2025 Skoda Enyaq review | 7NEWS

The Volkswagen Group is finally entering the electric SUV chat in Australia.

After years of promised launches and numerous delays, we’re finally getting a Tesla Model Y competitor based off the VW Group’s MEB architecture – starting with the 2025 Skoda Enyaq Coupe.

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While technically not the Group’s first electric vehicle in Australia (the Cupra Born landed first), Skoda and Volkswagen have struggled to get their respective MEB EV ranges to Australia, citing our market’s lack of emissions regulations and high demand in the European market.

The Enyaq seems to be the golden child, though. While its siblings and cousins were subject to criticism over build quality, software issues and disappointing performance, Skoda’s take on the MEB platform has been widely acclaimed in Europe and the UK, and is one of the top-selling electric SUVs in its home region – fourth, to be exact.

Since the nameplate’s introduction in late 2020, there have been over 200,000 units delivered globally. Despite the car not changing visually since launch, Australia is actually getting an updated version with various enhancements to the electric drivetrain, battery and infotainment software in line with a mid-life refresh released in Europe less than 12 months ago.

Available to order now ahead of deliveries commencing in December, the Enyaq is debuting in Australia as a coupe-only proposition available in sporty Sportline and RS grades. There’s a more conventional SUV version as well as other trim and drivetrain variants abroad, but those won’t come here for at least another 12 months if confirmed.

Sharply priced against equivalent models from rival nameplates and boasting class-leading range, Skoda is looking to make a splash on an already competitive segment. Has it Czech-mated the likes of Tesla and Hyundai/Kia?

How much does the Skoda Enyaq cost?

The Sportline starts from $69,990 before on-road costs, while the dual-motor RS is priced from $83,990 plus on-roads.

While the Enyaq is closer to premium territory than mainstream positioning, Australia gets a pretty good deal if you look at overseas pricing.

Look at Skoda UK’s configurator and the most affordable Enyaq Coupe with the larger battery pack is £45,775 or close to $91,000 if you directly exchange to AUD, while the Enyaq Coupe RS is £54,155 or ~AUD $118,000. A similarly specified Enyaq Coupe 85 Sportline in Germany is €58,590 (AUD $98,000) while the RS is €63,300 (AUD $110,000).

Also keep in mind the Enyaq is subject to a 5.0 per cent import tariff where its Chinese-, Japanese- and Korean-made rivals benefit from free trade agreements. It’s worth acknowledging Skoda Australia’s ability to achieve very competitive pricing against like-for-like rivals in the Australian market.

To see how the Skoda Enyaq lines up against the opposition, check out our comparison tool.

What is the Skoda Enyaq like on the inside?

While its platform mates have been panned for questionable material quality for their asking price, the Enyaq’s cabin feels suitably upmarket and competitive with rivals asking similar money.

Skoda has been pushing upward in terms of its design and execution, and the Enyaq is a good example of that.

The strong, structured dashboard and chunky design elements give a sense of robustness, accented with soft-touch plastics and padded, stitched leatherette surfaces. It’s minimalist but not spartan like a Model Y.

Up front, the driver and front passenger are treated to big, comfortable sports seats with integrated headrests which not only look good, but offer a heap of bolstering and support from most angles.

In the Sportline the front chairs are trimmed in a mix of suede and leather, with the base grade getting manual adjustment for the passenger but power adjustment including lumbar and memory for the driver.

You can add a power passenger seat as well as massage function amongst other things if you opt for the Ultimate Pack ($6000). This package also adds niceties like Canton premium audio, an augmented reality head-up display, heated rear seats, and other niceties like adaptive damping and a heat-insulating windscreen.

Do you need to spend the extra money on the package? Probably not. But if you’re like me and like to have as many tech and feature items you can get it could be worth the extra dosh.

Ahead of the driver is a sporty steering wheel with perforated leather rim, and behind that is a small 5.0-inch Digital Cockpit that unlike other MEB products from the VW and Cupra stables is recessed into the dashboard under a cowl more like a traditional instrument cluster.

