Is the excellent Skoda Epiq the compact EV to beat? I drove the mini electric SUV to find out

Not so long ago there wasn’t a whole lot of choice in the compact crossover electric car bracket, but times have changed rapidly and now we’re spoilt for choice. A lot of the options are strong contenders and with the arrival of the Skoda Epiq, there’s another car to add to the list.

Being a Skoda, the looks are sensible and there is plenty of practicality – but this is also a car that looks like excellent value when put up against, say, the Renault 4, the Kia EV2 or the Peugeot E-2008. The Skoda Epiq sits on the MEB+ platform, which is also being put to good use for the basis of the VW ID.Polo and excellent Cupra Raval as well as the VW ID.Cross.

That means it’s front wheel drive and comes with a couple of battery sizes: 37kWh and 52kWh. I tested the Skoda Epiq 55 model, which featured the latter making it good for up to 272 miles, while the Skoda Epiq 40 gets that smaller power supply. Expect to pay less for the smaller battery model too, with prices ranging from £24,950 up to £30,450 (there are no US sales planned) for the car I tested.

The styling

Skoda has done a fabulous job with the Epiq. Sure, it’s not quite as snazzy as the Cupra Raval but the Skoda brand is seen as sensible and reliable, so in that respect it looks spot on. The Epiq also feels in keeping with other models in the range, with a consistent design that can’t be mistaken for any other car brand. There’s an air of durability with the design too, thanks to beefy styling around the bumpers, while roof rails and matt black plastic wheelarch surrounds add extra touches of the robust.

I thought the 19in ‘Lark’ alloy wheels on my Selection trim car looked good, without being overly flashy. I also liked the sensible door handles and door mirrors. There are some neat lines around the Skoda Epiq too, with the profile showing off the intriguingly sculpted rear corners to great effect. The Epiq rides quite high and has an upright stance that also delivers plenty in the way of headroom, something I discovered once I opened the driver’s door.

The interior looks and feels top quality, with a layout that’s every bit as practical as the exterior. It also felt like the design team had spent quality time on working out what people actually want. There was plenty that targeted comfort with sports seats in the front that benefitted from lumbar support. My car also had a heated steering wheel, heated seats, a panoramic sunroof, ‘Sunset’ tinted rear windows and ambient lighting that showcased itself beautifully through tunnels.

Owners will also be able to jazz up their Skoda Epiq because there is the option to add 3D printed accessories including a lower console organiser, a USB cable holder, coin box, cupholder inserts, a cup holder cover and a tether hook. I saw examples of all of them, and they were so well done that I reckon other brands will be quick to follow. Aside from the interior novelty items, the seating in the Skoda Epiq was impressive both front and back with great levels of space given the size of the car. A big and beefy boot was the icing on the cake and is one of the most capacious in its class.

The drive

I thought the Skoda Epiq was a lovely little thing to drive. From the off, it felt really composed, with a quality steering setup, great power delivery and excellent brakes too. The car I tested featured regeneration that could be set as either standard or high and, as a fan of one-pedal motoring, I chose the latter for the most part. It’s quite a sprightly thing too, with the larger battery delivering some extra oomph and a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds, which will be more than adequate for most who buy it. Not super-fast, but certainly sensible.

While the standard drive setting was very acceptable, selected by the same twist and go component seen in other cars from this group, I had most of my fun with the Sport drive mode selected. This seemed to pep up the Epiq a bit and also let me get the most from the braking system. Combined with the really positive steering, I thought it came across as much more fun than I’d expected. Sure, there was the odd jolt or two over ruts in the road, but I rather liked the Epiq’s firm ride.

Despite being reasonably high off the road, the Epiq got around corners very well too and I detected very little in the way of body roll. Granted, the overall drive appeal isn’t quite as funky as that supplied by the Cupra Raval, but as a family-focused compact crossover, the Epiq delivers little to moan about. It also seemed to be realistically efficient, with around 4.1 miles per kilowatt seeming very easy to attain. That, and the ability to top it up from 10% to 80% in about 24 minutes, makes the car able to take on longer runs without fuss.

The technology

The Skoda Epiq comes well-appointed with all of the necessities. There’s a 13in landscape touchscreen in the middle of the dash, while a 5.3in driver’s display compliments it with all of the essential info. I thought the Android-based software worked very well, as did the satellite navigation, with some of the best graphics I’ve seen for a while in this price class. The crisp detail was really welcome on unfamiliar roads, or where there were multiple lanes to pick through where the definition helped ease stress levels.

One section of the infotainment displayed an image of the exterior and the interior, which took a bit of fiddling with in order to access what I wanted to change. It all kind of worked okay, but I wasn’t keen on dipping into it on the move. In that respect, this is another car that benefits from getting yourself sorted before you set off, unless you have a passenger who’s willing to have a root around in the display settings.

Skoda offers up Laura as its voice control assistant for tackling some chores and it worked reasonably well, I thought. In fact, there was a pretty good level of tech on tap in my car, with the likes of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus wireless charging, a rear view camera and vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability all ticking the right boxes. The audio system was another highlight, sounding very nicely rounded and more than capable of breaking up the monotony of a long drive or being stuck in traffic.

Should you buy the Skoda Epiq in 2026?

It’s the attention to detail that really makes the Skoda Epiq shine. Y’know, little things like the option for adding 3D printed accessories in the cabin along with some neat design flourishes that make it a very enticing proposition. And, whilst it’s fairly compact on the outside, it offers lots of space in the inside. Along with plenty of zesty drive appeal, this makes the Skoda Epiq a great option for fans of sensible cars.

Sure, it doesn’t have the madcap appeal of the Cupra Raval VZ, but not everybody wants that, right? Decent real-world range is another good reason for giving it a whirl.

Skoda Epiq technical specifications