Powerful tourer with a punch: On the road in the Škoda Enyaq RS - definitely not a bourgeois car

Even after the facelift, the RS remains the top variant of the Škoda Enyaq. There's hardly a more down-to-earth option for driving around with significantly more than 300 hp. ntv.de has already been out and about with the updated model.

How down-to-earth can a Škoda Enyaq be? Or to put it another way, how down-to-earth is it allowed to be? If the electric family car seems too stuffy for you, the Czechs have given you a few tools to counteract it. Three steps to an anti-stuff car, so to speak. First step in the configurator: select the coupe. Second anti-stuffiness step: Of course, who hasn't heard of the legendary Mamba Green, which the Volkswagen subsidiary has offered in its range for several years? Click. And in the third step, the decision naturally falls on the speedy RS.

It now looks even more futuristic, with its redesigned front end. It features a distinctly narrow grille and tech-like LED daytime running light segments. And thanks to RS-specific bumpers, a powerfully sporty visual vibe is also at play. And when a potential new customer switches from an ambitious mid-range gasoline car to the electric RS, they're likely to be amazed.

It's not just the powerful torque (679 Newton meters) that's available from the very first rev. The elimination of any gear changes makes the drive so seamless. As soon as you press the accelerator pedal, the 2.3-tonner takes off, without the slightest hint of hesitation.

And if you keep your foot on the pedal, you'll truly experience a powerful compact with real punch. The factory claims a sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) of 5.4 seconds – a BMW M340i driver might be seriously surprised if they couldn't shake off a sluggish Enyaq. But from 180 km/h (112 mph), the Munich-based car pulls ahead in this thought experiment. That's precisely where the Czech car is limited.

Charging must be faster

But that's easily sufficient for everyday use. Especially since the Enyaq is a relaxed cruiser that allows you to confidently cover the distance at moderate speeds, not at the limit. Speaking of limits, the limiting factor for a battery-electric vehicle is the charging process anyway. And while the MEB modular system offers a solid foundation here, it doesn't offer outstanding charging performance. The manufacturer does, however, estimate the charging window from 10 to 80 percent at 26 minutes with a peak charging power of 185 kW (that's ten kW more than before). It always depends on the charging curve.

How this performs in practice will have to be determined by initial testing. However, a net battery capacity of 79 kWh is already a good basis for long journeys in one go. Whether the juice will last for 563 kilometers, as stated by Škoda, will likely depend heavily on external conditions such as driving style and outside temperature. The factory-stated power consumption of 16 kWh per 100 kilometers would certainly be ambitious for such a powerful all-wheel drive vehicle. However, the combination of an asynchronous motor without permanent magnets at the front and a synchronous motor at the rear is already sophisticated in terms of efficiency, as the front motor runs at partial load with virtually no drag losses when not in use.

RS more tourer than wiry performer

From a practical perspective, however, long distances shouldn't pose a major problem. The Volkswagen Group knows how to make seats. In the Enyaq RS, they present themselves somewhat sportier, and the company opted for microfiber upholstery surfaces not unlike suede. The seat offers decent lateral support, probably more than even an Enyaq RS needs, since it's ultimately more of a comfortable tourer than a cross-country performance beast.

There's plenty of space in the 4.66-meter-long SUV, too. Even the rear feels spacious—even in the stylish coupe with its slightly steeper roofline. And if you're traveling with a full crew, you can fit the equivalent of 570 liters of luggage (585 liters in the SUV), which should be more than enough for a family trip.

If you inspect the trunk lid closely while loading your luggage, you'll notice the integrated ice scraper – still part of the Škoda equipment, as is the umbrella in a dedicated compartment in the driver's door. The marketing strategists even have a term for this: "Simply Clever." That's one form of practicality; the other is intuitive menu navigation on the not-so-small touchscreen.

First test: turning off all annoying assistants. This is done by deselecting the corresponding function four times in the corresponding bar, and it's quick and easy. The rest of the feature set is quite extensive; you get used to it over time. It's fine. Another test, however, in the case of the RS, is its price. €58,600 is no small sum—it's a lot to bear, even with features like a head-up display and elegant decorative stitching already on board. All you can do is hope for attractive leasing deals. The Czechs charge a surcharge of €2,285 for the coupe. It must be worth that much to be part of the anti-bourgeois car faction.