- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0DT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
140kW, 400Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 4.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2015)
Skoda Superb first drive review
Tired of playing second fiddle to big brothers that always seem to benefit from the latest technology, Skoda appears ready to step out from the shadows of better known brands in the Volkswagen group.
Skoda chief executive Winfried Vahland says the third generation of the brand's reinvented Superb sedan heralds the "beginning of a new era" for Skoda, starting with a spiritual successor to pre-war "large, dream vehicles" produced by one of the world's oldest car companies.
Tired of receiving hand-me-down components from its Volkswagen and Audi family, Skoda insiders at the launch of the new Superb say the model has been given a chance to succeed, with new engines, technology and underpinnings fit for a flagship in 2015.
Sharing its core platform with the upcoming Volkswagen Passat, the Superb is a larger model with more space thanks to an 80mm wheelbase extension over its already spacious predecessor, one that results in remarkable rear seat room to rival sedans such as the Lexus ES series and Hyundai Genesis.
Skoda claims the Superb has more headroom, rear legroom and boot capacity than any other model in its class, yet it does not feel unwieldy on the road, as a 61mm reduction in front overhang makes the model easy to place with accuracy.
The Czech marque's "Simply Clever" ethos is writ large in the Superb, running from its largest-ever storage capacity to more powerful and efficient engines and an infotainment system set to lead the way for Volkswagen in years to come.
It's a handsome thing to our eyes, benefiting from a crystalline design language that lends more identity than the generic anonymity of previous models. Headlights with intricate jewel-like elements join convex and concave surfacing front and rear with crisp geometry that evokes expertly cut gemstones.
The Superb's 625-litre boot is one of the largest you will find in a sedan, accessed by a hands-free "virtual pedal" sensor under the rear bumper, or via electric motors that open and shut a boot that no longer features a split tailgate.
Weighing in up to 75 kilograms lighter than the previous model, the Superb also uses less fuel thanks to sharpened drivelines and a decision to drop a charismatic if inefficient 3.6-litre petrol V6 from the top of its line-up.
European market models for the latest car will offer a range of eight engines – five fuelled by petrol and three with diesel – with peak outputs ranging from 88kW to 206kW.
But Australia will receive just three models, starting with the most powerful diesel on offer, a 2.0-litre TDI unit that uses just 4.0L/100km to produce 140kW and 400Nm outputs.
The middle child is a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine shared with Volkswagen's Golf GTI. Pumping 162kW and 350Nm to the front wheels, the entry-level petrol version can accelerate from rest to 100kmh in 7.0 seconds.
At the top of the range, a 206kW version of the same engine uses a larger turbocharger shared with the Volkswagen Golf R. The 206kW, 350Nm is fitted with all-wheel-drive as standard, allowing it to reach 100km/h in just 5.8 seconds.
All three will feature the Volkswagen group's six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic as standard.
We focused on the mid-range petrol unit during international test drives in Italy, and found the model offers plenty of flexibility, with a wide torque band and more than adequate performance at all speeds.
Continual refinement for the Volkswagen Group's DSG auto has filed down some of the rough edges it once had, though the transmission still requires careful input at low speed, and will exhibit the odd shift bump when wrong footed.
The transmission's behaviour can be tailored through new drive modes that also effect throttle response, steering weight and shock absorption in a first for the brand.
Set up for comfort more than speed, the Superb shrugs off big bumps with ease, feeling compliant and well-resolved on European test roads. Pushed harder, it felt a little floaty on crests or in sharp direction changes, but for the most part it seems more agile than its size would suggest, with accurate steering and a fleet-footed dynamism some of its competitors lack.
Australian models are likely to feature a single specification for each engine line, though exact details have not been finalised. The brand says buyers can expect its latest model to go on sale in the second quarter of 2016, for an entry point priced under $45,000. The top-end all-wheel-drive model is likely to sell for less than $60,000.
Buyers are likely to receive a lot of gear for their money.
On the inside, the Superb is the first Skoda to feature three-zone air conditioning and the first to offer ambient lighting, a treatment available in bright green, racy blue or warm white tones tailored to a driver's mood.
The Superb features the sort of technology buyers might expect from a fully-fledged limousine such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Cameras read highway signs before repeating them on a central entertainment screen that serves as a high-speed WiFi hotspot and the brain of a thumping 12-speaker stereo.
Top line models feature an 8.0-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, a music hard drive and state-of the art SmartLink connection system that allows iPhone and Android users to use apps loaded on their phones via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It can mirror a smartphone's display or replicate key apps and other features such as voice controls for contacts, navigation and infotainment.
More serious technology includes collision warning and autonomous emergency braking systems at the front and rear which prevent crashes, along with adaptive cruise control that works up to 210km/h, automatic high beams with adaptive lighting that blocks out sections of road occupied by other vehicles and an awareness system that recognises tired driving patterns before warning sleepy drivers to rest or autonomously bringing the vehicle to a stop and applying hazard lights if customers become incapable of driving.
At low speeds its traffic jam assist function can control the throttle, brake and steering, allowing drivers to relax during periods of heavy road use.
A next-generation self-parking system can enter and leave parallel or perpendicular parking spaces. The new model will be the first Superb to offer a reversing camera, though it lacks the top-down 360-degree vision of some competitors.
Sweeping convenience touches include a tablet holder mounted to the driver's headrest and space to stash an iPad in the centre console. The interior boot light detaches to become a magnetic torch drivers can stick to bodywork when changing tyres and the fuel filler flap is home to a windscreen ice scraper for particularly chilly mornings.
The previous-generation model featured an umbrella mounted within the rear door, while the current keeps a brolley inside each of the front doors, while nifty Velcro cargo fasteners hook into the boot's carpet to secure bags in any number of layouts.
All told, the Superb presents as a cohesive, well-thought-out machine that does not feel like a second-class VW. Potential problems lie in the looming appeal of a reinvigorated Volkswagen Passat sedan and whether buyers will consider spending the best part of $50,000 on a model that friends, family and colleagues are unlikely to recognise.
The brand's Australian arm must continue to build its profile, as the new Superb is too good to be dismissed out of hand as an unknown alongside established brands.
Skoda is at pains to point out more than a century of automotive history pre-dates some of its more illustrious brethren. If the brand backs its own hype surrounding the Superb, the car could indeed herald a new era for Skoda as it works to find its own place in the Australian market.
Skoda Superb pricing and specifications:
Price: $45-60,000 (estimated)
On sale: Second quarter of 2016
Engines: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol or diesel
Power: 162kW or 206kW (petrol), 140kW (diesel)
Torque: 350Nm (petrol), 400Nm (diesel)
Transmission: 6-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive (206kW only)
Fuel use: 6.2L/100km (162kW), 7.1L/100km (206kw), 4.1L/100km (diesel)