Skoda Superb Hatchback 2008-

The Skoda Superb is the most expensive model in Skoda’s range and you can see why when you climb inside the five-meter long hatchback. Skoda has put a lot of effort into the interior design and the Superb would not be out of place sat amongst cars twice as expensive. You get a lot more space for less money too. The front seat occupants receive a good level of space, but the back seat passengers will be forgiven for thinking they’re sitting in a limousine with the amount of legroom that they receive. The wide range of engines to choose from is ’superb’ with there being a good combination of powerful petrol options and strong, economic diesels.

Pros and Cons:

• It comes well-equipped with kit and luxury features
  It is extremely spacious and comfortable
  The build quality is superb and so far it s very reliable

• Its large size can prove to be a hindrance in cities
  Rear visibility is restricted

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Exterior and Interior

The Skoda Superb is a decent looking car and the interior is even better. It is supremely comfortable and spacious with plenty of head and legroom for the front seat passengers and a limousine-amount of space for the back seat passengers. There are even footrests available as an optional extra for added luxury. The seats are deep, comfortable and well supported making it a lovely place to sit, even on the longest of journeys. It is also unique in that it doubles as both a saloon and a hatchback as you can either open just the boot lid or the whole tailgate, including the rear windscreen. The boot provides a huge space and is easy to get stuff into it thanks to its wide opening. With the back seats down, it increases from 550 litres of space to a staggering 1,670 litres. The interior oozes class with only top quality materials being used and it is finished to a very high standard with everything feeling very precise and solid. It’s also the only car apart from the Rolls-Royce Phantom to come with an umbrella concealed in the door. The umbrella self-dries when the door is closed.

The trim levels start with the S that comes with an MP3-compatible stereo, alloys, electric windows and traction control. The SE adds parking sensors, a CD multichanger and climate and cruise control whilst the top of the range Elegance gets headlight washers, electrically adjustable driver and passenger seats, heated seats, sat-nav, leather seats, automatic wipers, Bluetooth and a telephone.

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Engines

The Skoda Superb comes with a good range of engines available with both petrol and diesel units. The petrol range kicks off with a turbocharged 125bhp 1.4-litre TSI followed by a 160bhp 1.8-litre TSI and a 3.6-litre V6 producing 256bhp.

The Diesel range starts with a 105bhp 1.9-litre TDI followed by a 2.0-litre 140bhp TDI PD. This was later replaced in 2010 by a 140bhp 2.0-litre TDI common rail unit. Top of the range is a 170bhp 2.0-litre TDI. There are also two Greenline versions. The first version uses the 105bhp 1.9-litre TDI engine whilst the second generation that appeared in 2011 uses a 105bhp 1.6-litre TDI and is labeled the Greenline II.

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Performance and Economy

The entry level 1.4-litre petrol may sound small but with its turbocharger it performs like a much larger engine going from 0-60mph in 10.2 seconds. It is also the most economical of the petrol engines achieving 41mpg. The 1.8-litre engine uses a turbo and is even quicker taking just 8.3 seconds to get to 60mph. It still returns a relatively high level of fuel economy at 39mpg, making it one of the best engines in the lineup. The top of the range 3.6-litre V6 with its 256bhp is the quickest in the range propelling you from 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds, however, the fuel economy suffers, coming in at 28mpg. It is also sold with four-wheel drive as standard, but only a few were sold so getting your hands on a 4x4 Skoda Superb could prove difficult and costly.

The diesel engine range kicks off with the 1.9-litre TDI that may be the slowest in the range at 12.1 seconds to get to 60mph, but it does return 49mpg. The original 2.0-litre TDI PD engine should be avoided because the common rail 2.0-litre TDI engine that later replaced it is much better and slightly faster at 9.8 seconds to 60mph, and by offering an improved fuel efficiency of 52mpg. The 2.0-litre TDI with 170bhp is the best performer in the diesel range going from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds whilst still achieving 49mpg. The Greenline diesel engines are the most fuel efficient engines in the range mainly thanks to low resistance tyres, weight saving measures and longer gear ratios. The original 1.9-litre engine used the same 105bhp as the standard 1.9-litre TDI but now achieves 57mpg whilst managing the same 12.1 seconds to 60mph. The Greenline II that uses a 1.6-litre TDI engine is just as fast, has the same 105bhp but now manages to squeeze 64mpg out of the engine.

Insurance costs start with group 6 for the 1.9 TDI and make their way up to group 15 for the V6 petrol.

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What it's like to Drive

The Superb is much more at home on the motorway and A roads than through the town and country lanes as its five metre long body does make it hard to park and to do three point turns. It isn’t likely to squeeze through any tight spaces in a hurry either. On the motorways, though, it’s a brilliant long distance cruiser thanks to its comfortable seats and the composed quiet ride. On more twisty roads the Skoda Superb holds it own pretty well too with good body control, sharp steering and high levels of grip that help to keep the car stable and precise. There is an optional Park Assist that some drivers may find useful as the Superb is able to park itself. The driving position is good with a fully adjustable steering wheel and driver’s seat allowing any driver to get comfortable. Rear visibility is limited due to the shallow rear window and the thick back door pillars and this can make reversing the long Superb quite tricky.

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Faults and Repairs

As the Skoda Superb is fairly new, it is hard to gauge how reliable it is. So far, though, we are yet to hear of any serious faults and it is likely to stay that way as Skoda have improved their build quality and reliability drastically over the years. We would advise to check everything to make sure all is in working order. Don’t settle for one that doesn’t have a full service history. The Superb is also used as a luxury taxi by some companies, so be cautious of any high mileage cars.

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