Having just launched its Enyaq electric SUV, Skoda is now expanding beyond having a singular electric car. Its second attempt is the Elroq crossover, due to hit Australia in July 2025.
The Elroq is significant for Skoda as it introduces the brand’s new ‘Modern Solid’ design language.
This, previewed by the Vision 7S concept car of 2022, brings slimmer daytime running lights which sit almost at the leading edge of the bonnet, while the headlights – LEDs of course – sit below a moustache-like grille that’s not actually a grille.
It’s certainly a departure from the look of the Enyaq, but it hardly represents a dramatic change in Skoda styling. The Elroq still looks like a Skoda.
It also looks, at first glance, considerably smaller than it is. From a distance, you could easily mistake it for the compact Skoda Kamiq crossover, but the Elroq sits on the same MEB electric car platform as the bigger Enyaq, and the two cars share an identical wheelbase. A small car this isn’t.
How much does the Skoda Elroq cost?
What’s really significant about the Elroq is that it will quite considerably bring down the price of buying an all-electric Skoda. While prices and Australian specs for the Elroq haven’t yet been announced, it’s expected that they’ll hover at around the $50,000 mark, whereas the bigger Enyaq starts from around $70,000.
The Elroq will have an attention-grabbing price tag, but to get one that cheap you’ll have to go for the smallest battery, and that – as we shall shortly see – involves compromise. There are two larger battery options, an all-wheel-drive model and Sportline versions promised for later in 2025.
What is the Skoda Elroq like on the inside?
For some time now there’s been a general sense that Skoda makes nicer interiors than its overlords at Volkswagen, and the Elroq turns that from sensation into definite fact.
The Elroq’s cabin, despite us testing it in its most basic form, is immediately warm and welcoming.
Too many cars use too many hard plastic surfaces inside, which makes them feel cold and unpleasant when you first sit in them, but the Elroq sidesteps that thanks to copious use of a soft, grey fabric that’s actually made from recycled plastics – some of it recovered fishing nets.
That fabric is on the seats, the dashboard and the door cards and it makes the Elroq’s innards feel instantly homely. Pretty much all of the other materials used inside – aside from some small bits and pieces low down – look and feel very high-end indeed. In fact, never mind VW, Skoda has pretty well got Audi beaten here.
Space up front is very good, with plenty of adjustability in the driving position and comfortable seats. There is generous storage space in an open section under the centre console, as well as beneath the front armrest and in the door bins, even if those could do with being fractionally wider.
On top of the console, there’s a storage tray next to the little lozenge-shaped drive selector, two relatively small cupholders and an angled tray that’s home to a pair of wireless phone charging pads. There’s even a fairly generous glovebox.
The front of the Elroq’s cabin is dominated by its 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system which, for our money, is just too much screen. A smaller size would be less distracting when on the move and wouldn’t eat up so much space on the dash.
At least the improved software is bit-by-bit making Volkswagen Group’s touchscreens easier and more reliable to use, from the nadir that was the launch of the ID.3 electric car.
The Elroq’s screen is fairly slick, although a lack of physical air-conditioning controls rankles, and there are still too many functions left languishing on deep and distant menus.
The driver gets a small but neat and useful digital instrument cluster – lifted from the Enyaq – behind the exceptionally tactile two-spoke steering wheel.
Better yet, there’s an optional head up display shining onto the windscreen, which uses augmented reality to project big, glowing blue arrows on the road in front of you, which is really helpful when you’re on unfamiliar roads.
In the back, the Elroq’s cabin is really well appointed and it’s one of the few EVs that has correctly managed the height of the back seat so that your knees don’t stick up uncomfortably in the air.
The back seats are almost as comfortable as those in front, with plenty of legroom and headroom, and good storage too thanks to useful seat back pockets (which feature a pocket-within-a-pocket design for smaller items such as earbuds) and good door bins.
The rear seat back also sits at a nice, relaxed angle, in stark contrast to the too-upright seats of some of the competition.
The boot of the Elroq is only average in size – 470 litres is considerably less than that of the similarly sized Karoq – but it does benefit from a flat load lip and a useful square shape.
There are handy storage trays to either side, and the parcel shelf is adjustable and can sit at two different heights, allowing you to configure the boot to your needs.
Our test car came with the optional Transport Package, which includes a hammock that dangles in the boot, and which is perfect for delicate items.
There’s also a really handy innovation – a net, strung underneath the parcel shelf, which is strong enough to hold the 6kg Type 2 charging cable, and which almost makes up for the fact that there’s no ‘frunk’ under the bonnet up front.
Fold down the back seats and there’s 1580 litres of space, but annoyingly there’s nowhere to stash the parcel shelf when it’s not in use.
What’s under the bonnet?
Technically it’s ‘what’s under the boot’, because just as in the Enyaq, the Elroq uses a rear-mounted electric motor, driving the rear wheels – except of course for the 85x model, which gets an extra motor up front, giving it all-wheel drive.
For the entry-level Elroq 50 variant, that motor produces up to 125kW and 310Nm of torque, and it’s powered by the smallest battery available to the Elroq, with 52kWh of useable energy storage.
