The vast five-seater is king in its sector when it comes to 'square footage' with prices starting at €27,795. But for all its plus points (and there are many), it has been victim of car badge snobbery. With new and impressive exterior styling, however, Superb is well placed to seriously challenge the usual suspects at the top of the large family car segment. Passat, Insignia and Avensis were the big sellers last year with the Czech five-door in seventh place –even in its run out its sales are very close to Mondeo.
We went to the car's launch centre in Tuscany to test the VW Group-owned brand's bigger Superb.
The slightly longer (+28mm) exterior of the fastback car is right on trend. Superb looks that bit sleeker, with hints of more expensive machines in the styling. Sadly gone is the very handy Twin-Door mechanism, but the rear three-quarters now looks less clunky and is beautifully styled.
The Twin-Door was a clever double-hinged tailgate that let the Superb be two cars: a saloon with a regular boot or, with the press of another button, a wide-opening hatchback. The new car's cargo area is 30 litres bigger at 625 litres. If you drop the rear seats there is a whopping 1,760 litres of cargo space. If that's not enough… the Combi (estate) is coming later this year and this version in 4X4 form has always been one of our favourites.
Inside is even bigger, thanks to a wheelbase that has grown by 80mm. Four adults get a limo-like experience and five adults will still be friends after a reasonable journey. The dash is clear and simple and only on close examination do you see where cost savings have been made in materials.
The nice touch of placing an umbrella in the driver's door now includes the passenger's door too! Another nice gadget is the magnetic torch that doubles as a boot light. This cost-effective gizmo is handy for changing a wheel or doing roadside maintenance. Superb also comes with a couple of foldable Velcro luggage holders – ideal for stopping baggage from sliding around the boot. Electronic driver assistants systems and other options mirror all those available in the latest range of VW Group cars. So the list is very long!
All engines are now Euro 6-compliant and push out more power yet have reduced fuel consumption. We drove a 2.0-litre TDI 4X4 first with a DSG (auto) gearbox in L&K (top of the range) specification. This combination, riding on beautiful 18-inch alloys, provided a relaxing and premium experience. It was also a good autostrada cruiser.
Next, we took a 150hp manual 2.0-litre TDI for a test. 150hp is just about the maximum you'd want to put through its front wheels. Superb, in a straight line, is very pleasant and on the twisty bits you can hustle it along at reasonable speeds without much fuss – helped, of course, by that long wheelbase.
We also tested the 1.6-litre TDI. With two-up it has gained 15hp on the old 1.6 and was quite nippy above 2,000rpm. But if you carry passengers the 2.0-litre route is the way to go with greater torque available. We also went for a dash in the slightly bonkers 280hp 4X4 TSI (petrol) – it's quick but relatively expensive, starting at €42,000.
Skoda Superb now has the looks to rival the big guns. If you have a growing family prepare to fall in love with all that space.
Michael Sheridan
