Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS iV test: the weight of associating certain surnames to an electric

Skoda Enyaq Coupe RS iV test. Paradigm changes are a tremendous challenge, but also a huge source of opportunities. And proof of this is what is happening to Skoda with the launch of its first electric car: the Enyaq.

And it is that, according to data provided by the Czech brand, the Skoda Enyaq can be described as a “success story”. Translated into hard and fast figures: since it was launched last year, more than 50,000 units have been delivered globally, they have managed to exceed 115,000 orders and in 70% of them the customer has opted for the 80-volt battery version. kWh.

To continue this path of success, the Czech brand is now launching the Skoda Enyaq Coupé sports variant, with an optimized drag coefficient Cx compared to the normal version of just 0.234. This also allows you to gain between 10 and 15 km more autonomy to reach a minimum of 540 km (WLTP).

design and interior

Seen from the front, the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS iV has many similarities with the normal Enyaq, to ​​the point that if you do not look at outstanding details, you would not notice the difference.

However, seen from the side, the differences are evident, mainly due to the drop in the roof that gives it that coupé touch. An aspect that is reinforced by a more aggressive front and rear design, to which is added the door handles in the same body color, the standard glass roof and 19-inch wheels, which, By the way, I like them a lot.

In the case of the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS version, we must add what the Czech brand calls Crystal Face (front glass), that grill with hundreds of crystals that light up, a nod to the legacy of Bohemian crystal.

In addition, the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS has an even more aggressive front, the insertion of the initials RS on the side, 20 or 21-inch wheels, with partial fairing.

Regarding the interior, the Enyaq Coupé does not present structural differences with respect to the normal version: 5.3” instrumentation screen and a large 13” display for the infotainment system.

In this video you can see the exterior and interior appearance of the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS iV.

Notably, for the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS iV, there are two exclusive interior design selections: RS Lounge: The seats are upholstered in Suedia microfiber and feature lime piping and stitching that contrasts with the black of the seats, as well as include carbon fiber effect trim strips on the dashboard and door trims.

The other exclusive finish is RS Suite, in which the seat covers are in perforated leather and feature gray piping and stitching, which are also found on the multifunction sports steering wheel, contrasting with the black color of the leather.

As for the volume of the trunk, the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS cubes 570 liters, without forgetting a multitude of storage compartments scattered throughout the cabin.

Engine and consumption

The Skoda Enyaq Coupe range has two battery sizes and four power levels, ranging between 132 kW and 220 kW for the RS variant, and rear or all-wheel drive.

In the case of the Enyaq Coupé RS, which is the one I have tested, the battery is 82 kWh, the power –as indicated above– rises to 220 kW (295 hp), an immediate torque of 460 Nm that allows it to reach a top speed (self-limited) of 180 km/h and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.5 seconds.

As for the official approved consumption of the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS iV, it is 16.3 kWh/100 km, with which the autonomy is set –according to data from the Czech brand– at 478 km.

For reference, an almost rival coupe-style model such as the Mustang Mach-E (337 hp and 565 Nm, and rear-wheel drive) has a range of up to 600 km.

dynamic behavior

The time has come to move from numbers on paper to real practice, and the truth is that the place chosen for this first contact is Grosseto, in the north of Italy and halfway between Florence and Rome, I don’t know if it is the ideal place for it.

And it is not only because of the way our Italian friends (from rally) drive, but above all because of the terrible state of some roads (including motorways) that, in addition to being narrow and very twisty (this is cool) have a firm completely deformed (this is not so cool, to my back even less).

But let’s not put on the bandage before the wound. After all, the route begins with urban sections, in which the pavement is correct and the botched infrastructure design – very similar to those of our beloved Spain – is supplemented by an infotainment system that, in addition to being up-to-date Thanks to over-the-air updates, it works like a charm and gets you out of a lot of trouble.

Although the best thing, without a doubt, is the augmented reality head-up display: it minimizes stress when you don’t know where you’re going and where you’re going, it looks great and it’s clear and intuitive.

Be that as it may, after the smooth section through the city we enter the highway to see what the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS is capable of, and the truth is that in a straight line, Sport mode activated and hitting the accelerator this electric car responds unceremoniously , and gives you a ray of light despite the gray day that has dawned… and the 2,255 kg of total weight. A sylph is not exactly…

The problem – let’s see, problem, what is called a problem is not, but a question of expectations – is when the curves arrive. And that I had a tremendous desire to put it in what is supposed to be its natural habitat: twisty sections.

Between the fact that the surface in some sections is not that it is bad but that it is extremely dangerous if you go a little forward and that the Enyaq Coupé cannot ignore the laws of physics –height and weight– no matter how many RS acronyms it carries, the dynamic experience not quite as expected.

Not to beat around the bush, the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS’s running gear doesn’t like bumpy surfaces. Driving with this mass of more than two tons at a certain speed is a bad experience for the driver and passenger, who will move like an old washing machine.

I hoped that it would grip more in the turns, that in the support changes it would not have such a playful rear end (without looking for it).

Even so, it must be clear that the dimensions of the set play a crucial role so that the dynamic sensations are not the same as at the wheel of a Skoda Octavia RS, but I thought it would be similar to that of the Skoda Kodiaq RS, for example. The surname RS weighs and implies expectations…

As for consumption, in the first part of the test and squeezing everything I wanted and more, the cost shot up to 27.4 kWh; in the second part, much calmer, the consumption stayed at 17.5 kWh/100 km, a figure closer to the official one.

Price

The price of the Skoda Enyaq Coupé is not yet known, nor is the RS version, among other reasons because production has been stopped due to the warlike invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The wiring supplier was based in the Ukraine, and pending a replacement to be found, the Enyaq Coupe is not expected to arrive until early 2023.

In any case, it is expected to be the most expensive car in the Skoda range.

Factors to decide the purchase

In addition to the advantages provided by the zero label of the DGT, the truth is that the Skoda Enyaq Coupé RS iV can meet the needs of those early adopter customers who want to have peace of mind for the future and, at the same time, seek a touch of sportiness and a coupé design.

Of course, prepare a wallet and a dose of patience until you arrive in Spain.