It offers a handful of different layouts to show you various bits of info, and it’s not susceptible to glare like the freestanding units of its platform mates.

The freestanding 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system is running a newer interface than the bug-infested one that debuted in the first Enyaqs, and in our limited time with the car it seems free of any major quibbles.

Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work well, and are complimented by a wireless phone charger under the centre stack which worked as it should. There are also a number of different menus and widgets to play with, but it’s worth noting the Enyaq lacks some features expected of the price point.

Connected services and embedded satellite navigation remain omitted from Australian models, due to the lack of support for the MEB platform’s connected car module. You can work around this with smartphone apps as well as the cabin pre-conditioning tool which allows you to schedule days and times you want the car to start defrosting windows or pump up the A/C, but you cannot access it via a smartphone like you can in other markets.

Unlike Volkswagen, Skoda has virtual but permanent climate controls in a toolbar at the base of the touchscreen, with the only touch slider used for audio volume. It can take a bit of getting used to, but you can set and forget if you leave the climate control in Auto.

Moving into the second row, the Enyaq Coupe’s sloping roofline and panoramic glass roof don’t eat into headroom as much as you might think, but you don’t want your passengers to be much taller than me (I’m 6’1) if they’re riding with you regularly as my voluminous ‘do was nearly brushing the roof.

There’s otherwise plenty of space for two adults in the rear, and three at a pinch. You get a standard third zone of climate with temperature controls and directional vents, and the floor is flat courtesy of the dedicated EV architecture so middle-seat passengers won’t be competing with neighbours for foot room.

You also get amenities like a folding centre armrest with cupholders, map pockets and mobile phone holders on the front seatbacks, USB-C charge ports, and big bottle holders in the rear doors. ISOFIX and top tether anchors feature as you’d expect, though the bulky front seats can impede forward vision for smaller passengers.

In fact, storage is excellent throughout the Enyaq, with a big shelf under the centre console up front and a decent cubby under the centre armrest, as well as big door pockets up front, too. The centre console also features storage nooks and cupholders up top, sitting in and around the stubby shift-by-wire selector.

Even better, there’s the signature Skoda umbrella nestled in the driver’s door, as well as manual sunshades integrated into the rear doors to ‘block out the haters’, as the kids say these days.

Both versions of the Enyaq Coupe quote 570 litres of boot capacity with the rear seats in place, and 1610 litres with the second row folded. For reference, that’s 15 litres and 100 litres down on the Enyaq SUV respectively.

There’s underfloor storage with a divider to hide items away, and the standard charging cables come with a cute bag that easily slots into the side compartment. The rear seats also fold 60:40 and the centre seat has a ski port for longer items.

‘Simply Clever’ touches that haven’t already been mentioned include a cargo net array for the boot area to keep things from sliding around, a removeable rear seat console that slots into the centre of the floor, as well as a ticket holder in the A-pillar up front.

So, still a ‘Skoda’ despite the electric powertrain, then. Worth noting, however, is the lack of any form of spare wheel, rather there’s a tyre repair kit.

To see how the Skoda Enyaq lines up against the opposition, check out our comparison tool.

What’s under the bonnet?

Two drivetrains are available in Australia, both with a 77kWh (net) lithium-ion battery pack. Unlike some other electric vehicles, there’s no frunk in the Enyaq.

The Enyaq isn’t available in Australia with a heat pump, despite the feature being available as an option in overseas markets.

As for real-world efficiency, I was seeing around 16kWh/100km in the Sportline on high-speed, winding B-roads with plenty of more spirited driving thrown in with downhill regen opportunities; and 17-18kWh/100km in the RS.

So, you should be able to achieve pretty close to the advertised efficiency and range claims in more balanced daily driving situations.

To see how the Skoda Enyaq lines up against the opposition, check out our comparison tool.

How does the Skoda Enyaq drive?

Given Volkswagen’s (and by extension Skoda) penchant for European refinement and balanced on-road manners, I was very interested to see if the praise the Enyaq has received overseas translates to the Australian model.

