Skoda Elroq 2026 review: 60 Select long-term | Part 2 | MG S5 EV rival tested

As far as ‘compact’ SUVs are concerned, the MY26 Skoda Elroq is arguably in the Goldilocks zone.

It is on the large side for a small SUV, and on the small side for a mid-size SUV, making it perfect for a city dweller like myself.

Read More About Skoda Elroq

• Skoda Elroq 2026 review: 60 Select long-term | Part 1
• Familiar hatchback on the chopping block: 2026 Skoda Scala could be axed in Australia as the segment dominated by the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Kia K4 and Hyundai i30 shrinks
• Ballistic new SUV locked in: Skoda confirms new hot rod rival for 2026 Tesla Model Y, Polestar 4 and Porsche Macan

If you missed the first instalment covering the entry-level MY26 Select 60’s pricing and specification details, check out the link above.

As promised, this second look will focus on the Elroq’s design and practicality, while the upcoming third and final part will be headlined by my full driving impressions and overall verdict.

Let’s get cracking!

Smart looking – if a little forgettable

Starting with design, the Elroq’s exterior is arguably unremarkable, but I like it all the same.

Up front, Skoda’s new tech-desk face is in full force, with a black panel taking the place of what would have been a grille in an internal-combustion model.

Flanking it are sharp LED daytime running lights, which are separate to the low and high beams below.

I particularly like the heavily creased bonnet with its SKODA lettering, and the chunky front bumper, which has a well-executed black plastic element that flows through to the wheel-arch and door cladding around the side.

The Elroq has a particularly strong character line with real doorhandles below – yes, they are an increasing rarity these days.

And then there are the Select 60’s 19-inch 'Proteus' alloy wheels, which I initially thought were quite plain in design, but I now reckon look decent.

At the rear the Elroq has unmistakably Skoda tail-lights and in case you still do not pick it, there’s even more SKODA lettering in between.

I quite like how upright the tailgate is as you know that means good things for boot, but more on that in a moment.

The bumper is quite plasticky, but even with light paintwork like my test vehicle’s Timiano Green, I do not think it looks bad in this instance.

That said, the chunky tailgate spoiler looks noticeably cheap with its plastic finish, but we are talking about a base model after all.

You better like denim

Inside, the Select 60 features the Elroq’s Loft interior theme, which means it is covered in a denim-like cloth upholstery with synthetic leather accents.

We are talking about seats, armrests and even door and dashboard inserts here, so there is no missing the divisive material. I don’t mind it, but some of my passengers had strong opinions against it.

The leather-trimmed, two-spoke steering wheel feels very premium in hand and is enhanced by its physical controls for key functions, which are welcome because they are another increasing rarity these days.

There is also a row of physical buttons below the 12.9-inch touchscreen multimedia system, but sadly none of them are dedicated to temperature or fan-speed controls.

There is a CLIMA button that opens the touchscreen’s climate-control menu, but it is only useful if you want to change the airflow direction as the temperature and fan-speed controls are permanently in the bottom row of the multimedia system’s shortcuts.

The multimedia system is easy enough to use once you get your head around it, but the reality is most drivers will instantly take advantage of its wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support and use smartphone mirroring instead.

It is also nice to see physical air-vent controls as they too have come under threat recently as some brands irrationally try to move them to the touchscreen.

Criticisms? Well, it is rather dark inside the Elroq, with only the light headliner trying to brighten things up.

The touch panel for the volume controls is also annoying to use, but at least the driver still has access to a dedicated scroll wheel on the steering wheel.

And then there is the 5.0-inch digital instrument cluster, which feels comically small these days, although it does still contain all of the key driver information.

Welcome to the Goldilocks zone

When it comes to practicality, the Elroq punches well above its weight.

At 4488mm long (with a 2765mm wheelbase), 1884mm wide and 1625mm tall, the Elroq is not a large car by definition, but its well-packaged EV platform helps it to pretend to be one.

The Elroq’s boot has a cargo capacity of 470L, which is large for a small SUV.

Better yet, stow the 60/40 split-fold second row via the manual release latches, accessible via the boot itself, and luggage space increases to a cavernous 1580L, all with no load lip to contend with.

There is also underfloor storage, which is large enough the Elroq’s onboard charging cables and tyre repair kit, which should be replaced by a spare wheel.

The floor mat is double-sided, giving owners the choice between carpet or rubber, which may come in use if you regularly transport wet gear.

If you are likely to have boxes or similar cargo in tow, the Elroq also has two box holders with Velcro, which can be adjusted as you see fit.

You also get four bag hooks, a 12V power outlet, a storage net and a cargo strap, which is among the four side cubbies in the boot. Nice.

Sadly, there is no frunk in the MY26 Elroq on test here, but the MY27 version does come with one, which will be perfect for storing the charging cables.

In the second row, there are two ISOFIX anchors and three top-tether points for child-seats, and removable storage at the rear of the centre console which features air vents and two USB-C ports.

Map pockets are affixed to the front seat backrests and even feature bonus pouches for small devices, while the rear door bins can accommodate one regular bottle each.

There is also the obligatory fold-down armrest with two cupholders, but they need to be manually deployed, which I do not mind as they are not always in use when you want to rest your inner arm.

Behind my 184cm driving positioning, I have oodles of legroom, a couple of inches of headroom and enough toe room to keep myself happy.

That said, width is limited here, so while you can technically seat three adults abreast on the rear bench, I would only recommend doing so on short trips.

Up front, centre-console amenities include two cupholders that are a little too European for my liking, meaning they can only swallow small bottles, even with their divider removed.

Ahead of them is a wireless smartphone charger, while behind is a long but narrow open cubby, and a central bin that is deep but thin, featuring two removable bins and a lid that ratchets into your preferred position.

Underneath this entire assembly is a second, open storage tier, which can be used for stowing small bags and the like.

The front door bins can take two regular bottles each, while the glove box is half-width but tall enough to still be useful.

What is missing? A sunglasses holder and not much else, that is how well occupants are taken care of here.

The efficiency games continue

In my second month with the MY26 Elroq Select 60, my average energy consumption was 16.1kWh/100km over 1000km of driving, which included a fairly even mix of highway and city trips.

This equates to a real-world driving range of 366km based on the MY26 Select 60’s useable battery capacity of 59kWh, which is just 29km short of its claim.

As I said in the first part of this long-term review, I would personally pay at least $10K extra for the larger-battery version of the MY26 Elroq, which has a 529km claim and, therefore, greater peace of mind for long-distance drivers.

And with that we have reached the end of this second instalment.

I will see you for the third and final part next month, when I will reveal my driving impressions and deliver an overall verdict.