By Ian Strachan.
Skoda is a car company that knows its p’s and q’s. Or at least its q’s. Almost every vehicle in the Skoda range ends in the letter q.
In among the Kodiaq, the Kamiq, the Karoq and the Enyaq emerges the Elroq – an all-electric award-winning family SUV which combines good looks with a decent range, practicality, specification and technology in a well-priced package.
I tested the fully electric Skoda Elroq Edition 85 in a very attractive and unusual Timiano Green which certainly turns heads. That’s a £680 option.
In this colour or any other, the Elroq is certainly a good looker. It has a smooth and pleasing design and shows off Skoda’s new closed-off front grille – no engine means no need for a radiator grille – and narrow headlights, with the Skoda name spelt out across the bonnet. The side view is enhanced by smart 19-inch anthracite alloy wheels, although my test car was fitted with optional 21-inch versions (£1,180).
Practicality is one of the Elroq’s virtues. It has bags of interior space, and has plenty of room for front and rear seat passengers. Luggage capacity is an impressive 470 litres.
The Elroq in 85 spec has other attractions too. It’s packed with technology and has a range between charges of more than 350 miles as long as you’re not heavy-footed.
The Enlroq 85 that I tested develops an impressive 286PS, has a top speed where allowed of 111 mph and will propel you from 0 to 60 mph in just over six seconds, so it’s no slouch.
If you take full advantage of the Elroq’s sparkling performance there will be a range penalty, though you’ll still get sufficient range for most journeys.
The interior is modern and well laid out with the controls in Skoda’s digital cockpit all falling neatly to hand. Nicely-trimmed fabric and artificial leather upholstery, ambient lighting and plenty of storage spaces make the interior a pleasant place to be, helped by heated front seats.
Specification on the Elroq is good, with leather heated multi-function steering wheel, satnav via a 13-inch touchscreen, DAB digital radio with voice control and multi-media interfaces, wireless phone charger, dual-zone climate control, predictive adaptive cruise control with speed assist, front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera and heated electric door mirrors and Skoda puddle lights. A plethora of safety technology includes lane keeping aid, traffic jam assist, blind spot monitor, evasive steering support, automatuc braking and traffic sign detection.
You also get LED headlights, light and rain sensors, keyless entry with walk-away locking, drive mode select, and ambient lighting.
Handling on the Elroq is sure-footed and composed, with flat cornering and no body roll.
The Skoda Elroq is a good choice for anyone looking to buy a fully electric vehicle for the first time. It’s competitively priced – this specification comes at £38,650 on the road – and you get a highly specified car with low running costs, plus the satisfaction of zero emissions.