Our drive program included three main hour-ish stints through the winding roads of the Southern Highlands in NSW, starting with the Sportline and moving through the Sportline with Ultimate Pack and finally the RS hero.

Even the base car has plenty of go. With 210kW and 545Nm driving the rear axle, the ‘base’ Enyaq Sportline has the sort of punch you’d expect of six-cylinder ICE vehicles without the noise. And with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds, it’s as quick as any of the brand’s current ICE-powered RS performance products, too.

The Enyaq offers the immediate response that is a hallmark of EVs, and builds speed with a sweet linearity that is both smooth and punchy. It’s also particularly quiet, with no synthesised powertrain noise and insulation from both road and wind noise being excellent for the class.

Base Sportline versions get passive damping, and you’d be forgiven for being wary of the fact it’s riding on big 21-inch wheels shod in 235/45 front and 255/40 rear Bridgestone Turanza Eco rubber. But, you should be as pleasantly surprised as I was.

Even without the optional adaptive dampers, the Enyaq Sportline strikes a really nice balance between bump isolation and handling. It generally irons out pockmarked surfaces and undulations with gusto, only the harshest of potholes eliciting any sort of slap off those big wheels – and even then it’s far from crashy or jarring.

The Sportline also comes with what Skoda calls Dynamic Steering as standard, which is effectively the progressive steering system used in other VW Group products. It means the Enyaq is light and manoeuvrable around town but then the tiller loads up with more weight at higher speeds and during dynamic driving for better response and feedback.

No, this isn’t going to shame established performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan nor is it quite as tied down or dynamic as a Kia EV6, but the electric Skoda again strikes a similar balance between comfort and dynamics to the brand’s acclaimed RS models, if with a bit more mass.

It is rare that the Enyaq will be betrayed by its 2.2-tonne tare mass, thanks to its low centre of gravity and large footprint. You will feel its weight shift side to side in very tight and technical stretches of road, which really isn’t what this car will call home anyway.

Driven back to back with an Ultimate Pack-equipped Sportline, I wasn’t all too sure if the addition Dynamic Chassis Control (adaptive damping) made any major advancements to the ride – though there was a noticeable difference.

The adaptive dampers unlock various suspension modes including a firmer Sport setup as well as a softer Comfort profile, and it was the latter I was keener to trail following my stint in the standard car. On the lumpy and undulating B-roads we drove on, the Comfort setting was almost too soft, requiring an extra moment or so to settle over crests, for example.

I can understand the want for added firmness in Sport, but even the Normal setting was more than satisfactory for all scenarios. Apart from that the changes to steering feel in both cars didn’t really make too much of a difference to my tastes, thanks to the variable ratio out of the box.

Regen braking is a consideration for many EV buyers, and the VW Group’s approach is a little different. There are various stages and intensities as well as a B mode for the transmission, but while its most aggressive setting does slow the car down in a progressive fashion it’s not quite the one-pedal drive some prefer.

If anything, it drives like a ‘normal’ VW Group car that happens to be electric. As you’d expect there’s a nice refinement to the controls and response. Really, the Sportline is all most are going to need.

Hopping into the Mamba Green – mmm – Enyaq RS for the final leg was definitely interesting. It’s billed as the most powerful production Skoda ever, and claims a pretty handy 0-100km/h time of just 5.4 seconds – 1.3s quicker than the Sportline RWD.

The RS basically takes the Sportline with Ultimate Pack’s running gear and adds the extra electric motor on the front axle, so for the most part it doesn’t feel drastically different with the exception of the added pace and all-paw traction.

Now 5.4s to 100km/h isn’t going to give a Model Y Performance any sleepless nights, but the Enyaq RS is nicely brisk. It largely retains the comfort and refinement of the Sportline while adding some nice RS-themed design elements and trimmings for a dash of flair – it certainly looks quite special in the spec pictured here.

The extra e-motor adds around 180kg to the Enyaq’s tare mass in RS guise, but it’s barely noticeable given the all-wheel traction and extra grunt. For me, it just felt like a quicker Sportline. There’s no sound either which sort of detracts from the performance experience, though that’s very much down to personal tastes.

