Skoda Enyaq iV RS test: just made-up jobs
After the coupe, it’s the turn of the conventional Skoda Enyaq iV to adopt the RS definition. A significant badge for an SUV with measured dynamic performance.
There are acronyms that mark. When it comes to cars, more than one enthusiast will shoot up when they hear the letters “GT-R” or “RS”. Short for Rennsport (race, in German), the latter two are closely related to the world of motor racing. But they also characterize the most radical sports cars on the road. Although very different, the Audi RS6, Renault Megane RS or Porsche 911 GT3 RS have one thing in common: the assumed desire to bend bitumen!
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However, at Skoda, the approach is different. Because if the brand brands its RS badge, for the Rally Sport here, it assumes the sport-chic character of its variants and does not surf the sporting heritage, which exists however. The Mlada Boleslav company is clear: the Skoda RS favors dynamism more than sport.
More sporty and showy presentation!
It’s about presentation, above all else. The new RS version takes the stylistic codes that came out with the Enyaq iV RS Coupé. The front bumper hardly becomes more expressive with E-shaped air inlets, while the rear, painted in body color, is decorated with a large reflector as a red border. The eye-catching Crystal Face grille is standard, as is the distinctive Mamba Green shade. A striking look that can be enhanced with the same color stripes on the rims. Guaranteed effect!
Same trajectory in the cabin with a more expressive presentation thanks to the two RS Lounge and RS Suite configurations. The latter favors leather upholstery perfectly similar to what can be found in a Sportline model, while the RS Lounge configuration includes Alcantara coverings, as well as green edging and stitching. We note in this universe the appearance in the heated windscreen series or the tri-zone air conditioning.
A power subject to eligibility conditions
To justify its RS badge, the Skoda Enyaq iV uses the strongest traction chain compatible with the MEB platform. Therefore it is used on the shelves of Volkswagen, and more precisely on the ID.4 GTX. There is thus a configuration with two motors for a total power of 299 hp (220 kW) for 460 Nm of torque. In the technical sheet, the value is attractive, like 0 to 100 km / h in 6.5 s.
But this powertrain, powered by an LG battery with 77 kWh of net capacity, doesn’t always have the advertised peak power. Like its German cousins, Skoda has reservations and specifies that maximum power is only available for a maximum of 30 seconds, above 88% charge, and with the battery between 23°C and 50°C. ! Don’t worry, it’s like a bunch of electric cars, but they don’t play the transparency card too much.
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During this test, we did not see the color of the 299 hp indicated, with the battery sometimes cold with more than 88% charge, sometimes the reverse. In any case, that’s what the power gauge on the small, not-quite-complete instrument cluster seems to indicate. Especially since as the speed progresses, the usability of the remaining power is greatly reduced: it barely covers 80 to 120 km/h, which we clocked in 4.7 s. The difference is very small in the 80x version of 265 hp, which we timed in 4.9 s at the same charge rate (almost 80% charge). How much effective power do we have at that time? This is a question to which brand battery experts cannot provide answers.
Weight is the enemy
There is no doubt that the performance of the Skoda Enyaq iV RS is sufficient for everyday use, as we experienced in our test. However, maintaining a vigorous rhythm on board will soon be limited by battery power. And the Sport mode, a little more caricature with a sensitive right pedal, will not change anything. Then we prefer the Normal driving mode, or Individual to configure the parameters à la carte, with the DCC controlled suspension.
Taking advantage of the Sport chassis with trim lowered by 15 and 10 mm, the Skoda Enyaq iV RS is not the sporty SUV it claims to be. If the damping is a bit tighter, although dry at low speeds, the Czech SUV still wants to be an ally of families. It retains the character traits we know from it, with a slightly more pronounced body roll than SUVs of this type and relative sluggishness when changing downforce. And for good reason: the beautiful baby tipped the scales at 2,258 kg, or nearly 2,400 kg with two passengers on board. A high mass that does not intimidate the braking system – with rear drums as required by the MEB platform – in family use. However, the consistency of the brake pedal is still confusing with a map that is difficult to define.
An average autonomy of 430 km
The Skoda Enyaq iV RS promises 517 km of autonomy in its basic configuration. It is 5 km lower than the Coupé, almost lighter (- 3 kg) and more aerodynamic (Cx of 0.248 against 0.265). Nothing will change the lives of drivers, especially if consumption is not exploding. The secret? The SUV has an asynchronous motor in the front, with a specific disconnection without causing rotational resistance at a stabilized speed. This is the removal of cylinders 2.0.
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On our test route of almost 320 km on secondary roads and Spanish motorways (ie with a maximum of 120 km/h), we recorded an average consumption of exactly 18.0 kWh/100 km. This gives hope for an average autonomy of 430 km in total. On the highway, it will consume 24 kWh / 100 km, or almost 320 km of autonomy. That’s comfortable for a family-oriented electric SUV.
On the charging side, the Enyaq iV RS promises a maximum of 135 kW at fast terminals, and indicates a time of 36 minutes to go from 10 to 80% charging. It bowed out as the hierarchy wanted the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX, which announces a maximum power of 150 kW. We did not have the opportunity to check the charging curve during this test, although we were able to make a short visit to an Ionity station to discover the new Plug&Charge function: as in Tesla, drivers are no longer plug in and let the car charge. Finally, as usual, the SUV automatically offers an 11 kW charger for AC charging.
The Skoda Enyaq iV RS is more affordable than the 80x
Reducing the RS version to a simple finish level, there is only one step we are about to cross. Because even if it makes an effort of a specific presentation and a more powerful mechanics than others without, the Skoda Enyaq iV RS struggles to stand out from the 80x Sportline version. With almost the same equipment and the same traction chain, but with “only” 265 hp for 425 Nm of torque, the latter shows similar performance. More importantly, during its testing, the power gain seen on the gauge never seemed to us to be as fluctuating as it was on board the RS. An impression confirmed by the brand’s official documents: it is only for 299 hp that the brand has reservations through an asterisk!
Skoda clearly sees the dangerous proximity between these two models as the Enyaq iV RS is more affordable than the 80x Sportline version: the top-of-the-range version is shown at €61,130, against €61,370 for the less powerful model .. It’s all a matter of finish and equipment available as standard, so it will be possible to expand with option packs. In this case, the Enyaq iV RS will take an extension of close to €1,000.
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