UK Drive: Can Skoda bring the vRS experience to the Elroq?
The Elroq is one of Skoda’s latest models, but what can a vRS model add to the package? Jack Evans finds out.
What is it?
The Elroq is the latest electric car in the Skoda range and it’s one of the newest to get the vRS treatment, too. Following on from the larger Enyaq vRS, can this new addition deliver thrills as well as battery-powered efficiency? Let’s find out.
What’s new?
The good news is that the vRS loses none of the practicality of the regular car, so it still gets a wide range of Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ features, including a handy cargo net for the charging cables underneath the parcel shelf.
What’s under the bonnet?
Skoda claims an official range of up to 342 miles, while a very fast maximum charge speed of 185kWh means a 10 to 80 per cent charge can be finished in 26 minutes.
What’s it like to drive?
Our car came with Dynamic Chassis Control, which allows you to adjust the softness of the dampers while you’re on the go. In their softest setting, the Elroq does a great job of dealing with even larger potholes. Switch to its firmest setting and it’s simply too rock-solid for the road – but it’s good to have the option. Range-wise, our test car came in well under claimed, with around 260 miles coming from a full charge, with even less being delivered in cold weather.
How does it look?
One way to spruce things up is with the optional ‘Hyper Green’ paint, which is only available on vRS cars. However, there is a range of more sedate colours for drivers who want them. Skoda has just added some new matte finishes, which work really well on the Elroq, too, and add a somewhat stealthy appeal to the vRS.
What’s it like inside?
Rear-seat space is impressive for a car of this size, too, and though there’s a handy storage divider in the footwell of the middle seat, you can remove this entirely to free up a completely flat floor. With 470 litres, the Elroq vRS can offer a good amount of boot space, though it’s a shame that there’s no ‘frunk’ for the storage of cables as you’d find in rivals.
What’s the spec like?
There aren’t too many options to add, either. There are 21-inch alloy wheels, some additional paint changes and some extra packs, but you shouldn’t have to stray too far from the standard equipment list. One omission that we feel is quite mean, however, is an efficiency-boosting heat pump. On many rivals this comes as standard, but on the Elroq – as is the case on so many Volkswagen Group cars – it’s a £1,100 extra and one that you’ll really need to get the best-possible range from the car.
Verdict
The Elroq vRS is a fitting topper for the range. It’s got a whole lot of performance, but it doesn’t come at the expense of practicality or everyday usability. As a car that can still prove good fun on a twisty road yet deliver the boot space that a family needs, the Elroq vRS is hard to beat.
Is it the most exciting vRS model to date? Not quite. But for people who might want an Elroq with some extra edge, the vRS could well be just the ticket.
