Test drive Skoda Enyaq: first impressions on the road

It immediately impresses with its modern electric drive and excellent interior space.

It becomes interesting ... No, not only because of the bad weather in Ireland, where the first trip in a very narrow circle starts with the still completely disguised Enyaq. The electric model is expected to be available from the brand's dealers in late 2020, but we have the opportunity to experience its capabilities on the narrow roads and snow-covered slopes of the remote Irish countryside.

Its remarkable performance is truly impressive, despite the explicit remark from Skoda engineers that test prototypes currently account for about 70% of the completed development phase.

This is very clear. And it's even clearer that Skoda's first stand-alone electric model using the Volkswagen Group's Modularer Elektrifizierungsbaukasten modular platform will make a big difference. Not so much in external dimensions (length 4,65 meters), which put it between Karoq and Kodiaq, but in appearance and especially due to the typical Czech combination of quality and price.

Competitions must prepare for the kick

If any of the competitors hoped that the Czechs would use up most of the potential of the Vision IV concept on the way to mass production, he would be bitterly disappointed. Let's get back to the interesting part - all the under-prepared participants in this market segment should be considered warned of a serious shock that the new Skoda will cause with its appearance, capabilities and price levels in the range from 35 to 40 thousand euros.

It's not just an SUV, it's not a van or a crossover. This is Enyaq, another magic concoction that the Czechs use to reach new market positions. Huge potential is also evident in the design and layout with consistent use of the last cubic millimeter of space, excellent aerodynamics (cW 000), dynamic styling, precise details and overall self-confidence.

Even the glowing elements in the front grille are pleasantly surprised, and you look forward to seeing what effect this light will have on the road. In addition to detail, Enyaq demonstrates a clever approach to proportions, taking full advantage of the MEB platform.

The battery is located in the middle of the underbody and the drive is provided by a multi-link rear axle. In addition, a traction motor can be added to the front axle, with which Enyaq can offer a dual powertrain depending on the specific road situation.

Top model vRS will have 225 kW power and dual transmission

The battery uses elements known from electric vehicles of other Volkswagen brands, in the form of flat elongated envelopes (the so-called "bag"), which, depending on the model, are combined into modules.

The three power levels are achieved with a combination of eight, nine or twelve blocks of 24 cells, which are 55, 62 and 82 kWh respectively. Based on this, the names of the model versions are determined - 50, 60, 80, 80X and vRS.

The battery capacity of electric vehicles is the working volume of vehicles with internal combustion engines. The net values ​​in this case are 52, 58 and 77 kWh, the maximum power is respectively 109, 132 and 150 kW with 310 Nm at the rear axle. The front axle motor has a power of 75 kW and 150 Nm.

A highly efficient synchronous electric motor runs at the rear, while a robust induction motor is located on the front axle, which responds very quickly when additional traction is required.

Thanks to the constantly available torque, acceleration is always smooth and powerful, acceleration from standstill to 100 km / h takes between 11,4 and 6,2 seconds depending on the version, and the maximum highway speed reaches 180 km / h. autonomous mileage on WLTP of about 500 kilometers (about 460 in versions with a dual transmission) significantly melts.

There is comfort, road dynamics too

But sections of the highway are not part of the current preliminary tests - now the rear-wheel drive version of the Enyaq will have to show its capabilities on secondary sections of the road, filled with many difficult turns.

Anyone wary of the traditional disadvantages of rear-wheel drive (traction, instability, etc.) should know that front-wheel drive (and front-wheel drive) makes much less sense for electric vehicles than for cars with a conventional combustion engine.

The fact is that the battery weighing from 350 to 500 kilograms is located in the center and low in the floor of the body, which shifts the center of gravity down and especially back, which limits the grip of the front wheels. Thanks to these changes to the Enyaq's layout, it shows off road dynamics very well with refreshing direct steering and very solid driving comfort (the heavy battery speaks for itself), despite the lack of adaptive dampers that will be offered for the model at a later stage.

What is important at this point is that the shocks from the average bump, typical of second class roads, hardly penetrate the extremely large interior space.

Even the Enyaq pre-production prototype delivers precise control, comfort and more power.

Both the front and rear seats offer space and comfort, while (as promised by CEO Bernhard Meyer and CEO Christian Strube) driving comfort and rear soundproofing will not yet be top notch.

However, it should not be forgotten that the development level of Enyaq at the moment is still somewhere between 70 and 85%, and this is felt, for example, in the effectiveness and metering ability of the brakes. On the other hand, different levels of recuperation, recognition of vehicles in front and corresponding effective guidance of the route by the navigation system, including the preventive cruise control function, are already a fact.

Christian Strube says that there is a process of continuous improvement in these areas - for example, in cornering speed control, where the reactions of the systems should become smoother, more logical and natural.

Beautiful interior with modern communication and augmented reality

The Czechs have also improved the interior, but the new level of equipment is relatively modest. In addition to some environmental details such as leather upholstery, natural olive wood trim and recycled textile fabrics, what is most impressive are the spacious layouts and flowing shapes in the interior.

At the same time, the team of chief designer Oliver Stephanie seriously revised the concept of the dashboard. It is centered on a 13-inch touchscreen with a touchscreen slider below it, while in front of the driver is a relatively small screen with the most important ride information such as speed and power consumption.

Some may find it too simple, but according to Skoda's designers, it is a logical and aesthetic focus on the essentials. On the other hand, the additionally offered large head-up display will allow graphically integrating the current navigation information in the form of virtual reality.

This decision will make the Enyaq a very modern vehicle that naturally retains the simple and clever details of a typical Czech brand, such as an umbrella in the door, an ice scraper and a charging cable hidden in the lower trunk (585 liters).

The latter can be done from a standard household outlet, from the Wallbox with 11 kWh, DC and 50 kW, and fast charging stations up to 125 kW, which ideally means 80% in 40 minutes.

Conclusion

While first impressions are still of the pre-production version, it's safe to say that the Enyaq doesn't fit into any of the established vehicle categories. The Czechs once again managed to create an original product with a modern drive on a modular basis, an extremely spacious interior, precise behavior on the road and, last but not least, quite worthy for family use.