Overview

The Skoda Enyaq – the Czech brand’s first electric vehicle – has been a resounding success in Europe. Launched in late 2020 alongside its Volkswagen ID.4 cousin, the Enyaq has enjoyed ever-increasing sales over the past five years, to the point where Skoda will shift around 80,000 units in Europe in 2025 – boosted by the ‘modern solid’ facelift you see here.

What hasn’t been so rosy is the Enyaq’s penetration in Australia.

Delayed by the volume requirements of other markets, as well Australian government indifference to EVs earlier this decade, we finally saw the larger-battery Enyaq 85 Sportline Coupe in late-2024 … at exactly the point where the Chinese EV juggernaut switched into overdrive.

Not surprisingly, this $70K Enyaq has so far managed to sway just 197 buyers into paying a premium for an EV that distinguishes itself with impressive dynamics, excellent seating comfort and genuinely competitive range. But Skoda isn’t giving up – it’s ready to fight.

Second time around, Europe’s number three brand (so far in 2025) is focusing its value-packed lens so tightly that punters should find Skoda Australia’s 2026 electric-vehicle line-up almost impossible to ignore.

As covered extensively by Go Auto, new entry-level 60 Select variants for the just-launched Elroq (from $49,990 driveaway) and facelifted Enyaq (from $54,990 driveaway) firmly establish a statement of intent – that Skoda can indeed deliver great value-for-money, at prices within striking distance of Chinese brands.

Those variants will arrive over the coming months, leaving the redesigned 2026 Enyaq to crown Skoda’s EV line-up with a handsome new styling treatment, a new SUV wagon version, some revised pricing and equipment, and the promise of new AWD Enyaq RS flagship variants during the second quarter of 2026.

For now, the facelifted Enyaq range consists of two rear-wheel-drive 85 Sportline models – the SUV wagon version for $59,990 +ORC and the more fully-featured Coupe version for $65,990 +ORC.

The new Coupe sticker is $4K less than the list price of the pre-facelift Sportline Coupe, though Skoda had been running that car out for $69,990 driveaway – identical to the driveaway price of the new model.

While the Sportline Coupe gets Skoda’s Ultimate Pack as standard (21-inch ‘Supernova’ alloys, dynamic chassis control, illuminated ‘Tech Deck’ front grille, augmented-reality head-up display, 12-speaker Canton audio, intelligent parking assistance and an area-view camera), the Sportline SUV charges $5000 for that privilege, plus another $2000 for an opening panoramic sunroof with electric sunblind.

The Coupe gets a fixed panoramic glass roof without a blind, due to its dome-like roof shape.

The pre-facelift Sportline Coupe featured standard 21-inch wheels but lacked the fully-electric front seats and heated outboard rear seats that are now standard on both SUV and Coupe Sportline variants.

It also required the optional Ultimate Pack to match the standard equipment of the new Coupe, meaning the facelifted version is around $7000 better off.

About the only other differences concern the boot volume – the SUV offering 585 litres below the luggage cover (versus 570L) and 1710 litres in total (versus 1610L) – and the Coupe’s superior 0.225 drag coefficient (down from 0.234 in the old model).

Given its more slippery shape, the Coupe has a WLTP range of 561km whereas the SUV manages 547km – both at the upper end of the medium electric SUV category.

So does having a new SUV wagon body style change the Enyaq for the better?

And is this more handsome interpretation a better EV all round?

Driving impressions

The first thing you notice about the updated Enyaq is how much better it looks than the rather overdone previous model with its oversized faux-grille.

In this instance, Skoda’s ‘modern solid’ design aesthetic has gifted the new Enyaq a much more cohesive and contemporary front end – especially with the ‘illuminated Tech Deck’ that’s part of the Ultimate Pack and adds subtle lighting detail right across the Enyaq’s nose.

The SUV wagon gets new 20-inch Vega alloys wheels as standard – wearing 235/50R20 tyres at the front and wider 255/45R20s at the rear – and this footwear pleasantly complements the fixed-rate suspension tune of the entry-level $59,990 Enyaq Sportline.

