First drive
Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV
Skoda adds attractive Coupe versions to our current New Company Car of the year. The result is an elegant expansion of the Enyaq range.
Martyn Collins
Like us, buyers seem to really like Skoda’s first EV. Since its launch last year, an amazing 50,000 Enyaqs have found homes, mostly in more powerful 80 form, with Germany, Norway and the Netherlands being the keenest buyers. To keep those buyers coming, Skoda has now launched Coupe versions of the Enyaq. Outside, the Enyaq Coupe is all- new from the B-pillar back. Much curvier than standard, the rear slopes elegantly towards the back, merging with a new tailgate and rear lights. The tailgate itself is concave in design and features a sharp trailing edge and angular bumper. All Coupe models also get a dark tinted panoramic glass roof – the largest in the Skoda range.
The sporty vRS will be the first Coupe Enyaq iV 80x Coupe vRS
P11D £51,830 On sale Now Residual value 45.4% Depreciation £28,274 Fuel £2,751 Service, maintenance and repair £2,409 Cost per mile 47.82p Range 309 miles CO2 (BIK %)* 0g/km (2%) BIK 20/40% a month £17/£35 Luggage capacity 570 litres Engine size/power 82kWh/299hp *from April 2022
available on the UK market; it also gets a discreet front apron, body-colour side skirts and up to 21in wheels. Choose the more standard 80, and the front of your Enyaq Coupe can be made to stand out with the optional Crystal Face, where the vertical ribs of the Skoda family grille are illuminated by 131 LEDs and a horizontal light strip – Skoda tell us this is a popular option, although it’s standard on the vRS. Inside, the Enyaq vRS Coupe is largely unchanged from the hatch, although the use of black leather-look trim on the dashboard with contrast stitching, black perforated leather-trimmed steering wheel, and black perforated leather-trimmed sports seats, make it feel different and sporty enough to be the performance range-topper.
feel to the cabin, too. There is also the practicality of a 570-litre boot despite the focus being on style.
Positive
Styling, still practical, comfort
Negative
Expensive, steering lacks feel, some ride issues
As with the standard Enyaq, it is built on VW’s dedicated MEB platform, and as such is like the GTX version of the ID.4 (also tested in this issue) and the 50 Quattro version of the Q4 E-Tron. So, like them, the first all-electric vRS is fitted with two electric motors, an 82kWh battery and in Enyaq form boasts 299hp, a maximum torque of 460Nm, 0–62mph acceleration in 6.5 seconds, and a top speed of 111mph. Despite all this performance, it has a 309-mile range but 135kW charging as standard, which can take the battery from 10 to 80% capacity in just 36
minutes.
Inside, the 13in touchscreen infotainment dominates the dashboard. Its sliders and menus still frustrate, but with the updated ME3 software it works better than before. The driving position is excellent, the vRS seats impressively comfortable and supportive, plus the chunky three-spoke steering wheel feels good to hold. Move to the rear and legroom is unchanged from the hatch. More impressive is the fact that despite the sweeping rear roofline and glass roof – headroom isn’t compromised – even for the tallest. The glass roof itself is heavily tinted, but it still gives an airy
Later, the Coupe will also be available in standard 80 versions, which we also got to try. It is just like the Enyaq iV hatch in two-wheel drive form. The Enyaq Coupe iV features the same 82kWh battery, giving a maximum range of up to 339 miles for the two-wheel drive version. The vRS feels very keen right from start-off, and this is what you expect a performance range-topper to be. With 460Nm of torque, it’s the acceleration that amuses most about the drive – stamp on the throttle and you’re pushed right into its sports seat.
Considering the vRS has a stiffer set- Data is from Kee Resources based on a three-year/60,000-mile cycle
8/10
Standard equipment: 20in alloy wheels, memory door mirrors, electrically-operated boot with virtual pedal, full LED Matrix headlights, full LED rear lights, headlight washers, electrically- adjustable driver’s seat with memory, heated front sports seats, tri-zone climate control, sat-nav with 13in touchscreen, adaptive cruise control.
Engines: Electric: 295hp
Equipment grades: vRS
Transmissions: Single speed automatic
up and our test car was on the optional 21in wheels, we were surprised at how comfortable and compliant the sportiest Enyaq was on country roads. Despite this car’s 2.2t weight, body roll is kept well under control and with four-wheel drive, grip levels are high, meaning you can cover ground quicker than you would think. However, the steering lacks feel and when the optional Dynamic Chassis Control dampers are in Sport mode, you see uncomfortable amounts of rebound if the road isn’t completely smooth. The 80 Coupe we drove next is probably a better compromise for day-to-day use, with its slightly smaller wheels, softer suspension settings and lack of performance perceptions of the come with the vRS badging.
The Enyaq Coupe has all the qualities we liked about the original, with a dose of extra style – that hasn’t really compromised this Skoda’s practicality. However, it is more expensive, and we’re not sure the vRS version knows what it wants to be.
www.businesscar.co.uk | March 2022 | 35
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