Skoda Enyaq iV 60 loft Nav

Virtual reality has its own appeal, but our large electric SUV is making a strong case for itself in the real world

- Darren Moss

Mileage 1472 List price £34,850 Target Price £34,850 Price as tested £40,005 Test range 256 miles

THE GOOD THING about any new technology is that, over time and with enough people using it, the cost of entry comes down. When Oculus launched its Rift virtual reality headset in 2016, for example, it cost a heady £600. Just six years later, the latest and more powerful Oculus Quest 2 can be bought for less than half that.

The same is true with electric cars. Price was once a major barrier to entry for many potential owners, but today you can drive a new one for as little as £231 per month. And even my Skoda Enyaq, which is big enough for five people and their luggage, and which we count as being among the best electric cars on sale, is surprisingly affordable if you stick with the 6o model that I went for.

True, if, like me, you can't charge at home and instead have to rely on the public charging network, the cost of running an electric car is higher than you might expect. But in the same way that I'll pay more to have a reusable coffee cup rather than a single-use one, I'm happy to spend a little extra to do my bit for the environment - especially when I'm paying such a reasonable price for the car itself.

The Enyaq used to be even cheaper to buy, but, sadly, government policy has put paid to that; towards the end of 2021, the £2500 electric vehicle grant was cut to £1500, while the maximum price of qualifying cars was reduced from £35,000 to £32,000.