As with the previous Coupe with non-adaptive dampers (though wearing larger 21-inch wheels), the base Enyaq stands apart as comfortably the best-riding of any Volkswagen Group EV riding on the MEB platform – to the point where you could drive away in this Sportline SUV (for $63,990) and not feel compelled to load it with options.

It's fine just the way it is – delivering a polished and finessed driving experience that is distinctly European in its handling flavour, steering weight and keen progression, and distinctly different to the flawed dynamics of 95 per cent of China’s over-light, under-developed EVs.

This is arguably the Enyaq at its best – as the roomier, prettier new 210kW/545Nm SUV wagon body style sporting lovely new (no-cost) Olibo Green metallic paint and enough equipment, range, performance, and cabin storage to comfortably satisfy even an enthusiast owner.

Its rear-wheel-drive handling balance is sweetly satisfying, its 0-100km/h capability in 6.7sec is amply rewarding and its 547km of WLTP range puts it well ahead of the $58,990 Tesla Model Y RWD (466km) and $54,990 BYD Sealion 7 Premium (482km).

It also has a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty (compared to four years/80,000km in the Tesla and six years/150,000km in the BYD), and its 10-80 per cent charging time of 28mins is also competitive, though more about that in a minute.

The Enyaq Sportline SUV’s exterior scores Matrix LED headlights with dynamic cornering lights and rear sequential indicators, while its interior boasts enough tech to appease most punters, including cooled wireless charging, a 13.0-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity and eight-speaker audio, as well as perforated ‘suedia’ upholstery.

We also drove the new Sportline Coupe with its standard Ultimate Pack and 15-setting adaptive dampers – all of which are standard in this body style (for $69,990 drive-away).

Given its relatively short wheelbase of just 2766mm – same as virtually all MEB-platform cars aside from the VW ID.Buzz – the Coupe’s ‘Supernova’ 21-inch alloys almost appear a little oversized, though its ride doesn’t suffer because the trick damping compensates.

It’s perhaps a little floatier than the base Enyaq on fixed-rate suspension unless you ramp it up towards ‘Sport’, and a touch less connected in its overall feel, though this is countered by quite a plush level of absorbency, and a silkier sheen over road surfaces.

Either way, both Enyaq suspension set-ups work extremely well in Australia.

If we had to criticise the Enyaq in any area it would start with the dark interior colouring. Sure, these are meant to be Sportline variants but Skoda has shown with its Monte Carlo variants that a dab of colour goes a long way.

Aside from a red horizontal light band and a carbonfibre-effect dash inlay, it’s darker than a tar pit at night.

And then there’s the charging. The new maximum DC charging rate for the 82kWh batteries featured in these 85 Sportline variants is down from 175kW to 135kW, which Skoda says is designed to ensure longer battery life and more consistent charging.

That may be so, and the 10-80 per cent time may be the same at around 28 minutes but if you just want a quick squirt from say 10 to 50 per cent, the Enyaq’s charging time will be noticeably longer, given the previous charge rate ramped up quicker to a higher number.

Perhaps that’s nitpicking – perhaps no one really cares. But it does seem odd for a charging peak to go down in 2025.

And even though there are now three levels of regenerative braking, plus an ‘automatic’ setting, the Enyaq still doesn’t pull itself up as strongly as we would like – certainly compared to its benchmark Korean competitors from Hyundai and Kia.

But what brings the 2026 Enyaq Sportline home is just how liveable and enjoyable this EV is. The fact that it drives just like a polished European combustion-engined car – aside from the silent powertrain – says volumes about how well-rounded and all-of-a-piece it feels.

Solid, handsome, capable, useful, quick, competent, comfortable and rewarding – it’s all those things. And with that Euro-best warranty, plus two-year/30,000km service intervals (and an eight-year service cost of just $1650), it’s a great buy as well.

It’s also a more likeable and attractive car than its Volkswagen ID.4 cousin. Hopefully Skoda can somehow get that message across without cannibalising its own stable