Overview
The Skoda Enyaq – the Czech model’s first electrical automobile – has been a convincing success in Europe. Launched in late 2020 alongside its Volkswagen ID.4 cousin, the Enyaq has loved ever-increasing gross sales over the previous 5 years, to the purpose the place Skoda will shift round 80,000 items in Europe in 2025 – boosted by the ‘fashionable strong’ facelift you see right here.
What hasn’t been so rosy is the Enyaq’s penetration in Australia.
Delayed by the amount necessities of different markets, as nicely Australian authorities indifference to EVs earlier this decade, we lastly noticed the larger-battery Enyaq 85 Sportline Coupe in late-2024 … at precisely the purpose the place the Chinese language EV juggernaut switched into overdrive.
Not surprisingly, this $70K Enyaq has up to now managed to sway simply 197 patrons into paying a premium for an EV that distinguishes itself with spectacular dynamics, wonderful seating consolation and genuinely aggressive vary. However Skoda isn’t giving up – it’s able to struggle.
Second time round, Europe’s quantity three model (up to now in 2025) is focusing its value-packed lens so tightly that punters ought to discover Skoda Australia’s 2026 electric-vehicle line-up virtually unimaginable to disregard.
As coated extensively by Go Auto, new entry-level 60 Choose variants for the just-launched Elroq (from $49,990 driveaway) and facelifted Enyaq (from $54,990 driveaway) firmly set up a press release of intent – that Skoda can certainly ship nice value-for-money, at costs inside putting distance of Chinese language manufacturers.
These variants will arrive over the approaching months, leaving the redesigned 2026 Enyaq to crown Skoda’s EV line-up with a good-looking new styling remedy, a brand new SUV wagon model, some revised pricing and tools, and the promise of recent AWD Enyaq RS flagship variants through the second quarter of 2026.
For now, the facelifted Enyaq vary consists of two rear-wheel-drive 85 Sportline fashions – the SUV wagon model for $59,990 +ORC and the extra fully-featured Coupe model for $65,990 +ORC.
The brand new Coupe sticker is $4K lower than the checklist worth of the pre-facelift Sportline Coupe, although Skoda had been working that automotive out for $69,990 driveaway – an identical to the driveaway worth of the brand new mannequin.
Whereas the Sportline Coupe will get Skoda’s Final Pack as customary (21-inch ‘Supernova’ alloys, dynamic chassis management, illuminated ‘Tech Deck’ entrance grille, augmented-reality head-up show, 12-speaker Canton audio, clever parking help and an area-view digicam), the Sportline SUV expenses $5000 for that privilege, plus one other $2000 for a gap panoramic sunroof with electrical sunblind.
The Coupe will get a set panoramic glass roof with no blind, as a consequence of its dome-like roof form.
The pre-facelift Sportline Coupe featured customary 21-inch wheels however lacked the fully-electric entrance seats and heated outboard rear seats that are actually customary on each SUV and Coupe Sportline variants.
It additionally required the optionally available Final Pack to match the usual tools of the brand new Coupe, that means the facelifted model is round $7000 higher off.
About the one different variations concern the boot quantity – the SUV providing 585 litres beneath the baggage cowl (versus 570L) and 1710 litres in whole (versus 1610L) – and the Coupe’s superior 0.225 drag coefficient (down from 0.234 within the outdated mannequin).
Given its extra slippery form, the Coupe has a WLTP vary of 561km whereas the SUV manages 547km – each on the higher finish of the medium electrical SUV class.
So does having a brand new SUV wagon physique model change the Enyaq for the higher?
And is that this extra good-looking interpretation a greater EV all spherical?
Driving impressions
The very first thing you discover concerning the up to date Enyaq is how a lot better it seems to be than the slightly overdone earlier mannequin with its outsized faux-grille.
On this occasion, Skoda’s ‘fashionable strong’ design aesthetic has gifted the brand new Enyaq a way more cohesive and up to date entrance finish – particularly with the ‘illuminated Tech Deck’ that’s a part of the Final Pack and provides delicate lighting element proper throughout the Enyaq’s nostril.
The SUV wagon will get new 20-inch Vega alloys wheels as customary – sporting 235/50R20 tyres on the entrance and wider 255/45R20s on the rear – and this footwear pleasantly enhances the fixed-rate suspension tune of the entry-level $59,990 Enyaq Sportline.