But I will note, that in my experience with the Model Y on bigger wheels, the Enyaq has a far more resolved ride compared to the top-selling Tesla, and perhaps will feel less alien if you’re stepping out of a conventional car and looking to go electric. Food for thought.

Our launch drive favoured B-roads and the one highway leg I was a passenger, so I didn’t really get a chance to trial the Enyaq’s suite of driver assistance systems – but being a VW Group product, I know what to expect.

Unlike the smaller Cupra Born, the Enyaq offers Travel Assist in all grades. This combines adaptive cruise and lane centring functions for semi autonomous highway driving – and in pretty much every Group product I’ve trialled it in it’s been very, very good.

Further, there’s standard Side Assist (blind-spot assist) and rear cross-traffic alert to give you an extra set of eyes when merging lanes or reversing out of tight parking spaces. The available surround camera system is handy too, as is the standard inclusion of Matrix LED headlights should you drive on poorly-lit roads often.

The Enyaq’s available head-up display with augmented reality (AR) is simple in presentation but offers clever animations and graphics which feel high-tech. It’ll animate arrows and navigation prompts when using Apple Maps on CarPlay or Google Maps on Android Auto, and there are swish animations for the driver assist functions as well.

What do you get?

Enyaq Sportline standard equipment:

Exterior and Interior

• 21-inch alloy wheels – ‘Supernova’ Anthracite
• Panoramic glass sunroof
• Power driver’s seat incl. lumbar, memory
• Heated front seats
• Sports comfort front seats
• 3-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel
• Black exterior accents, badges
• Floor mats
• 60:40 split rear seat incl. centre armrest

Lighting

• Matrix LED headlights
• Auto dusk sensor
• LED ambient interior lighting

Comfort and Convenience

• Mode 2, Mode 3 charging cables
• Virtual Pedal
• Tri-zone climate control
• Electrically adjustable mirrors
• Keyless Access
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
• Heated reflecting windscreen
• Rear privacy glass
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Roll-up sunshades – rear-side windows

Connectivity, Sight and Sound

• 13-inch infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay
• Wireless Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 5.3-inch Digital Cockpit
• 4 x USB-C outlets – 2 x front, 2 x rear
• DAB/FM radio
• 8-speaker sound system
• Intelligent voice control

Simply Clever

• Umbrella in front driver’s door
• Phone pockets – rear
• Luggage net

Enyaq RS adds:

Drivetrain

• All-wheel drive incl. Traction Mode
• Adaptive Chassis Control

Exterior and Interior

• 21-inch alloy wheels – ‘Vision’ Anthracite
• RS exterior styling
• Exterior ambient lighting incl. Crystal Face grille
• Front seats incl. power adjustment, memory

Comfort and Convenience

• Heated rear outboard seats
• Heat insulating windscreen

Connectivity, Sight and Sound

• Augmented reality (AR) head-up display
• Canton premium sound system

Options

Ultimate Pack (Sportline): $6000

• Augmented reality (AR) head-up display
• Adaptive Chassis Control
• Area View (360 view)
• Canton premium sound system
• Exterior ambient lighting incl. Crystal Face grille
• Front seats incl. power adjustment, memory
• Heated rear outboard seats
• Heat insulating windscreen

Colours

Metallic and Pearlescent: $NCO

• Moon White Metallic
• Graphite Grey Metallic
• Black Magic Pearlescent
• Race Blue Metallic
• Velvet Red Metallic
• Mamba Green – RS only

Is the Skoda Enyaq safe?

The Skoda Enyaq range wears a five-star ANCAP safety rating in New Zealand, though this is yet to be carried over to the Australian range.

Skoda Australia says the local rating is subject to assessment, and the Australian result should be communicated prior to customer deliveries commencing in December.

