The electric revolution continues to produce “forbidden fruit” for North American drivers—and nowhere is that more apparent than with the Škoda Elroq.
Built on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, the Elroq fills a crucial gap in the lineup: it’s smaller than an ID.4, yet roomier and more versatile than the ID.3 hatchback. For American and Canadian buyers who want the efficiency of a compact EV without sacrificing usable cargo space or rear-seat comfort, the Elroq’s size and packaging are spot on. Its crossover profile and thoughtful interior storage address the daily needs of families and city dwellers alike—exactly the kind of “just right” EV that’s missing from North American showrooms.
After a few days of hands-on driving, the Elroq reveals its charm in the details: playful design cues, animated lighting signatures, and a surprisingly spacious interior loaded with Škoda’s signature “Simply Clever” touches. The Sportline trim offers supportive cloth sport seats, a thoughtfully simplified infotainment system, and a trunk filled with organizational hacks that put rivals to shame. Škoda even delivers some classic enthusiast wins: cascading amber turn signals, regular door handles, and robust, practical materials that make daily use a pleasure.
What’s most exciting about the Škoda Elroq is how brilliantly it bridges the gap between practicality and driving enjoyment. It delivers the kind of fun, flexible, and thoughtfully designed EV experience that many North American buyers may crave—one that’s easy to live with day to day, yet full of clever details and lively personality. While the Elroq remains exclusive to Europe for now, it serves as proof of just how good mainstream electric crossovers can be and how flexible the VW’s MEB platform is. Here’s hoping that VW brings more of this European flavor—and its blend of style, versatility, and smart engineering—to the Americas in the future.
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Here is a transcript produced by AI and edited by a staffer:
Welcome back to the VW ID Talk Podcast. If you’re into VWs, electric vehicles, or both, you’re in the right place. We’re available on all major platforms like Overdrive and iTunes, and of course, YouTube for the visual experience.
Today, we’re continuing our Forbidden Fruit series, and Jan is here to introduce us to something new in the background: the Skoda Elroq. This new EV builds on Volkswagen’s MEB platform. It’s smaller than the ID.4 but slightly longer than the ID.3.
Jan shared a fun find from Maker World: a six-pack holder for Czech Pilsners, fitting since he’s in Czechia. Back to the Elroq, it has a sleek design that resembles an Audi A3 more than a Golf, but still shares that compact hatchback vibe. Jan’s driving the Sportline trim, which uses the APP550 motor. It’s not the top-spec RS trim, which includes a front motor and all-wheel drive, but he’s really enjoying it.
He’s had the car for just a couple of days, having just switched from the ID.7 Tourer. He prefers the Elroq’s playful and compact design, calling it his dream car—ideally in RS trim and Mamba Green. Unfortunately, this is one of those models that isn’t available in the US or Canada.
Dimensionally, the Elroq sits between the ID.3 and ID.4, and unlike the ID.3, it can accommodate a front motor for the RS variant. Jan compares it to VW’s GTX trim. For North American listeners, it’s worth noting that neither the Elroq nor the ID.3 is available here.
On the front end, the Elroq features a split-headlight design with separate DRLs and matrix headlights. It also has a front radar neatly integrated beneath a black trim panel called the “tech deck.”
This Elroq was rented through the Skoda Explore program, which allows users to try out EVs. From the side, you’ll notice similarities with the ID.4, particularly in the fender and door trim. Around back, a glossy black insert spans the width of the vehicle, though it’s actually a metallic black paint, also used on the mirrors and lower rear bumper.
Jan demonstrated the powered tailgate and pointed out that while the trunk is smaller than the ID.7’s, it offers several clever storage features: side cubbies, integrated hooks, a net for the charging cable, and reinforced hinge covers. Under the floor panel, there’s a smaller compartment good for storing cables, although not adjustable in height.
Moving inside, Jan appreciates the regular door handles and notes features like four window switches, a manual round mirror adjuster, soft-touch materials, and multiple speakers including a midrange and bass combo. He confirmed there’s a tweeter in the A-pillar as well, though the system doesn’t include a dedicated amplifier.
The bucket-style sport seats are manual, with heating but no ventilation. Jan finds the fabric to be high quality and the seats comfortable. The steering wheel is new, featuring a roller dial for volume and track control, although the right-side roller is limited to selecting between travel assist, cruise control, and speed limiter functions. The digital instrument display is the same as what’s found in current ID.4s but integrated into the dash.
Gear shifting is handled by a console-mounted selector: pull for Drive/B, push for Reverse, and a separate button for Park. Jan prefers the ID.7 Tourer’s stalk-mounted shifter, which frees up console space.
The infotainment screen is the newer version from late 2024 Pro/Pro S ID.4s, with backlit sliders for volume and permanent climate controls. Jan likes the ability to pin shortcuts like the radio and air conditioning to the interface. The climate interface has been redesigned and simplified for Skoda.
The infotainment layout includes a customizable home screen, app menu (featuring Skoda-native tools like LoRa navigation), and side/top shortcut menus. Jan noticed the car charged beyond the set 80 percent limit once, for unknown reasons.
In the center console, he points out a deep storage bin, lighting options, and movable inserts. He also calls attention to thoughtful ambient lighting details and improved vent positioning compared to the ID.4.
In the rear seats, there’s ample space even with the front seats set for a tall driver. Though the Elroq lacks a three-zone climate system, rear vents are present. Jan also points out a small window in the rear quarters and separate tweeters and woofers in the rear doors.
All in all, the Elroq appears to be a well-designed, thoughtfully equipped EV that Jan clearly enjoys—but for now, it remains another piece of forbidden fruit for North American buyers.
Make sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode, where we’ll take a closer look at the ID.3. If you have any questions about the Elroq, drop them in the comments.