Fear not, as this isn’t your only option – there’s an Elroq 60 too, with a 63kWh battery and a 150kW motor, then an Elroq 85, which gets a 77kWh battery and a 210kW motor.
The small size of the Elroq 50’s battery limits its official range to just 375km, which is quite a bit less than offered by such key rivals as the Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona. The Elroq 60 at least manages a more competitive 440km range, while the big-battery 85 stretches that to a truly useful 580km.
The maximum charging speed for the 50 is 145kW on a DC fast-charger, which is decent, while the 85’s battery can manage up to 175kW. All Elroqs will charge at up to 11kW on AC power.
| Specifications | Skoda Elroq 50 |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single electric motor |
| Battery | 52kWh li-ion |
| Power | 125kW |
| Torque | 310Nm |
| Drive type | RWD |
| 0-100km/h (claimed) | 9.0 seconds |
| Energy consumption (claimed) | 15.8kWh/100km |
| Energy consumption (as tested) | 19.0kWh/100km |
| Claimed range (WLTP) | 375km |
| Max AC charge rate | 11kW |
| Max DC charge rate | 145kW |
How does the Skoda Elroq drive?
Cars based on the MEB electric car platform – as is the Elroq – tend to be very smooth and comfortable. And, at least at first, that’s exactly how the Elroq feels.
The 125kW motor is never going to be a tower of power, but it’s reasonably punchy at low speeds, and delivers its performance with smooth precision, rather than just dumping it all on the tarmac in one lump.
Speed up to motorway velocities and the power tapers off considerably, to the point where above 100km/h, acceleration actually feels very gentle indeed. The 150kW and 210kW versions improve on this considerably, but even the basic Elroq has just enough power to get out of its own way.
The steering is also very smooth, free from friction, and nicely weighted so that it can almost trick you into thinking that it’s a bit sporty. It’s not, though – the Elroq doesn’t feed info back to your palms in anything approaching a sporty fashion, but the steering and the rest of the chassis feel fundamentally well sorted.
It’s only when trying to tackle tight and twisty roads with some venom that it starts to feel scrappy, and even then it’s only a case of mild unruliness, rather than any serious heart-in-mouth moments. Grip and traction are plentiful, even on the greasy wet surfaces of our test drive.
Refinement is also very good indeed; at a three-figure cruising speed, the Elroq is impressively quiet inside, with hardly any wind nor tyre noise present (and any that was there was easily drowned out by the excellent optional Canton sound system).
However, there’s a flaw in all this and it’s the ride quality. On the standard 20-inch alloys, the Elroq isn’t hard-riding, but it does fidget almost constantly unless the surface is glassy-smooth. It’s more annoyance than outright fault, but it’s at odds with the car’s relaxed demeanour and a barrier to its true family-friendliness.
Also problematic is the range, at least for the Elroq 50: 375km is nothing special from a 52kWh battery, and in real-world driving that will probably work out at more like 280-300km, certainly if our on-test 19kWh/100km energy consumption is anything to go by (Skoda quotes 15.8kWh/100km).
Obviously, the 60 and the 85 will go considerably further on a charge, but others can offer more range for similar cash.
What do you get?
On test here is an entry-level Elroq 50.
Skoda Elroq highlights:
- 13-inch touchscreen
- Smartphone mirroring
- Remote parking via smartphone
- App with built-in charging payments
- LED headlights and tail-lights
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- ChatGPT voice control
- Built-in umbrella in driver’s door
Is the Skoda Elroq safe?
The Elroq hasn’t yet been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but other cars based on the MEB platform have performed well in safety and crash tests across the globe, so we wouldn’t expect any horrors here.
One good safety touch for the Elroq is a ‘Crew Protection’ system that tightens up the seat belts and winds up the windows if it detects an unavoidable crash. Seven airbags are standard, with a further two rear side airbags available optionally.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking
- ‘Crew Protection’ system
- Speed limit warning
- Lane keeping steering
- Traffic sign recognition
- Cruise control
- Speed limiter
- Seven airbags
How much does the Skoda Elroq cost to run?
Even with the relatively high energy consumption on our test route, the Elroq should cost little to run as long as you can charge up at home and don’t need to depend too much on pricey public fast-charging.
The Elroq should also need less mechanical maintenance than a combustion-powered car but, thanks to its chunky 1949kg kerb weight, it might well get through tyres quicker than an equivalent Karoq.
| Running costs | Skoda Elroq |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 7 years, unlimited kilometres |
| Roadside assistance | 1 year |
| Service intervals | TBD |
| Capped-price servicing | TBD |
CarExpert’s Take on the Skoda Elroq
In this entry-level form, the Elroq is a bit range-limited. It’ll be fine if you can charge at home and don’t plan to take it on long road trips, but that seems a bit of a shame when the cabin is this welcoming, comfortable and refined.
Fix the ride quality (maybe fit some 19-inch wheels) and go for one of the bigger batteries, and the Elroq stands a chance of being one of the best all-round compact family EVs.
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