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► 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds
I always hoped I’d turn 50 in a Ferrari. Turns out it’ll be in a Skoda Enyaq. Still, at least I’ll be driving the most powerful, fastest-accelerating production Skoda ever when I hit the half-century, and one that’s winning the approval of people half my age.
Nathan the barman at our local pizzeria knew the electric SUV’s impressive headline stats, and was rather more excited about it than I’d expect anyone in their twenties to be. He’s right to be, of course. This Enyaq Coupe iV vRS is now a 335bhp car – power having leapt 40bhp with a recent revision – and will crack 62mph in 5.5 seconds. It’s also claimed to be more efficient and has had a bunch of tweaks made to steering, handling and the infotainment systems too.
Although I’m fundamentally allergic to coupe-SUVs as a concept this version is hardly lacking in boot space and is really good-looking. I love the stance, the slightly cab-forward aesthetic and the very bold full-length swage line which lends some definition and drama to the shape and throws shade onto the lower half of the side to break up its visual mass.
Looks like the designers did the base of the A-pillar last, though, and couldn’t quite work out how to resolve it, leaving it with an odd extra panel under the wing mirror and two messy extra quarterlights. I also have reservations about the art installation which fills what would otherwise be a grille.
It’s the same story inside: the cabin layout is generally great with masses of intelligently arrayed storage, but the panels which meet around the base of the A-pillar seem to arrive at the same coordinates at very different altitudes. You wonder if the VW Group is making a point about Skoda’s place in its hierarchy by using hard plastics in high-contact areas like the internal door pulls.
But the fundamentals are right. A bunch of long motorway trips have proved that seat comfort and driving position are great, ride comfort excellent, charging as fast as it needs to be at 175kW and efficiency impressive at an average 3.2 miles per kW.
That figure doesn’t seem to drop much at motorway speeds and lends the Enyaq serious long-distance chops. There are some oddnesses to which we’ll return later, but for now this is looking like an impressive all-rounder, and not a bad way to hurtle towards old age, senility, incontinence and death.
Logbook: Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV vRS (month 1)
Price: £54,155 (£58,800 as tested)
Performance: 77kWh battery, twin e-motors, 335bhp, 5.5sec 0-62mph, 111mph
Efficiency: 3.9 miles per kWh (claimed), 3.5 (tested), 0g/km CO2
Range: 336 miles (claimed), 302 (tested)
Energy cost: 8.7p per mile
Miles this month: 3047
Total miles: 3156