For reference, the New Zealand ANCAP rating – itself based on Euro NCAP testing – includes an adult occupant protection score of 94 per cent, child occupant score of 89 per cent, vulnerable road user score of 71 per cent, and a safety assist score of 73 per cent.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• 8 airbags
• Adaptive cruise control
• Driver fatigue monitor
• Emergency Assist
• Exit warning
• Front Assist (AEB)
• Lane Assist
• Parking sensors – front, rear
• Proactive Occupant Protection
• Reversing camera
• Side Assist
• Speed limiter

Ultimate Pack + RS adds:

• Area View (360 cameras)
• Park Assist

How much does the Skoda Enyaq cost to run?

The Enyaq is covered by Skoda Australia’s seven-year new vehicle warranty, with the battery subject to eight years or 160,000 kilometres of warranty coverage – whichever comes first.

Skoda isn’t offering a complimentary charging subscription like Audi is doing (temporarily) with the related Q4 e-tron range, but the Czech carmaker has partnered with JET Charge to offer a range of home charging solutions with more transparent pricing including standard installation.

There are 7kW single-phase and 22kW three-phase chargers available to purchase – though the Enyaq maxes out at 11kW via three-phase – with prices ranging from $1780 to $2700 including standard installation and GST.

On the topic of charging, Skoda Australia was quick to point out that with the exception of the Toyota bZ4X, the bulk of the Enyaq’s rivals will charge you extra for Mode 2 or Mode 3 charging cables, of which the Skoda includes both.

For reference, the Mode 2 cable is a Type 2-to-wall socket cable that plugs directly into a conventional home power outlet, while the Mode 3 cable is a Type 2-to-Type 2 charge cable that’s required for certain AC public chargers – these can cost anywhere between $300 and $800 depending on brand.

CarExpert’s Take on the Skoda Enyaq

While I don’t think the Enyaq is going to be a sales hero in Australia like it is in Europe – where it’s the fourth best-selling electric SUV – there’s a lot to like about this Czech EV.

It’s very competitively priced and specified compared to direct rivals, offers best-in-class driving range for those with range anxiety, and drives with the sort of all-round polish we’ve come to expect from the VW Group.

Despite the coupe body style being the sole option for Australia at launch, it’s still typical Skoda in its practical packaging and thoughtful ‘Simply Clever’ touches; while also offering a very competitive aftersales program that beats out most rivals over various metrics.

That’s not to say it’s perfect. The lack of connected and remote services will be a sticking point for EV tech heads, as is the absence of embedded satellite navigation if you prefer native routing and mapping. It’s also a shame the more practical Enyaq SUV hasn’t made the trip Down Under yet, given Skoda is often associated with practical wagons.

I also personally believe, given the Enyaq’s strengths in comfort and refinement, the more luxurious L&K trim level should have formed part of the launch range, giving Skoda something of an attainable alternative to equivalent models from luxury brands; as well as a cheaper ‘Edition’ variant that could duck in under $65,000.

But all things considered, the Enyaq Coupe is a very likeable and well-rounded package that arguably is the most competitive rival for Tesla’s top-selling Model Y from a legacy brand. While it’s not necessarily better in every respect, it makes a very strong case for itself particularly in Sportline trim.

While my personal pick is an Ultimate Pack-equipped Sportline in Race Blue or Velvet Red – which don’t cost extra mind you – the un-optioned Sportline represents excellent value for money relative to its competitors and is well supported by a solid aftersales program should you be wary of making the jump to electric, or Euro for that matter.

Throw in Skoda’s sharp finance offer and guaranteed future value program, or the allure of FBT exemptions that would likely make this as affordable to novated lease as a mid-spec Kodiaq, and the value equation starts to stack up more.

It will certainly appeal to Skoda or VW loyalists looking to go electric if the price isn’t too steep, and has plenty to offer more broadly for those who aren’t interested in following the Tesla crowd or trying something Chinese.

Interested in buying a Skoda Enyaq? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here

MORE: Everything Skoda Enyaq

Pros

• Sharp pricing, lots of kit
• Long range, polished drive
• Strong aftersales, finance options

Cons

• No connected or remote services
• RS seems like overkill, a little spenny
• Wagon-bodied variant notably absent