Skoda Elroq Review: Simply Right

There’s something reassuring about familiarity, especially in today’s electric vehicle landscape, where design studios seem to be competing in a game of “who can out-quirk whom.”

Enter the Skoda Elroq, and within seconds of setting eyes on it, you realise this is not one of those cars.

Exterior

Let’s start with the obvious: This is a handsome SUV. Not “trying-too-hard” handsome, but the kind that simply works. One glance, and you just know it’s a Skoda; the face is unmistakably clean, confident, and devoid of unnecessary theatrics.

More importantly, the Elroq gets its proportions absolutely right. In a market flooded with Chinese EVs that sometimes look like they were styled via a committee WhatsApp chat, this Skoda feels cohesive. The distance between the bumpers and the wheels at all four corners is just right; no awkward overhangs, no visual imbalance. It sits as a proper SUV should.

Those 20-inch wheels, wrapped in 235/50 R20 Hankook S1 evo EV3 tyres, add just the right amount of muscle. They’re chunky without being cartoonish, filling the arches with purpose. The overall stance suggests stability, confidence, perhaps even a bit of… quiet authority.

And underpinning all that is substance. The Elroq carries a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating, which reinforces the visual impression of solidity. This isn’t just design for design’s sake - this is engineering integrity showing through.

Kudos to Skoda’s design team. In today’s EV crowd, where standing out often means shouting louder, the Elroq simply speaks with clarity and that’s far more effective.

The Inside Story

Step inside, and the Elroq continues to impress: Not with gimmicks, but with good sense.

The cabin is clean, logically laid out, and refreshingly intuitive. Skoda hasn’t gone down the route of burying everything into a touchscreen abyss; you still get physical controls where they matter, and the infotainment system behaves itself with no tantrums and no lag-induced frustration.

Material quality is immediately apparent. There’s a reassuring heft to everything you touch, and nothing feels flimsy or over-styled. It’s not flashy, but it feels like it will age gracefully - which, frankly, is more important than impressing your passengers for the first five minutes.

Then come the clever touches. My personal favourite? The driver’s door houses a compartment specifically for a folding umbrella. Yes, very much like a Rolls-Royce; it’s one of those small details that feels disproportionately satisfying, especially in Singapore, where sunshine and sudden downpours coexist like old frenemies.

Space is another strong suit. Rear passengers, even full-grown adults, are treated generously with ample legroom and headroom. There’s no sense of compromise here, which makes the Elroq genuinely usable as a family car rather than just an “urban SUV” in name.

Up front, both the driver and front passenger seats come with a massage function. It may sound indulgent, but trust me, after a long day at work followed by a one-hour crawl through the PIE during peak hour, it suddenly feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity. It’s these thoughtful inclusions that makes the ownership experience even more appreciated.

The 470-litre boot, meanwhile, is genuinely practical. It’ll comfortably handle luggage for a family of five heading up to Melaka for a short weekend trip - no creative packing required.

Driving It

Under the skin, the Elroq runs a single electric motor paired with a 63 kWh lithium-ion battery, sending power to the rear wheels. Yes, rear-wheel drive… and you can feel it.

With 201 bhp and 310 Nm of torque, the numbers are respectable, especially when you consider the car tips the scales at over two tonnes. Standstill to 100 km/h is dispatched in 8 seconds flat; not neck-snapping, but more than adequate for daily driving duties.

What matters more is how it delivers that performance - power comes on smoothly and predictably, ideal for urban conditions.

But it’s the handling that stands out.

The rear-wheel-drive setup gives the Elroq a sense of balance that many front-driven EVs lack. It feels planted through corners, and there’s a natural flow to how it moves. The steering is properly weighted too - not overly light, not artificially heavy. Just right; inspiring confidence without demanding your full attention.

In short, it’s a tidy and composed handler. Not a thrill machine, but a car that makes you feel in control, which is arguably more valuable.

Driving Range

Now, here’s where things get a little less flattering.

The official range is quoted at 430 km. On paper, that sounds reasonable; until you look at what some Chinese competitors are offering, with figures that stretch well beyond that.

In reality, the Elroq tells a more honest story. Over the course of testing in typical Singapore conditions - air-con running, numerous traffic congestion and the occasional enthusiastic right foot - I only managed close to 320 km, with about 30 km left before I had to plug in.

That’s… well, not great.

It’s not disastrous either, but it does feel dismal when you consider how much further some rivals can theoretically go. The upside? The Skoda’s numbers feel more truthful. There’s less of a gap between expectation and reality, which perhaps counts for something.

Still, if range anxiety is high on your list of concerns, this is one area where the Elroq doesn’t quite lead the pack.

In A Nutshell

The Skoda Elroq isn’t here to dazzle you with gimmicks or overwhelm you with numbers. Instead, it wins you over with thoughtfulness, balance, and a sense of honesty that’s increasingly rare.

It’s handsome without trying too hard, practical without being boring, and competent without needing to shout about it. The rear-wheel drive setup adds a layer of driving satisfaction, while the interior reminds you that good design is often about the little things.

Yes, the range could be better. And yes, some competitors offer more on paper.

But here’s the thing: The Elroq feels like a car that’s been properly thought through. Not rushed, not overhyped, just… right.

For the discerning Singaporean buyer who values substance over spectacle, this Skoda makes a very strong case. It may not be the loudest voice in the room, but it’s certainly one of the most sensible.

Photos by Azfar Hashim (@azfar.talks)

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