Skoda Elroq review

So basic a dog could do it. If that were permitted by law. And if dogs had opposable thumbs. There’s not much to worry you here, not even a Start button: simply get in, switch it into D (or B) using the drive selector on the centre console, and away you go. Same story when you get out: pop it into Park and out you jump. Start/stop buttons are so yesterday, don’t ya know?

The steering is well calibrated, acceleration smooth and the brakes pleasingly progressive too. All but entry-level models upwards get paddles on the steering wheel to adjust the level of regen braking, or the B mode will up it to the max. For any EV newbies, there are very few more accessible cars than this.

What’s the ride like?

It’s certainly on the firm side, but it’s not so stiff that potholes will rattle your brain. And the advantage is that body is commendably well controlled: the Elroq doesn’t wallow or pogo about. Adaptive dampers are optionally available, but we reckon they don't make enough of a difference to warrant the £650 cost.

Sportline variants get a progressive steering system for ‘sportier’ handling (it adds weight and barely makes a difference) plus sports suspension, with 15mm lower springs up front and 10mm at the rear. We’d give that a pass too, and get a lower trim with smaller wheels for a better ride.

Is there much performance difference between variants?

The entry-level Elroq 50, with its 168bhp/229lb ft, manages 0-62mph in 9.0 seconds. By comparison, the Elroq 60 (201bhp/229lb ft) does the same in 8.0s, and the 85 (281bhp/402lb ft) knocks that down to 6.6s.

Oh, and while the former two claim a 99mph top speed, the latter manages 111mph. Like it matters.

Of the regular Elroqs, we've tried the 50 and 85 so far. And while the 50 has plenty of shove initially, the 85 feels a fair bit keener (enough to push you back in your seat) and keeps pulling strongly all the way up to motorway speed. Not a car that’ll tremble at the sight of a slip road, this.

Even the 50 is pleasingly nippy around town and the 60 is much the same. Any quicker would just hurt the range, which is far more pertinent here.

And the Elroq vRS?

Well remembered. That's good for a balmy 335bhp and 402lb ft and will hit 62mph from rest in 5.4 seconds, but don't go thinking of it as a rally car with a charging port: it's quick in a straight line but unadventurous in corners, despite it sitting lower than the standard car. vRS-badged Skodas were never the biggest thrillers in their sector, but this one feels tamer yet. It's for people drawn in by the microsuede upholstery - beyond that, you're not missing out.

Speaking of, how far can I go between charges?

In the Elroq 50, 230 miles. The 60 claims 260 miles, and the 85 with its bigger battery will do 360 miles, officially. The vRS only drops to 339 miles so if you do end up going all out, you won't be punished for your life choices by the range gods.

Like with any electric car (or petrol one for that matter), real-world performance isn’t quite as rosy as the lab data suggests. We saw 3.5mi/kWh in the 50, which equates to 180-ish miles, or 50 short of the claim. In the 85 we only got 3.0mi/kWh, which shakes out at roughly 230 miles. Admittedly we were pushing slightly harder in the latter, so you can definitely beat those numbers.

The Elroq 60 operates in much the same window, so reckon on 200 miles or so in warm-ish weather. If it’s ultra efficiency you’re after, might we suggest the Kia EV3 instead?