WE LIKE
1. Huge amounts of rear space
2. Stylish exterior and interior
3. Bargain price tag
WE DON'T LIKE
1. Skoda badge stops this from being a more premium car
2. Likely depreciation on the bigger petrol engines
3. Not much else
The Superb is one of those obscure models than you may see now and again in the UK if you keep your eyes peeled, but is in fact a big success in central and eastern Europe. It's a large saloon, closer in size to the BMW 5 Series than the Mondeo-segment which it slots into over here. The sole reason it's in a segment below the one it should be is its price, which is extremely competitive for the amount of car you get; the base model is only just over the £16K mark. This ultra-low starting price gets you a massive 62mm extra rear legroom compared to the Mondeo and 32 litres more boot space. Skoda has also introduced a nifty dual opening boot lid: open it normally and it will open like a saloon, but press a button in the cabin followed by the boot release and the lid transforms to a hatchback.
It's a stylish looking car too. The exterior has quite a sleek demeanour and the same is true inside. The dash is made up of soft-touch materials and oozes high quality. It's beautifully finished and certainly looks pricier than it is. There are three trim levels - Skoda has renamed them with more familiar titles - S, SE and Elegance, which all come very well equipped. All models get the Twindoor boot system along with seven airbags and air conditioning. Mid-spec SE models receive 17-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, Alcantara and leather upholstery, cruise control, dual zone climate control and Skoda's 'Bolero' touchscreen system with 6 CD changer. There are a few new bits of tech on the Superb too. The first is called Park Assist, which you may have already seen on some of VW's products such as the Tiguan. This essentially looks for a space at the side of the car and then at the touch of a button it will parallel park the car for you - genius. The second is a new AFS (Adaptive Front-light System) which, as the name suggests, adapts the front lights depending on speed, weather conditions and what type of road you're on. If it detects rain, for example, the light beam changes to become shorter and wider in order to lessen the glare from the light being reflected off the road.
The engine line-up offers a bewildering variety, with a couple of elephant traps to catch the unwary. Amongst the diesels, go for either the 140 bhp or 170 bhp CR (Common Rail) engines and avoid the PD units, which use a dead-end VW injection technology that costs you 5 mpg. Among the petrol engines, the 1.8 TSI engine is excellent and the unfeasibly small 1.4 TSI performs miracles in motivating a car this size. We also have to mention the cheerfully insane 3.6 V6 petrol - even Mercedes cannot sell a 260 bhp V6 petrol engine in the UK these days, so someone at Skoda has a strange sense of humour.
The Superb actually makes quite a fun car to drive which is surprising given its size and weight. There's not a huge amount of body roll and as a D212result it flourishes on country roads - as long as they are wide. It goes without saying that it is ultimately a motorway car though, but whether you're sat up front or lost somewhere in the huge rear seats it is difficult not to enjoy the journey in the Superb.
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User reviews (8)
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william Fernie19 August 2009
I have the Greenline version of the Superb - Mainly used for company business. I find the dual tailgate very helpful. The comfort of the ride is very good. It has a host of extras for £18k . Overall it is very good value for money . Due to the cost and CO2 levels it has given me a nice pay rise this year compared to my last car. I thought acceleration - would let me down, however I was very surprised . Through first and second it is nippy enough and top end speed is ideal and spare for overtaking on motorways. On A roads sometimes you are better to sit back and enjoy the ride rather than try to overtake the next car. I had a tick list of six items - before choosing - it ticked five out of six . The only reservation 105 bhp engine . Now I have the car - it does the job successfully . Gear box and engine are well suited. I have disagreement with the above - it is a spacious 4 seater adult car with space to fit a kid seat in the middle. It certainly does not hold five adults. Hope this helps all out there - dont let the badge put you off! ps. the greenline does not offer leather package for the seats - it is my office during the day- it would have been a nice to have.
Report as inappropriateSydney15 October 2009
This is my dad's saloon car. The Skoda Superb is really cool. I love the build quality and he has not had any problems with it so far. My dad has always had Skoda's. Even the rubbish Felicia.
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barry hamblin26 September 2010
we ran volvos for years and always had problems,we have now started useing the new skoda and have not looked back,thay are far better than the volvo v70 d5 with it's massive flat spot!!!!!!!!!!!!!! still its volvos loss. on friday the 1st oct 2010 we take the key's of the new skoda superb 3-6 v6 4x4, the biggest problem i will have is keeping the key's as it's a first responce ambulance. Barry
Report as inappropriateMelanie Joy07 October 2010
I have not long started a Corporate Transport Compnay, We have 2 Skoda Superbs, and as you have already said "Superb by name and most certainly Superb by nature". Wish i had bought 4 Superbs. And you certainly can fit 5 adults very comfortably in this car, i have driven it with 4 men, all about 6ft tall, and they all said how comfortable it was, they were not cramped. I have driven a mercedes E class, the Superb is better by far, it just feels so comfortable, all my clients love the superb, only problem is that my transport manager loves the octavia, he says its a drivers car!!!!!!! Cant please em all!!
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twelvebears17 March 2011
I purchased a Superb SE 2.0 TDI CR 140PS DSG after looking at both the Mondeo and Passat. While not being quite the drivers car the Mondeo is, it blows both away for comfort, quality and level of equipment, and also manages to be individual and stylish in a kind of Russian Mafia kind of way. I couldn't get over just how much better it is that a VW. Personally if I was VW I'd be wanting to swap the badges on the two brands, or at least get the Skoda interior designers working on the big VW cars. Add to this that Skoda dealers are a decent bunch with none of the pretensions or snobbery of VW (who seem to think they are doing you a favour by selling you one), and you really can't lose. Oh and I'm never going to get bored with the twin-door system, it's fantastically useful!
Report as inappropriateLondoner17 December 2011
I have the basic 1.8TSI S Superb Estate plus heated front seats and rear parking bleeper (both well worth the modest extra). It is a remarkable car in its own right. It is effortless to drive, quiet and most comfortable on a long run, exceptionally well and thoughtfully equipped (from the umbrella to the ease of folding down the rear seats), with acres of legroom and luggage space, if a trifle thirsty (a diesel would avoid this of course). No trouble to park with the bleeper. Put price into the equation ... and, frankly, I cannot see why anyone would buy a Volvo V70 (myself, with my last three cars) or an equivalent Passat, or even a Mercedes E Class. (Or a Superb SE model: what price different alloys, wireless controls on the steering wheel, fake suede seats and other baubles)? New in the summer from a main dealer, with Skoda absorbing the VAT, it cost under £17,400. That isn't Superb. It's Phenomenal. I can see why the badge weighed down on Skoda. We have a 12 year-old Felicia, manual steering, rotten lock, sluggish, awful styling -but buckets of room, and utterly dependable. It has started first time every spring after being left out in sea air all autumn and winter. Now, excellent design and comfort are added to the reliability - and it is surely only a matter of time before Skoda's image and prices catch up with reality. Buy now, before that sad day comes!
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