Introduction
First introduced back in 2001, the Superb is now a staple of the Škoda range and has become the flagship following a move into the executive car market back in 2015. Since then, it has led the way in terms of technology and design for the Czech brand – coming in both hatch and estate formats. As a more budget option than many of its executive segment rivals, the Superb offers loads of space and equipment at a much lower price point than you might expect.
We get behind the wheel of one of the top-end hatch options to see what the Superb has to offer…
Performance
Our Superb Sportline was fitted with the top-spec 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that develops 276bhp and 349Nm of torque – pretty astonishing for a Škoda. Paired to a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission and four-wheel drive, the Superb is able to sprint to 60mph from standstill in 5.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 155mph.
With that power and transmission combination, the Superb takes overtaking and acceleration within its stride and is incredibly responsive. The change from the DSG gearbox is quick and smooth, while the engine is more than powerful enough for most drives you’ll undertake.
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Ride & Handling
Although you may not expect a big Škoda to be great to drive, this one in particular was truly excellent. With the sport chassis installed, the Superb corners well and doesn’t feel overly cumbersome despite its size – and when you want to take it easy the Superb remains composed and very pleasant to drive indeed.
With the help of the powertrain, the overall driving package of the Superb Sportline is very compelling, as you’ll find yourself munching motorway miles with ease, as well as cruising around town with little trouble. Drivers can choose to use the gear change paddles on the steering wheel for manual gear changes, and the response of the gearbox from the paddles is sharp, so you can crack on with tackling a twistier section of road.
Interior & Equipment
What the Superb has over its rivals more than anything else is its truly cavernous spaces throughout the car – may that be for passengers in the back or storage in the boot. Even the tallest of passengers will be happy with the amount of leg and headroom in the back, and that comes with a massive 625-litre boot. That can be extended to 1,760 litres when the rear seats are folded flat – something you’d expect more from a large SUV. That makes the Superb incredibly practical.
As standard in the Superb, you will find a leather steering wheel, Bluetooth, a DAB radio, front assist with automatic braking, a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, engine start/stop, manual air conditioning, split folding rear seats, electric windows and 16-inch alloy wheels. That’s a good amount of equipment for a car starting from £22,130.
For the Sportline model we tried – which lies just below the top-spec Laurin & Klement trim – the Superb is fitted with 19-inch alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, gloss black sport styling, a three-spoke sports steering wheel with gear-shift paddles, privacy glass, an eight-inch infotainment display with Wi-Fi, drive mode selection and Alcantara sports seats with diamond stitching.
The test car also came with crew protection assist with rear airbags, dynamic chassis control, lane assist with blind spot detection, a rear-view camera, sunroof and tri-zone climate control – all of which added to the premium nature of the Sportline model.
Cost
To say the Superb is good value is an understatement, as it starts from £22,130 – much less than many of its executive car rivals – and that includes an impressive standard of kit coming as standard. The starting price of the Sportline model we tried was £34,845, but with all the additional equipment on top it came in at £39,935 – but when you stack that against cars like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4, it is really good value for money.
The 2.0-litre turbo petrol can return a quoted 39.8mpg and 160g/km CO2, which considering the way it drives and performance is quite impressive – and when you drive smoothly each are more than attainable.
Find local Superb prices
Verdict
It’s easy to encapsulate the Superb in one word – and, sorry to be cliché, but it is ‘superb’. Even though we tested the model near the top end of its range, it’s easy to see the appeal of the car thanks to its excellent amount of space, brilliant driving dynamics and high level of equipment from a lower spec. The powertrain for our test car was a triumph and helped make the Superb an excellent companion for longer drives. It’s excellent and almost without fault.
