Behind the camouflage of our test car is the 2022 Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV, the second model variant of the company's flagship electric SUV. To some it may seem like a predictable move to add another model based on 'coupe' styling, but it was apparently the original plan to introduce this version when planning for the Enyaq began.
At that time there wasn't quite the same levels of interest in electric vehicles so it was deemed that a more attractive model would be needed to entice buyers to the volt side. The Skoda Vision iV show car previewed this at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. However, things move fast in the automotive world and Skoda rushed through the regular Enyaq iV first and now this will follow on. The Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV will debut in Ireland in 2022, but ahead of that we slip behind the wheel of a pre-production prototype to get an idea of what buyers can expect.
In the metal
Even wrapped in a light disguise to draw attention to its prototype status, the Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV can't hide its silhouette. As the name indicates, this is the coupe variant of the Enyaq iV. Translated from marketing speak this means a sloping roofline, but it retains a five-door layout and manages to still provide an adequate level of boot space. At 570 litres with the rear seats in place, it only concedes 15 litres in comparison to the regular Enyaq iV.
Proportionally, the Enyaq Coupe iV occupies the same space with only minor differences; the coupe is four millimetres longer and one millimetre higher than the Enyaq iV. The numbers indicate that the Enyaq Coupe iV cuts through the air more cleanly. A drag coefficient of 0.247 is almost identical to the Audi e-tron GT's and helps the Skoda return an official combined WLTP driving range of over 535 kilometres - with the larger battery in rear-wheel-drive guise.
From the nose to the B-pillar, the coupe is identical to the Enyaq iV, and will be available to order with the 'Crystal Face' illuminated grille as an option. Further back, the car gets new rear doors and will come with fully painted sills similar to the Enyaq iV Sportline's. The alloy wheel sizes will vary from 19- to 21 inches.
Around the rear there are no spoilers or wings; instead Skoda's designers have been able to employ a simple design. The rear light clusters are identical to the other Enyaq's, and the registration plate has been moved down to the rear bumper. Skoda also offers the coupe without a rear wiper for a cleaner look; however, buyers have the option to add one - something not all manufacturers offer.
Inside, the front of the cabin is unchanged, with a two-spoke steering wheel, 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an impressive 13-inch touchscreen display for the infotainment system. There is plenty of storage dotted throughout the cabin too.
To counteract any sense of a reduction of interior space Skoda fits a large panoramic glass roof as standard. Not that it's entirely required, as legroom in the rear is generous, and headroom is barely impacted by the sloping roof line. That's partly down to Skoda not installing a bulky roller blind system for the glass roof. Instead, there are several layers to the glass that help to provide some shade and reflect heat. An upside is that it helps to bathe the interior with light and gives those seated in the rear more to look at.
Driving it
It probably won't come as a huge surprise to learn that the Enyaq Coupe iV drives in a near identical way to the 'regular' Enyaq iV. Skoda will offer it with the same three powertrains, and it was the mid-range 150kW (204hp) rear-wheel-drive model we sampled in pre-production prototype guise. Performance is more than ample for the average driver, getting up to speed quickly thanks to a 0-100km/h accelerative potential of 8.7 seconds and a top speed of 160km/h.
With a full charge, the 77kWh (usable) battery in the Enyaq Coupe iV will officially be capable of 535 kilometres, although Skoda says that the final validation of this figure is still ongoing ahead of the car's launch and it expects that it could even increase the range by 10 to 15 kilometres.
The Coupe's sleek design allows it to cut through the air more cleanly and there's little in the way of wind noise on the move, even on the faster German motorways of our test route. The drag coefficient is lower due to the car's shape and this also has a slight benefit to the car's overall efficiency, with the difference between the two Enyaqs being around 1.5kWh/100km.
During our limited time with the car it displayed an average energy consumption figure of 16.1kWh/100km, though with stops for filming and exploring the more 'dynamic' abilities of the car it wasn't representative of what a typical user could find from everyday commuting. Still, that's not a bad set of driving data for a large electric SUV.
What you get for your money
We won't see the full production-ready Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV until it makes its official debut at the 2022 Geneva Motor Show, but we can predict what to expect. The Skoda Enyaq iV currently has a starting price of €37,465 (including grants) in Ireland, and it's likely that the Enyaq Coupe iV will carry a slight price premium due to its positioning in the range.
Skoda will produce the sloped-roof SUV with the same battery and electric motor options too. That means an entry version named the Enyaq Coupe iV 60 with a 58kWh (usable) battery and single electric motor driving the rear wheels. A larger 77kWh battery will power the Enyaq Coupe iV 80 and 80x, the latter gaining a second electric motor on the front axle.
A range of five different interior themes are available and these offer a choice of different finishes including leather upholstery and materials made from recycled plastics. The Enyaq Coupe iV is also capable of fast DC charging at up to 125kW.
Summary
The arrival of the Enyaq Coupe iV will bolster Skoda's electric line-up when it goes on sale in 2022. Despite its different appearance, it isn't much less practical in reality. The slight efficiency gains will be a welcome bonus of course, though many buyers may seek this model out more on the grounds of style and design.
