Should you buy a Skoda Elroq vRS?

We highly rate the regular Skoda Elroq as it’s a terrific family SUV – and one that just so happens to be electric. While we have a lot of time for other sporty Skodas, we don’t admire the Elroq vRS in the same way as it just doesn’t feel a big enough step over the standard car and lacks the fun factor.

But it is noteworthy for being the only four-wheel-drive Elroq you can buy in the UK, bringing extra traction in tricky conditions and more performance from its dual electric motors. If you want that additional ability, or just a model equipped with all the bells and whistles, we can see why you might want to consider it. 

---

What’s new?

The Skoda Elroq vRS is the sportiest and most expensive version of this new SUV yet, aiming to build on the standard car with slightly sportier looks and additional performance. It’s a business model that has proven successful for Skoda on both its petrol and electric cars – including on the larger Enyaq. 

The Elroq vRS uses the same two electric motors as the sporty Enyaq vRS, as well as cars such as the Cupra Tavascan VZ and Volkswagen ID.4 GTX, and is noteworthy for being the only four-wheel-drive Elroq you can buy in the UK. Skoda has also given the vRS a slightly sportier design, with revised front and rear bumpers along with a new set of alloy wheels. That said, we don’t think the changes go far enough to set it apart from the regular model. 

15

Under the surface, the Elroq gets a lowered sports suspension as standard, along with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), which brings adaptive dampers allowing you to choose between a more sport- or comfort-focused setup. The steering has also been tuned, but even Skoda itself admits there aren’t too many differences aside from the standard car. 

As for rivals, you’ll find the same powertrain in the similarly sized Ford Explorer, though it’s considerably more expensive than this Elroq vRS, and you can also now get a 320bhp dual motor version of the Peugeot e-3008 – a car we do not recommend, though, because it feels heavy to drive and isn’t all that practical. The Mini Countryman Electric could be the best option, bringing plenty of performance for an attractive sub-£40,000 price, albeit with less range than the Skoda. 

What’s it like inside?

The main change on the interior of the vRS compared to the standard Elroq is the liberal use of Skoda’s fluorescent ‘Hyper Green’ details on the dashboard, seats and doorcards. It certainly adds some interest to this SUV’s interior, which retains the standard car’s impressive ergonomics. 

The part suede seats offer a decent amount of adjustment and are just as good to look at as they are from a comfort point of view. The 13-inch touchscreen stuck to the dashboard is clear and responsive, while the Elroq gets a useful strip of physical buttons below the air vents to control features such as the drive mode and parking menus. 

15

We do wish a few more physical buttons were present, though, including for changing the temperature – the multi-purpose dials you find in a Skoda Superb would come in useful here. That said, we’re grateful you at least get proper steering wheel buttons, rather than the gloss black touchpads on a Cupra Tavascan. 

But it’s hard to complain about just how practical the Elroq is. It might currently be Skoda’s smallest electric SUV but it offers nearly as much room inside as the larger Enyaq, and the good news is that the vRS is no less roomy. The 470-litre boot is more useful than that figure suggests, with a double-sided boot floor, variable floor and various dividers and nets included. A highlight is the net below the parcel shelf which is ideal for keeping charging cables out of the way. 

15

All but the tallest of adults will also have no trouble getting comfortable in the rear seats, with plenty of head and legroom, even with the front seat put quite a long way back. The Elroq’s rear seats lack some of the flexibility (such as being unable to slide) that you’ll find on Skoda’s petrol and diesel Karoq, however.

Range, charging and motors

The vRS is the only way you can get a four-wheel-drive Elroq in the UK, with the rest of the line-up all being rear-driven. It uses the same rear electric motor as the regular ‘85’ version but gets a second motor on the front axle. 

Compared to the 85’s 282bhp and 545Nm of torque (pulling power), the vRS puts out 340hp and 679Nm, and in the progress it becomes Skoda’s fastest-accelerating car, with 0-62mph taking just 5.4 seconds and its 111mph top speed. 

15

As for charging, the vRS uses a slightly different 84kWh (gross capacity) battery to the rest of the Elroq, which Skoda claims allows for a 339-mile range, only just below the maximum 355 miles achievable with the most efficient version. 

A maximum 185kW DC charging speed also means the Elroq can charge from 10 to 80% in less than half an hour, with 12 hours needed if hooked up to a 7kW unit, such as a homecharger. 

What’s it like to drive?

We rate the regular Skoda Elroq for being a good all-rounder behind the wheel, mixing comfort with decent handling. The vRS manages to retain these strengths yet fails to feel like a real step up, and especially not for something being labelled as a performance SUV. 

While the vRS’s acceleration is rather brisk, a regular Elroq 85 is more than quick enough in day-to-driving. An extra 50bhp doesn’t really feel all that much more when looking at electric performance cars. That said, we like that Skoda has managed to retain the Elroq’s everyday usability here, even despite being fitted with larger alloy wheels. 

15

The addition of the DCC adaptive suspension (usually a £650 option) is certainly welcome, not least because it means that despite the vRS coming on large alloy wheels as standard, the ride remains comfortable. With DCC, you are able to choose on a scale if you’d like the ride to be tailored more towards sportiness and comfort. For normal day-to-day driving, we would certainly choose it to be angled more towards the latter, especially when fitted with the optional 21-inch alloys. Again, we’d recommend these as the standard all-black rims don’t look great. 

The steering is decently weighted and the vRS stays nice and flat through the corners, but the same could be said for any regular Elroq. It’s also still very refined and quiet at speed – another bonus, but again not one you’d buy a performance SUV for. The Elroq vRS’s brakes also don’t have enough bite and require time to get used to, though they are considerably better than the vague brake feel you get with a Cupra Tavascan. 

What models and trims are available?

The vRS comes in just one trim level and sits at the top of the Elroq line-up. As a result, standard equipment is very generous, with 20-inch alloy wheels, a 13-inch infotainment touchscreen and electric and heated front seats included. 

The driver’s chair also gets a massage function, while a 360-degree camera system, head-up display a 13-speaker Canton sound system are bundled in. All of those features are usually only available as options and if you tot up the extra features you get over the Elroq Sportline (the trim below), you end up quids in, even ignoring the extra performance. 

15

Pricing for the Elroq starts from £46,560, making it around £4,000 expensive than a rear-wheel-drive Elroq 85, but around £5,000 cheaper than the larger Enyaq vRS. Given how comprehensive the standard kit list is, we don’t think there’s any need to add further options to it. 

On the next page you’ll find a recap of what we do and don’t like about the Skoda Elroq vRS as well as our detailed star ratings. And don’t forget, you can find out all about how we test cars on our dedicated explainer page. Here’s why you should trust us, too.