It’s been nearly six years since Skoda debuted its first ever pure electric vehicle, the Enyaq. Part of Skoda’s ‘iV’ or ‘intelligent vehicle’ family, Enyaq began life as an electric SUV with a coupe body style also available later on. In the time that has passed since, the nameplate has recorded over 300,000 sales globally and has been a trailblazer for EVs in emergency services with presence in the UK’s police, fire and ambulance fleets. That’s quite a CV!
Given the Enyaq’s success, it was undoubtedly a logical and somewhat overdue decision when Skoda looked at EV market and decided to come back for seconds. In doing so, it added another member to its all electric family. Elroq made its first global appearance in 2024 before officially going on sale in 2025 prior to making its New Zealand debut earlier this year.
Developed on Volkswagen’s evergreen MEB platform, the Elroq follows much of the same recipe that made the Enyaq a runaway success, just on a slightly smaller scale and price, emphasis on the slightly!
Although I have introduced the Elroq as a slightly smaller Enyaq, its name in fact is a blend of ‘electric’ and ‘Karoq’. The latter of course being Skoda’s midsize SUV, previously sitting between the smaller Kamiq and larger Kodiaq within its family of petrol powered SUVs. By that logic then, the electric family runs parallel (see what I did there), with Enyaq taking the larger spot and Elroq now sitting in that medium size SUV space.
And it’s right on the money too for a medium size SUV, the length comes in well under 5m, 4.48m to be exact. Width is a convenient 1.88m as is the height which puts it at 1.626m tall. All up, its footprint is only a fraction smaller than that of the Enyaq, about 170mm shorter in fact! That’s about where the similarities end though.
The last few years have been a period of great transformation for Skoda, a time when the brand has come into its own if you will. We’ve seen successful vehicle design both inside and outside, with a level of thoughtfulness that is hard to come by in the industry. This rebrand has appeared in parts on the new generation Kodiaq for example but as a whole, there can be no better example of this than the Elroq which is draped in Skoda’s ‘Modern Solid’ design language. Sharp edges, distinctive lines, folds and creases are built into the car’s styling, giving it both a futuristic yet approachable look.
Skoda’s colour palette has also undergone a similar transformation too with green and blue hues returning to prominence, whether it be ‘Timiano Green’ as seen on this review model or the vibrant ‘Mamba Green’ that Harry’s Enyaq RS review car was painted in, the Czech brand has been putting in some serious work into its paint options. All up, you have a choice of 9 different shades when specifying your Elroq, ‘Race Blue’ or ‘Velvet Red’ would be my picks if you are after something a little brighter. Speaking of options, there are only two trim levels to keep things simple, the entry level Elroq 60 or this top spec Sportline.
Cosmetically, the Sportline receives a few enhancements over the standard vehicle, the black metallic 20 inch wheels for starters and gloss black highlights that surround the vehicle, all of which denoted by a badge on the tailgate. The other key difference is in the headlights where the Sportline model brings Matrix LED units with “animated indicators.” It’s really on the interior though where the differences come to light.
On the inside, the Sportline specification includes comfortable sports seats with integrated headrests for both front occupants, the seats themselves being upholstered in a mix of Suedia and a leatherette material. The seats also feature electric adjustment at the front, a massage function as well as heating and lumbar support. Leather is present too, wrapped around the steering wheel which is also heated and with paddles to encourage some energy recuperation rather than sporty driving! But the steering wheel does also have a flat bottom proving that there is indeed some sportiness to be had in the Sportline.
There’s three main interior configurations on offer, ‘Loft’, ‘Lodge’ and ‘Suite’, the former of which is the only standard offering. ‘Suite’ brings a black leather panel across the dashboard but is generally devoid of colour so I would recommend going for one of the other two options which bring shades of grey and contrast stitching to the cabin.
Earlier on I spoke about thoughtfulness and here is where the Elroq really comes into its own! The cabin is littered with storage spaces, soft lined ones in the doors as well as under armrest space and a good sized glovebox. A floating central tunnel also allows for use of the space underneath, it extends to the rear as well where the passengers can access a removable storage box as well as seat pockets. There’s a nook for various bits and pieces at the front as well as a phone ahead of a wireless phone charger. The boot is of particular note though, you get 470 litres, covered by a dual level parcel shelf that houses a net below which is where your charging cables can go. There’s cubbies along the side, hooks for your shopping bags and “cargo elements” to keep your stuff in place while on the move. There’s plenty more ‘Simply Clever’ bits around as well with the door umbrellas now being made from sustainable materials, the ice scraper too!
The same ‘Simply Clever’ philosophy has been applied to the infotainment screen which is ergonomically laid out with a volume slider and shortcut buttons that give you quick access to things like the drive modes and air conditioning menus. Similarly, the suite of safety technology on offer ensures that driver is well covered at all times, features like ‘Lane Assist Plus’, Side Assist’ and ‘Front Assist’ ensure that the Elroq is not only safe for its occupants but also for other road users.
In general, the interior is very well thought out and provides practical features for people who actually use a car on the daily! There is one real head scratcher though and that is the door grabs (not the release handles) on the inside which are made of the hard scratchy plastic that manufacturers usually reserve for areas of low hand traffic, an interesting choice but one that will be resistant to wear over time I presume.
The Sportline doesn’t just bring fancy trimmings for both the interior and exterior of the Elroq but also an improvement in its battery capacity. While the entry level has to make do with 59kWhr net, the Sportline bumps that up to 77kWhr. Range is a very usable 529km with power aplenty at 210kW and torque at 545Nm, a claimed 0-100kph figure of 6.6s is not bad at all for this family friendly EV. Whilst Skoda claim the Elroq Sportline will eat electricity at 17kWh/100km, I recorded a circa 14.8kWh/100km consumption figure during my review period, mixed driving conditions and without using ‘Eco’ mode too!
Despite having the word ‘Sport’ in its name, this Elroq won’t set the world alight with its performance. Although, sending power to the rear wheels exclusively does make for a more enjoyable drive on occasion. But no, that’s not where the Elroq excels. Instead, this Skoda shines as a daily driver, providing a smooth and silent drive to work on the weekdays. The suspension is firm but comfortable enough so as not to upset your morning coffee and the 8-speaker audio system offers enough of grunt for most. Rear seat room is plenty too whether you carpool or drop the kids off to school, there’s enough space for either. Then on the weekends, it can be packed full, charged up and away on a proper road trip, 529km of real world range is very usable and a significant enough figure to put range anxiety to bed.
The Verdict
When the Enyaq first came out, it was a masterstroke for Skoda and the sales figures have equally backed it up. Now, Skoda are back for a second bite of the proverbial EV pie with the Elroq. It’s extremely easy to live with, practical, quick enough, efficient, safe and as you can see, was very hard to fault. The big question is, at $80,000, is this Elroq Sportline going to steal sales from the marginally larger Enyaq or is it an all new proposition for those who wanted something a little smaller than the Czech manufacturer’s larger offering?
2026 Skoda Elroq Sportline: 5/5
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Car courtesy of Skoda New Zealand. Pictures and words by Matthew D’Souza.
