For decades, Czech car company Skoda has been renowned for producing good diesel cars. That won’t change in the near future. What has changed, however, is how the company has adapted to also producing some excellent electric motors.
The brand refreshed its fully-electric Enyaq crossover/SUV in Spring 2025 with a new design, extended driving range, improved aerodynamics, greater use of sustainable materials, and an expanded list of standard equipment. Enhanced digital capabilities and the latest in driver assistance technologies also featured prominently in the refresh. Enyaq is also available as a sleek coupe. Both variants are built on the Volkswagen Group’s dedicated MEB platform for electric vehicles.
The update includes a Limited 130 Edition to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Czech company as a car manufacturer. Only 130 units were produced, featuring more premium equipment than the standard ’85’.
The 130 Edition trim is based on the top luxury Laurent & Klement trim (L&K), and ’85’ architecture – L&K is in honour of the original two founders who established the company 130 years ago. It is the most elegant trim line with some exclusive touches and extensive equipment to distinguish it from other Enyaqs. The car’s dimensions are as before, including a wheelbase of 2,772mm, as the upgrade mostly involved exterior and interior styling, and improved technology. L&K models feature the brand’s new ‘Modern Solid’ design era, with an updated front featuring a glossy black panel, special bumpers, diffuser and door mirror design with exclusive Platinum Grey detailing, as well as slimmer headlights and the name ‘Skoda’ now in black letters front and rear in place of the old logo. Even front wing mirrors have discreet L&K badges. Roof rails are finished in silver; window frames have brushed chrome surrounds. Special, multi-spoke 21-inch Aquarius alloy wheels looked absolutely stunning.
The luxurious interior, with a black and Shell cream colour scheme, looked classy and welcoming. Cream seats can be heated and ventilated and are so comfortable to sink into. They have manual seat adjustments including lumbar support, a massage function and the Laurent & Klement signature embroidered discreetly in gold stitching on seat headrests.
Extra light filters into the cabin via the panoramic glass sunroof, with shade, that can tilt open for ventilation.
The free-standing, user-friendly infotainment touchscreen has lovely colourful and clear graphics, and is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Below are controls for the 3-zone climate control and for drive mode options. The automatic gear shifter is located on the central console flat and includes a ‘B’ mode for regenerative braking.
The smaller driver’s cluster provides all drive information and can be customised to your preference.
Features include a wireless smartphone charger but I’m not a fan of a slider to control volume.
As the glovebox is small, I used the open shelf down below the central console to store some items out of sight.
Rear passengers enjoy huge head and legroom, and their own temperature control, as well as two USBs. The middle seat back lowers to provide two cupholders and a hatch through to the boot. My car had a power tailgate that can be opened with a kicking motion, and huge square-shaped boot space of 585 litres with all seats up. Charging cables can be stored beneath the floor.
Customers can choose from two battery sizes and from three powertrains including the rear-wheel drive Enyaq 60 with 430kms of driving range, or the Enyaq 85 with an extended range of up to 574 kms, which was my review car. The 85x features all-wheel drive with dual motors for added traction in all conditions. A high-performance Enyaq RS variant is also available.
The ’85’ offers improved charging performance with charging from 10% to 80% of the battery in just 28 minutes with DC charging at up to 175kW. I achieved 15.9 kWh/100kms during my days driving the 82kWh battery variant that delivers a claimed range of up to 563kms on a full charge. When recharging the battery, my screen read-out showed a 50% charge equalled 260km of range in real-world driving. Driving in traffic, superb blind-spot monitors light up on the insides of both wing mirrors. The 82kWh battery allows a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.7 seconds, which is nippy enough.
I liked the well-balanced, direct steering, and appreciated the car’s tight turning circle when manoeuvring in a multi-storey car park. The large wheels, though, can make the suspension feel on the firm side, and a fair amount of road noise filters through into the cabin.
All things considered, this is a car I felt very confident and comfortable driving at all times. A very practical family car with plenty of space for five people and their luggage.
The Skoda Enyaq range achieved a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP under rigorous testing criteria.
Enyaq 60 is from €43,259; Enyaq 85 from €45,250; RS performance variant from €61,240. Prices include SEAI grant and VRT rebate.