As with the earlier Coupe with non-adaptive dampers (although sporting bigger 21-inch wheels), the bottom Enyaq stands aside as comfortably the best-riding of any Volkswagen Group EV using on the MEB platform – to the purpose the place you can drive away on this Sportline SUV (for $63,990) and never really feel compelled to load it with choices.
It is tremendous simply the way in which it’s – delivering a sophisticated and finessed driving expertise that’s distinctly European in its dealing with flavour, steering weight and eager development, and distinctly totally different to the flawed dynamics of 95 per cent of China’s over-light, under-developed EVs.
That is arguably the Enyaq at its finest – because the roomier, prettier new 210kW/545Nm SUV wagon physique model sporting beautiful new (no-cost) Olibo Inexperienced metallic paint and sufficient tools, vary, efficiency, and cabin storage to comfortably fulfill even an fanatic proprietor.
Its rear-wheel-drive dealing with steadiness is sweetly satisfying, its 0-100km/h functionality in 6.7sec is abundantly rewarding and its 547km of WLTP vary places it nicely forward of the $58,990 Tesla Mannequin Y RWD (466km) and $54,990 BYD Sealion 7 Premium (482km).
It additionally has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre guarantee (in comparison with 4 years/80,000km within the Tesla and 6 years/150,000km within the BYD), and its 10-80 per cent charging time of 28mins can also be aggressive, although extra about that in a minute.
The Enyaq Sportline SUV’s exterior scores Matrix LED headlights with dynamic cornering lights and rear sequential indicators, whereas its inside boasts sufficient tech to appease most punters, together with cooled wi-fi charging, a 13.0-inch touchscreen with wi-fi smartphone connectivity and eight-speaker audio, in addition to perforated ‘suedia’ upholstery.
We additionally drove the brand new Sportline Coupe with its customary Final Pack and 15-setting adaptive dampers – all of that are customary on this physique model (for $69,990 drive-away).
Given its comparatively quick wheelbase of simply 2766mm – similar as just about all MEB-platform automobiles apart from the VW ID.Buzz – the Coupe’s ‘Supernova’ 21-inch alloys virtually seem a bit outsized, although its journey doesn’t endure as a result of the trick damping compensates.
It’s maybe a bit floatier than the bottom Enyaq on fixed-rate suspension until you ramp it up in direction of ‘Sport’, and a contact much less linked in its total really feel, although that is countered by fairly an opulent stage of absorbency, and a silkier sheen over street surfaces.
Both manner, each Enyaq suspension set-ups work extraordinarily nicely in Australia.
If we needed to criticise the Enyaq in any space it could begin with the darkish inside colouring. Certain, these are supposed to be Sportline variants however Skoda has proven with its Monte Carlo variants {that a} dab of color goes a good distance.
Apart from a purple horizontal mild band and a carbonfibre-effect sprint inlay, it’s darker than a tar pit at night time.
After which there’s the charging. The brand new most DC charging fee for the 82kWh batteries featured in these 85 Sportline variants is down from 175kW to 135kW, which Skoda says is designed to make sure longer battery life and extra constant charging.
That could be so, and the 10-80 per cent time will be the similar at round 28 minutes however should you simply need a fast squirt from say 10 to 50 per cent, the Enyaq’s charging time can be noticeably longer, given the earlier cost fee ramped up faster to a better quantity.
Maybe that’s nitpicking – maybe nobody actually cares. But it surely does appear odd for a charging peak to go down in 2025.
And despite the fact that there are actually three ranges of regenerative braking, plus an ‘automated’ setting, the Enyaq nonetheless doesn’t pull itself up as strongly as we want – actually in comparison with its benchmark Korean opponents from Hyundai and Kia.
However what brings the 2026 Enyaq Sportline house is simply how habitable and pleasing this EV is. The truth that it drives identical to a sophisticated European combustion-engined automotive – apart from the silent powertrain – says volumes about how well-rounded and all-of-a-piece it feels.
Strong, good-looking, succesful, helpful, fast, competent, comfy and rewarding – it’s all these issues. And with that Euro-best guarantee, plus two-year/30,000km service intervals (and an eight-year service price of simply $1650), it’s an excellent purchase as nicely.
It’s additionally a extra likeable and engaging automotive than its Volkswagen ID.4 cousin. Hopefully Skoda can one way or the other get that message throughout with out cannibalising its personal secure
