Skoda Elroq review: Still the small SUV to beat?

September 29, 2025 Matt Allan

Can the Skoda Elroq maintain its great first impressions over the longer term?

When I first drove the Elroq I was blown away by just how competent it was. On first acquaintance over a couple of days, it just seemed to tick every box required in the compact SUV segment.

But as the months have gone by doubt has crept in. Is it really as good as I’d imagined? Is time exaggerating its qualities in my mind? Is it really better than its myriad rivals, from the Kia EV3 to the Volvo EX30?

The only way to be sure is to spend more time with it, so after a full week, is it still all it’s cracked up to be?

Skoda Elroq deign

The Elroq was the first Skoda to showcase the “Modern Solid” design language that will define the brand’s next wave of EVs.

Skoda Elroq grille design — ‘Modern Solid’ design is simple but sharp

It’s a strong if not hugely adventurous design with sharp simple lines that carry echoes of previous Skodas. The most dramatic element is the slimline Tech Deck “face” with its gloss black centre and segmented headlights squeezed between the sloping bonnet and tall front bumper. My test car’s drab Meteor Grey (a £680 option) didn’t do the design any favours but in bolder shades the Elroq is handsome in an understated kind of way.

The Elroq comes with a choice of various interior “ambiences” depending on the trim level. Basic Loft uses dark fabrics on the seats and dashboard while range-topping Suite is all dark leather. By far the most appealing is my test car’s Lodge, which blends pale faux leather with darker fabric made from recycled fishing nets and carpet, and adds a splash of colour with bright orange seatbelts. It’s not a “quirky” interior in terms of overall design or feel, so they’re a nice lighter element that also helps ensure it doesn’t feel dark or oppressive.

While it’s not quirky, the interior is comfortable, spacious, well laid out and user friendly. Rear legroom is particularly generous for the class and clever little touches such as multiple movable storage cubbies feel designed for family life. The 13-inch touchscreen sits proud of the low-set dashboard and controls most functions in lieu of proper buttons. Thankfully the latest operating system is far slicker and more responsive than previous versions. There are also a few shortcut keys to open important menus for functions such as climate control and ADAS. One physical button and two quick screen presses deactivate the most annoying ADAS systems. That’s still not as simple as Renault’s one-button approach but it’s a damn sight simpler than the Volvo EX30’s or any host of Chinese options.

Behind the passenger compartment there’s 470 litres of boot space and special mention must go to the cable net under the parcel shelf. It’s possibly the simplest but cleverest solution to the common issue of cables buried under a false floor.

skoda elroq lodge interior trim image — The Lodge interior is the one to have

Skoda Elroq battery, motor and performance

While some rivals keep things simple with just one or two powertrain choices, Skoda doesn’t. Not counting the high-performance vRS, there are three battery options and two motors depending on which of the four core trim levels you choose.

Here, I’ll focus on the Edition 85 that I drove. This uses a 77kWh battery and a 282bhp motor that feels more than sufficient for the car. To be honest, the 201bhp in lower-spec “60” cars would be fine, but the lure of the extra range and faster charging (175kW v 165kW) might be hard to resist.

While lesser versions offer 244 miles of range, the bigger battery brings 330 miles of range in Edition 85 specification. In the real world, that translated to around 300 usable miles and my test car exhibited some pretty impressive efficiency, managing 3.8m/kWh over the last few thousands miles at the hands of unsympathetic journalists.

With 282bhp going to the front wheels, acceleration is brisk – 0-62mph takes just 6.6 seconds – and the Elroq feels like it has enough grunt to handle any day-to-day situation. But it doesn’t feel violently quick and acceleration and braking have a predictable linear feel that not all rivals can manage.

More importantly is how pleasant the overall driving experience is. Even on 19-inch wheels, it rides brilliantly and quietly, and although the steering isn’t hugely feelsome it is well weighted and direct enough that country roads don’t feel like a challenge. I’ve driven a few SUVs recently where the relationship between the steering wheel and the road feels like guesswork. The Elroq is not some Lotus Elise-style handling god, but it does feel connected and composed in the safe, solid way of Skodas down the years.

Skoda Elroq UK price and specification

As mentioned, the Elroq has a confusing array of specification choices, with prices starting at £31,710 for a basic SE 50 and rising to £46,560 for the sporty vRS.

My Edition 85 sits close to the top of the range, priced from £38,660 – a £4,200 premium over the less-powerful, shorter range Edition 60. Add on a few options packs and you get my car’s list price of £47,140.

Some of the options – winter pack and the Lodge interior – are worth recommending, others aren’t. The Maxx pack is £5,100 and doesn’t add enough to justify its £1,000 premium over the Advanced Package. Even then many of the Advance Pack elements are luxuries most of us can live without.