Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS iV on test

With 220 kilowatts, the Enyaq Coupé RS iV is the most powerful Skoda ever. Above all, he wants to convince with a good range. Read here how well this works.

Be careful, bite! No warning with which one had to protect the unsuspecting from a production Skoda and - so much in advance - has to protect them. Even in the mamba-green paint coat, the Enyaq RS is not one that gets stuck in the asphalt, stiffens its voluminous body against the attacking centrifugal forces with complex chassis technology and presents its pilots with driving challenges.

Contrary to its eye-catching exterior with its illuminated radiator grille, the Enyaq Coupé based on the MEB platform is a classic evergreen that wants to please everyone. And with an e-car, most customers can do that because of the range. The Enyaq Coupé, which is initially offered exclusively as an RS model, is said to offer a particularly large number of these, since the coupé roof line favors the cd value: 0.234 compared to the 0.255 for the regular Enyaq, whereby this only applies to the most favorable cd configuration . As an RS, the coupe doesn't get any better than 0.248.

315 km range in test

At the same time, the ME3 software update introduced for all Skoda Enyaqs in February improves efficiency with better battery temperature management. The result with the same 77 kWh battery: a range of 315 kilometers with a test consumption of 24.7 kWh/100 km. In the recommended speed range, around 20 kWh are even possible on the motorway. This makes the model driven here more economical than the single-motor 150 kW Enyaq tested last year, which sent 25.4 and 26.8 kWh through the inverters in their respective tests.

The Enyaq not only relaxes with a soothing range display, but also with acoustic restraint. Wind and tire noise stay outside, but so does a good ride comfort. The rolling resistance-optimized Hankooks feel very stiff despite the 45 (rear) and 50 cross section. The optional DCC chassis goes to great lengths, absorbs committed, cushions gently and protects the body from heavy seas.

If you leave the congested freeways in favor of a meandering entertainment route, the Skoda still targets corners quite precisely with its linear steering. There is less feedback from the changing manual torque than from the tires, which immediately acknowledge growing lateral forces with a loud outcry. Although the adaptive suspension is firm in sport mode, it cannot eliminate slight rolling movements. Ergo, the Enyaq feels exactly as sluggish in curves as its around 2.2 tons would suggest, because the chassis does not have a separate RS application, but the same as the other Enyaq variants. The result: early understeer, from which he cannot free himself with the neutral tuning of the all-wheel drive, even under load.The assistance acts reliably on the highway, but not without errors. The speed limit detection is often wrong, and with adaptive cruise control, the RS overtakes on the right if you let it.

Powerful acceleration, but weaknesses in the brakes

Straight ahead, the glaring glider can briefly force its belly into the corset of the powerful longitudinal dynamics. A permanently excited synchronous motor pushes from behind, while an asynchronous motor pulls at the front. Although the efficiency of the asynchronous motor is somewhat lower than that of its colleague behind it, it does not need permanent magnets and can therefore be switched off without current, which prevents efficiency-robbing drag losses in single-motor operation. With 6.2 seconds in the standard sprint, the RS undercuts the factory specification by three tenths - powerful, but without the chiropractic effect of some competitors with more kilowatts.

If the speed is to be slowed down, the Skoda Enyaq is only of average talent. The stopping distance from 130 km/h is a bit too long at over 63 meters. The pedal feel is soft and not very transparent, but the blending of recuperation and hydraulic brakes runs smoothly. The Enyaq plans stops at the charging station independently. The composition of the route sometimes seems more haphazard than really smart, with either far too long, inefficient charging breaks or several mini-stops with detours to the column. But basically you can rely on the system and the information on range, charge status and times.

The touch-heavy operation is supported by easy-to-use steering wheel buttons and a bar of direct selection buttons. Other direct selection buttons on the screen allow for quite short operating paths, but they are still associated with a distraction. The system did not record any crashes apart from minor freezes in the frame rate. Only the sat nav did not recognize any traffic jams and regularly asked to exit the motorway, only to get back on the spot after a turning manoeuvre. The head-up display throws route instructions onto the road over a large area via augmented reality, but the display always remains a bit blurred.

In the visible area, the proportion of hard plastic is pleasingly low. Simple plastic is only used in the lower layers of the cockpit and - not very flattering to the touch - also on the small handles. The coupé shape changes little in terms of the generous amount of space available. The comfortable front integral seats are more like jogging suits than leggings and are therefore loose. Seating position, knee room, headroom in the rear fit even for burly 1.90 meter guys. You only feel the loss of space in the trunk. While minus 15 liters with the rear seat up and minus 100 liters with the rear seat folded doesn't sound dramatic, you can tell from the shrunken square dimensions and the low loading height at the latest that things are getting tighter for bulky goods.

Lots of money, lots of equipment

The RS Coupé falls short of what is expected of a sporty top model, but it drives pleasingly efficiently. The high base price is hearty, but includes a lot of standard equipment. The heat pump can also be booked for 1,010 euros, a transport package with remote unlocking for the rear seat (350 euros) and the 1,950 euros Maxx package with the rest of the possible equipment such as adaptive chassis, parking assistant, e-seats and head-up display .

Since it is currently only available as an expensive RS, there is only 7,975 euros in funding for the coupe. That and the option of a cheaper, hardly less dynamic variant are perhaps worth waiting a little longer so that the brave Enyaq doesn't bite too dangerously into your own household budget.

Shorter loading times thanks to a software update?

The software update for the Skoda Enyaq has an effect on the loading times. But he's still not one of the fastest.

In the individual test , the Skoda Enyaq iV 80 needed 45 minutes to charge its 77 kWh battery from 10 to 80 percent - last year. The RS Coupé manages this exercise with the same battery, but with the charging power increased from 120 to 135 kW via a software update, 9 minutes faster. In the test, it even surprised with a peak output of 180 kW – 45 kW above the factory specification. The RS still misses the promised 35 minutes for the 10-80 e-percent charging lift by almost a minute, since the charging power drops off significantly from an SOC of 20 percent. The Enyaq charges three-phase with 11 kW on the 22 kW editorial wallbox. A full charge takes 6 hours and 55 minutes.