Skoda Elroq Edition 85 Review – The Goldilocks EV?

EVERY EV these days claims to be the perfect family SUV, but very few actually get close. The Skoda Elroq Edition 85, though, feels like one of those rare cars that lands bang on the sweet spot — big enough for real-life duties, efficient enough for long trips, and sensible enough not to make your bank account flinch.

It’s essentially an Enyaq that’s dropped a waist size, and in Edition 85 form, with the big battery and the punchier motor, it finally gives Skoda’s EV line-up the middleweight contender it’s been crying out for.

Car Overview

The Edition 85 model I tested was wearing Graphite Grey metallic and packing the 82kWh battery. With 286PS and a hefty 545Nm of torque going to the rear wheels, it’s the one with the longest legs that keeps the cost below £40k at £38,660. Skoda claims up to 360 miles of WLTP range in standard trim; option it up as this one is, and that dips only slightly, to 354 miles. Even so, that’s still in proper road-trip territory.

Only the vRS model (from £46,560) tops it for outright ‘hold-on-tight’ acceleration at 5.4 secs to 62mph. The Edition 85 manages it in 6.6 secs. Quick enough then . . .

Skoda positions the Elroq as a more compact, slightly sleeker alternative to the Enyaq. It’s a smart pitch: people want the adult-size interior but not necessarily the full-size footprint. And for buyers who want maximum range at a price that doesn’t stray into “premium-brand optimism,” the Edition 85 is clearly designed as the go-to choice.

Design

This is the first production car to wear Skoda’s new Modern Solid design language, and it suits the Elroq down to the ground. Gone is the traditional grille; in its place sits the glossy Tech-Deck Face, with all the sensors hidden neatly behind it.

The surfacing is pleasingly crisp: clean lines, narrow LED lights, dark chrome detailing and a silhouette that gives the car its quietly confident presence. Even on the Edition trim’s standard 19-inch Regulus anthracite alloys, it looks smart rather than stingy.

The proportions are spot-on for a compact SUV: just under 4.5 metres long, a whisker under 1.9 metres wide and packing a genuinely impressive 470-litre boot. Fold the seats and you get 1,580 litres — enough for camping kit, dogs, bikes or, if you’re feeling brave, a full day at IKEA.

Interior

Skoda interiors have always had a knack for feeling logical and friendly, and the Elroq takes that template and sprinkles in a bit more warmth and texture. The Lodge interior in this test car lifts the cabin beautifully: ECONYL-based fabric, light grey artificial leather, and bright orange accents inspired by Skoda’s own Vision 7S concept. It’s refreshing to sit in something that doesn’t default to the usual Germanic greyscale.

Material quality is very good throughout if not outstanding, and the airy cabin makes long journeys feel effortless. The ergonomics are exactly what you’d expect from Skoda — things are where they should be, not hidden behind three menus and a prayer.

The tech setup is strong. The big 13-inch touchscreen is clear, responsive and sensibly organised. The latest UI avoids the overcomplication that plagued earlier MEB-based models. Menus are cleaner, shortcuts can be customised, and the navigation is quick and intuitive. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work flawlessly, and the 15W wireless charging pad comes with cooling so your phone doesn’t heat up like a hot potato.

Then there’s the digital cockpit, crisp and uncluttered, with enough configuration options to satisfy but not overwhelm. The updated voice assistant, now backed by a ChatGPT engine, is more capable than most and seems to work very well.

The whole cabin feels thoughtfully constructed, well-insulated and properly premium for the price.

Powertrain

With 286PS and a wall of torque available from zero rpm, the Edition 85 has more than enough performance for everyday driving and the occasional bit of mischief. It gets from 0–62mph in 6.6 seconds, but more importantly, it feels effortless. There’s no drama, no wheelspin, no over-eager traction control — just smooth, instant acceleration that makes overtakes feel easy and roundabout merges almost relaxing.

It doesn’t try to be a Tesla-style rollercoaster. Instead, it moves with calm authority, the kind that makes you feel like you’re driving something thoughtfully engineered rather than something built purely to chase figures.

Ride & Handling

The Elroq rides beautifully. Even without the firmer SportLine chassis, it manages to be both comfy and composed. The long wheelbase helps, as does the battery’s low centre of gravity. You sit slightly higher than in the Enyaq, but the car never feels top-heavy or wobbly.

Steering is light and precise — perfect for navigating town or winding rural roads. Body roll is minimal for an SUV of this size, and the Elroq has that characteristic Skoda predictability: you always know what it’s going to do next. The Edition’s acoustic side windows also make a real difference at speed; road and wind noise are kept properly in check, giving the car a serene, almost Scandinavian calm on long motorway hauls.

Range & Efficiency

Range is the Elroq’s trump card. Even optioned up, 354 miles of WLTP range puts it in a very small club of family EVs that can realistically do big trips without requiring a spreadsheet. Expect well over 300 miles in sensible mixed driving and around 260–290 miles at steady motorway speeds. In town, over 4 miles/kWh is entirely achievable, making it an EV that works just as well for urban routes as it does for long-distance cruising.

Charging

The Elroq supports up to 175kW DC charging, meaning a 10–80% top-up takes around 28 minutes. On AC, it charges at up to 11kW. This test car also includes the optional heat pump, which is almost essential for Scottish winters if you want consistent cold-weather efficiency.

Technology & Safety

Skoda hasn’t held back. The Edition trim gets the full suite of driver aids, and unlike some rivals, they’re calibrated with a light, reassuring touch. Travel Assist Plus with swarm data is one of the best lane-keeping systems currently fitted to a mainstream EV — smooth, predictable, and rarely intrusive. Blind spot detection is clear and timely, while predictive adaptive cruise control feels impressively intuitive, slowing seamlessly for bends, traffic and speed changes.

Emergency assist, lane assist, pedestrian and cyclist detection, traffic sign reading, a rear-view camera and parking sensors front and rear all come as standard. Nothing feels tacked on. Everything feels like it belongs.

Inside, the tech supports the driving rather than dominating it. The infotainment works the way you want it to. The digital cockpit is easy to read at a glance. And the inclusion of fast USB-C ports front and rear (45W, no less) shows Skoda is paying attention to the realities of modern family life — namely that everyone wants to charge something, all the time.

Cost

The Elroq Edition 85 starts at £38,660. This particular car, with Graphite Grey metallic, the Lodge interior, the Maxx Pack, the Winter Pack, the Driver Pack and the heat pump, comes to £47,140. It’s not pocket change, but it’s very competitive for its size, performance and range — and crucially, it still undercuts the premium-brand offerings it quietly rivals on quality.

Verdict

The Skoda Elroq Edition 85 feels like a car built by a company that knows exactly what families actually need from an EV. It’s comfortable, efficient, thoughtfully designed and refreshingly free of gimmicks. The cabin quality is solid, the tech is genuinely useful, and the range makes long journeys far less of a logistical nightmare.

If the Enyaq feels too big, and rivals feel too expensive or too compromised, the Elroq slips neatly into the middle and manages that rarest of automotive feats: being sensible without being dull.

It’s the EV you’d recommend to people who don’t want an EV — the one that just works, with enough performance to quietly surprise the odd BMW driver on the A9 and enough range to make Scotland-to-London feel like an achievable Sunday plan. Almost.