standard with both the 60 and 85.

In 85x guise, the Enyaq gains a second electric motor that drives the front axle. It’s only available in the SportLine Plus trim and reduces overall range to 328 miles. This is closely related to the dual-motor Enyaq vRS, which gets slightly more power, but can also go slightly further at 336 miles. These both get 175kW rapid charging capability, which means a 0-80% top-up takes around 28 minutes when connected to a fast charger. Charging via a 7.4kW home or office wallbox takes around 13 hours.

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In spring 2023, Skoda announced the Laurin & Klement 85 models. Skoda says it’s optimised the charging in these versions, meaning both models’ batteries can be topped up in less than 30 minutes with a compatible charger. A new feature preheats the battery to its optimal charging temperature manually at the touch of a button, or automatically as you near a charging station using information harvested from the car’s navigation system.

When we tested the Enyaq in colder weather, the 60 and 80 versions displayed a predicted range of 165 miles and 210 miles respectively, which is significantly less than advertised. When it was warmer, the single-motor 80 model indicated that around 280 to 290 miles of range was possible.

While the Enyaq does get closer to its official range when it’s warm, it’s useful to know that buyers can have a heat pump fitted to the car as an option to help keep the battery at its optimal operating temperature in cold weather (helping to improve the range in winter).

Insurance groups

Electric SUVs tend to sit in higher insurance groups than their petrol or diesel counterparts but the Enyaq fares better here than some. From the entry-level model to the Enyaq 80 SportLine Plus, groups span from 23 to 32 out of 50.

Warranty

Like every Skoda model, the Skoda Enyaq is covered by a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty, whichever comes first. This is the same as Volkswagen and Ford but is not as compelling as the five years or even longer provided by the likes of Hyundai, Toyota and Kia. One difference here is that the battery gets a longer, eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty, protecting it against damage or a reduction in capacity to below 70%.

Servicing

Electric cars should require less maintenance, thanks to fewer moving parts, no reliance on engine oil and the complete absence of consumables like spark plugs. As a result, the Enyaq only needs to visit the dealership every two years, for an inspection, a new pollen filter and brake fluid.