Skoda Elroq Long Term review

The adventure begins

February 28th  2026
Mileage: 366
Real-world range: 230 miles
Efficiency: 3.1m/kWh

I like to keep my neighbours on their toes and there’s not much that gets past them. Earlier this month, I bid farewell to our long term Cupra Born V3 and said hello to its replacement - a Skoda Elroq Edition 85. As Cupra and Skoda are part of the sprawling VW empire, the collection and delivery was done in one slick operation. Which was handy because it meant that I could move all my junk from one to the other without having the chance to lose it in the garage. 

Within 24 hours, two neighbours made reference to the newcomer, which is more than any of them had done with the Born. Was it the Timiano Green paintwork that Electrifying.com Editor Vicky Parrott had chosen, or was it the Skoda badge that made it more noticeable than the Born that had been parked on my drive for six months. Who knows? All I can report is that non-car people think that the Elroq is a ‘nice-looking car’. Which is probably great news if you work at Skoda, because these are the kind of people who buy cars and spend their own cash. 

So what can I tell you about the Elroq after such a short period of time? Well, not a huge amount, but I can inform you that it is a very easy car to get used to. Which might sound like a really dull thing to say, but it’s actually a really underrated quality. Setting up a modern car is like buying a new computer or phone. You need to create accounts, log in to this, download an app, scan a QR code etc. It’s a process I generally dread, but Skoda has clearly worked hard to make the process as idiot-proof as possible. 

Yes, there’s an app to download and a user account that needs setting up, but the process after that is surprisingly easy. Linking the car to the app took a few seconds and within a few minutes, the whole thing was set up and ready to go. I know what you’re saying, “Isn’t every car like that?” Well, no, they’re not. The Volvo EX30 I’m now running is still throwing me out of the infotainment system, not recognising my phone and presenting me with the black screen of death on an almost fortnightly basis. 

I’m also loving most aspects of the specification that Vicky chose. Our car has the optional ‘Lodge’ interior, which is worth every penny of the £600 Skoda charges. The fabrics are light, neatly designed and, best of all, it comes with orange seat belts. Which would be an absolute deal-sealer if I was looking to buy. 

Normal is its superpower. Elroq continues to impress

March 15th 2026
Mileage: 755
Real-world range: 235 miles
Efficiency: 3.2m/kWh

Just as I was settling into Elroq life, I got the email from site editor Parrott: “Mike, I need to swap long-termers with you.” Given that Vicky is a) my boss, and b) actually arranged the loan with Skoda, I was somewhat powerless to object to her request. And so, having spent just over a month with the car, my time with the Elroq is nearing its end. 

Thankfully, I've been able to put some miles on the clock since the last report. The first long-ish trip was to Bristol airport, where it graced the long term car park for a few days. Whenever I leave my VW ID. Buzz at the airport, I always have a fear that the 12 volt battery will die (it did after I first got it, so the fear is real), but not so with the Elroq, which has so far proved to be remarkably stable. Fitting three big suitcases into the boot proved a little too much of a challenge, although one of the cases is bigger than my first flat, so for most travelling families, the Elroq’s 470-litre boot will be perfectly adequate. 

What isn’t adequate are the cup holders. Now I appreciate that this is very much a first world problem, but not being able to comfortably fit two medium takeaway cups next to each other seems an odd design choice. And you can forget trying to put a re-usable cup into either holder - it won’t fit. Maybe Skoda’s interior design team have an issue with people being able to hydrate on the move? Either way, it’s a strange oversight in an otherwise flawless cabin. 

To drive, the Elroq is fine but not particularly engaging if you really love being behind the wheel. Thanks to Vicky’s choice of 19-inch wheels rather than sassier 20-inch options, the Elroq rides exceptionally well. The suspension has been tuned for comfort rather than sportiness and to be honest, that’s a good thing. Far too many new EVs seem to come with bone-jarring suspension in an effort to make them feel ‘sporty’. I’m 55 and have a bad back, so sportiness is the last thing I want. I suspect that I’m not alone in that… 

That said, the brakes could do with a bit more focus. There’s no shortage of stopping power, provided that you give the pedal a good shove. I’d prefer a bit more bite at the top of the pedal travel to provide more confidence when arriving at roundabouts and junctions. 

