Travel in style, travel in space

TRAVEL IN STYLE. TRAVEL IN SPACE.

The Skoda Superb arrives in third generation guise, looking sharp and tilting at some big names. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Review

Skoda's Superb gets a smart new suit, a slicker chassis and better engines. The weird twin-opening hatch is replaced by a more conventional rear aperture but there's still more space inside than in some London starter homes and the pricing remains sensible.

Background

If there's one thing that's defined the Skoda Superb, it's that every time it's been launched, the Czech company seems to think it'll enjoy greater success if it's pushed further upmarket. Given that the vast majority of Skoda's profits comes from small cars, that seems quite a leap of faith, but look at the way the market works and you'll start to see the logic. The Superb's rivals, amongst which you can count cars like the Ford Mondeo, the Vauxhall Insignia and the Mazda6, have done likewise. With each successive iteration they get bigger and more polished. To not follow would leave the Superb battling over some very meagre scraps.

Driving Experience

Skoda's been dipping into the almost unlimited largesse of the Volkswagen Group to bring us some mouthwatering engine and gearbox combinations with this latest Superb. With the Superb getting petrol engines like the excellent downsized 124bhp 1.4 and even a monster 2.0-litre turbo with 276bhp, four-wheel drive and a dual-clutch DSG gearbox. In between those extremes, petrol folk get to choose between a 148bhp version of the 1.4-litre TSI unit and a DSG-only 218bhp 2.0-litre TSI variant.

Go diesel and you're looking at 148bhp and 187bhp 2.0-litre TDI engines with six-speed manual or DSG 'boxes. Both of these engines are also available with all-wheel drive options. Dealers will also take orders for a super-frugal 118bhp 1.6-litre GreenLine version emitting just 96g/km of CO2.

Design and Build

The big news? That 'Twindoor' dual tailgate, where you could lift the metal part like a boot or raise the whole thing like a tailgate, has been ditched. Though this very clever piece of design had become a bit of a Superb hallmark, it was heavy and customer feedback suggested that it was of marginal benefit. That's why this latest Superb has a far more conventional hatchback mechanism. The styling of the MK3 model looks a whole lot sharper than before, with clean surfacing and crisp angles. It mirrors the style of the latest Fabia, which ditched the curves for something a lot more architectural.

Market and Model

Expect to pay from around £18,500 if you want your Superb in saloon form - or around £20,000 if you want to order the car as an estate. Diesel power requires a premium of around £1,500 over the petrol alernative. As for trim, well even the base Superb S models get a decent run at the equipment list. Here you'll find alloy wheels, air conditioning, LED rear lights, DAB digital radio and a touchscreen infotainment system. A 'Multi-Collision brake' set-up triggers automatic brake intervention upon detection of a collision. The SE models start from just over £21,000 and add 17-inch Helios alloy wheels, dual-zone air conditioning, rear parking sensors and cornering front fog lights. The SE's impressive specification also includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and SmartLink - a system that allows smartphone owners to show their phone's display on the car's infotainment screen.

Cost of Ownership

Skoda has forged its modern-day reputation on building quality cars that aren't expensive to run. Here's another one. The new-generation MQB platform it's based upon makes this car up to 75kg - about the weight of an average adult - lighter than it was before and that, along with the Volkswagen Group's latest Euro6 engine technology, has led to improvements of up to 20% when it comes to efficiency. As a result, this Superb shouldn't really cost much more than its smaller Octavia stablemate to run. As before, there's an 'Energy Recovery' set-up to reclaim energy that would otherwise be lost under braking or during cruising. And the usual Start/stop system to cut the engine when you don't need it, stuck at the lights or waiting in traffic. Plus the driver can do his or her bit by keeping an eye on the gearshift indicator on the dash.

Summary

The Skoda Superb looks the part, making it ever easier to convince those whose car views are at least a decade out of date that a Skoda deserves a place on your shortlist if you're in the market for a medium-ranger. Compared to a Mondeo or a Mazda6, a Superb represents a very different take on the theme. The Mazda is a pin-sharp drive, the Mondeo tries to blend size and sprightliness, but the Superb makes no real pretence at sportiness, instead offering a reassuring heft and vault-like build quality.

Above all, the Superb delivers space, and that's a quality you can never really have too much of in this corner of the market. Why? Because it's the one attribute where more mainstream marques can really land a telling blow on the premium badges. A BMW 3 Series or a Jaguar XE is never going to be able to offer as much space inside as a Skoda Superb. It's just not remotely viable, so for those who need something cut from more generous cloth, give the Skoda the once over. It's slick, presentable and, yes, simply clever.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Skoda Superb

PRICES: £18,640 - £35,940

INSURANCE GROUPS: 12E-28E

CO2 EMISSIONS: 95-191 g/km

PERFORMANCE: [1.4 TSI 125] Top Speed 129mph / 0-62 9.9s

FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 TDI 190] (combined) 67.3 mpg

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution, stability control, twin front, side and curtain airbags

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4856/1864/1477mm

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