In terms of range, the Elroq is currently returning 235 miles - largely due to the fact that the UK seems to be in the grip of another 11 month winter. I suspect that when the temperature makes it into double figures, the miles per kilowatt hour figure will rise nicely and deliver a range that’s closer to the 300 miles we’d expect from a car like this.

Summer efficiency, (no) keyless entry, and a flat tyre

June 11th 2026
Mileage: 3,325
Real-world range: 280 miles
Efficiency: 3.7m/kWh​

Mike was right. He normally is, to be honest. And yes, it's me - Vicky Parrott. The current custodian of the Electrifying Skoda Elroq. And nobody will take it off me. I like it too much! Mike and I swapped cars back in spring, and the Elroq 85 has now been mine for a couple of months and quite a few miles. I live down in the New Forest, and do a lot of motorway miles, as well as a fair few local journeys on roads around 30 to 40mph. It's worth pointing out that I didn't add the optional heat pump to the Elroq. It's available as a £1,100 option, but to be honest I'm generally of the opinion that heat pumps are good to have - but probably not essential nor worth paying a lot extra for, unless you really do a lot of mileage in winter. So, our Elroq 85 SE L went without a heat pump. In fact, the only options are the Lodge interior (£600), and the Timiano Green paint (£680). That paint is worth it, by the way. It's just gorgeous, and almost every other Elroq I've seen - which is quite a few - are in the same colour!

The efficiency on the Elroq has crept up pretty quickly as the temperatures have risen, so I'm now seeing 3.7m/kWh - around 280 miles of real world driving - even on motorway journeys. On local journeys, I have seen it tickle past 4.0m/kWh. Nice, although I suppose I might have hoped to see closer to 4.0m/kWh as an overall average. Apart from a week of blistering heat, this summer has been quite cool so I'm still hoping to see more improvements on the range and efficiency front. 

Meanwhile, the Elroq was off the road for a while when it got a flat tyre. As with most modern cars (EV or otherwise), the Elroq doesn't have a spare tyre or even a space saver. Unfortunately, our flat tyre had a split so it wasn't fixable with the tyre gunk, which is why I was so relieved that the flat happened around the corner from home, so I was able to limp back and get a mobile tyre company to replace it. The 19-inch Kumho Ecsta tyre costs around £120 after VAT and before fitting, but to get a mobile tyre company out to fit it quickly - on the same day - I was quoted between £280- to £350. Ouch. That's the price of convenience, I suppose.

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I can't blame the Elroq for any of that. A flat tyre is a flat tyre, after all. The Skoda's actually been entirely faultless over the miles I've had it, and has fit into my life with the ease and comfort of a pair of old slippers. It's peachy to drive, big enough for my dogs, child and general family life (yet small enough to not feel obnoxious or awkward), and I'm lucky enough to be able to charge at home so the real-world range is enough to cater to my high mileage needs without needing much public charging. 

Overall, it's been so good that I have little to report. It just does the job, and it does it well. I agree with Mike that the brake pedal feel and response isn't great and could definitely be improved, but every other aspect of the way it drives is lovely. If I'm looking for other grumbles, it really annoys me that the Elroq SE L doesn't get keyless entry. You can't even add it as an option to the SE L trim, either. You have to go for Edition trim to get that, which feels like a rather cynical way to force buyers into the top-spec car, if you ask me. 

Apart from that, life with the Elroq is blissfully uneventful. I may go to the tip in it, soon. Exciting times! I'll report back on how well it copes with bit of an old spare bed and a lot of garden detritus. 

If you've got any questions about out Elroq long termer, or if you've got an Elroq - or any other EV! - and want to get in touch, you can always email us at [email protected]. You may even get a mention on the weekly Kilowatt Half Hour podcast.