Skoda Superb automatic hatch long-term test: 21,000 miles of comfort and just the odd squeak

Verdict

The Skoda Superb has shone throughout our time with it. I’m still a massive fan, thanks to the car’s clever features, excellent comfort and massive boot, which has swallowed all my photographic kit with ease. The few issues I’ve had with the Superb have been minor and haven’t detracted from the overall experience.

• Mileage: 21,705
• Economy: 50.4mpg

The Skoda Superb has done us proud over the past six months on our test fleet. It has worked its socks off taking me and loads of photography equipment to various locations around the country. 

My commute can be half an hour or in some cases four hours, but the Superb manages to make even the long drives acceptable. Over its time with us, the combination of a 148bhp 2.0 TDI engine and a seven-speed DSG gearbox has returned average fuel economy of 50.4mpg. With a full tank of diesel, the Skoda has a range of nearly 800 miles, which goes to prove how practical internal-combustion engine cars can be.

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The obvious downside to all the miles I’ve covered was that the service-light countdown began five months into the six-month loan. Most long-term test cars don’t normally need maintenance before they are returned to the manufacturer, but it’s always interesting to see how good the aftersales offer is.

Used - available now

2023 Skoda

Superb

40,099 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £15,148

View Superb

2021 Skoda

Superb

55,672 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £17,328

View Superb

2019 Skoda

Superb

57,000 milesManualDiesel2.0L

Cash £12,600

View Superb

2018 Skoda

Superb

78,100 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £14,000

View Superb

With the Superb’s trip computer close to the 15,000 miles when the first service is scheduled, I decided to book the car in, and since running my first Skoda many years ago – the fabulous Yeti – I’m glad to say the brand’s dealer network has expanded.

In my home town of Chelmsford, Essex, there is a Group 1 Volkswagen dealership, but no specific Skoda outlet. Group 1 Skoda in Colchester is the nearest main dealer to me, so the car was booked in by aftersales manager Oliver Goldsmith. The site is new and proves the confidence the VW Group has in the brand.

I chose an 8.30am drop-off that allowed me to work using the free WiFi and have a coffee while the car was being checked over. During the service, customers receive a vehicle health check video from the technician working on their cars to highlight any issues that might come up. It’s a simple idea that gives you peace of mind that things have been checked. Thankfully the Superb was given the all clear, and the total cost, including VAT, was £259.68 I have decided the squeaky sat-nav screen that I mentioned in an earlier report can belooked at when the car is returned to Skoda, because it’s only a minor issue.

In summary, my time with the Superb has underscored yet again what I have found with other models I’ve run from Skoda: it makes brilliant family cars. Our example costs £41,420, but you get an excellent car with features and quality you’d expect from more expensive brands. The engine and gearbox are good and the interior is well laid out. 

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The only issues I’ve had are based around the technology that new cars are full of. The over-zealous front and rear parking assist system aggressively puts the brakes on if it senses even the smallest obstacle, while the automatic AFS headlights may be clever, but I turn them off because they still end up blinding oncoming traffic. 

The only other issue I’ve experienced is a small one. The USB C charging point that’s designed for plugging in dash cams was used once and then dropped inside the headliner, meaning I had to have the charging cable hanging down the windscreen to keep the dash cam powered up when driving.

These are largely insignificant problems, though, and don’t take away from what is an exceptional car. I’m happy to say the Skoda Superb is another great model from the manufacturer that very much delivers on the promise of being Simply Clever.

Skoda Superb automatic hatch: second fleetwatch

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Mileage countdown cured without main dealer prices

After almost 15,000 miles, the Skoda decided it needed an AdBlue top-up. The message told me roughly how much was needed, and began a mileage countdown before the car would refuse to start. So, I bought five litres from a garage for £20 (a main dealer would usually charge that for 1.5 litres). Filling it up was easy because the filler cap is next to the fuel filler, and the countdown has disappeared.

Skoda Superb automatic hatch: second report

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‘Simply Clever’ features stand out above electrical niggles 

• Mileage: 13,951
• Economy: 47.7mpg

The Skoda Superb has so far been all of the things I would have expected from a flagship Skoda. It’s spacious, has a great ride and the interior layout is excellent – although there have been a couple of blots on its copybook, which we’ll come to in a moment.

First, the things I love. Skoda’s slogan is ‘Simply Clever’, but it’s not just the major stuff that makes the Superb such a winner. It’s all the little things that you use day-to-day that demonstrate how much thought has gone into designing this car.

Coming out of a long and cold winter, in which I’ve been up before dawn on many frosty mornings to drive to photo shoots, I’ve come to love the Superb’s built-in ice scraper. Stored under the fuel filler cap, it really does do the job well, saving you from having to search the garage for the one that you swear you bought last year.

There’s also an umbrella stored in the driver’s door trim, and I still really value the clever parcel shelf storage area mentioned in my last report. It’s proving to be a great idea that can be used to separate stuff in the boot and stop it from rolling around. As a photographer I carry lots of water and car cleaning materials, and it’s a real bonus to stop these from moving in the boot.

One of my favourite features, though, can be found next to the roof light panel. It’s a USB-C power outlet integrated into the headlining, allowing you to power up a dash cam without trailing cables across the cabin. It’s, well... Simply clever.

Another neat feature is the powered tow bar, which you can retract at the touch of a button inside the boot. I haven’t towed with the Superb yet, but given the car’s power, handling and solid build, I expect it’s great for the job.

I’ve encountered a couple of minor niggles, though, which I’m going to ask the Skoda dealer to have a look at when the car goes for its first service in a few weeks’ time.

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The most obvious is a squeaking noise from around the sat nav screen that is noticeable when the radio is turned down low. The other recent issue was that the remote key stopped working. I had to use the physical key to get in the car, but it also set off the alarm for what seemed like an eternity. Unfortunately, it was a Sunday morning, so I felt a little sorry for my neighbours. Luckily, I found a video on YouTube showing me how to replace the fob battery, which I was able to do without damaging it. The key didn’t need reprogramming, so it was an instant fix.

The final and strangest fault is that the driver’s side map reading light turns itself on and off of its own accord, which can be a bit distracting when it happens at night. It has only done so a couple of times so far, but it feels like you’re in a séance as it comes on without prompting.

Hopefully, these little things can be sorted at the service. They’re a little frustrating, but the overall feeling towards the Superb is that it’s certainly as ‘Simply Clever’ as Skoda intended.

Skoda Superb automatic hatchback: first fleetwatch

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Our Skoda Superb gives plenty of warning when its various safety sensors get covered with winter grime

The recent mini ice age has led to councils using salt on the roads. One side effect is that bonnet-placed sensors quickly get covered and when this happens in the Skoda Superb, you are given messages and beeps warning you that various safety systems are reduced or not able to function. But I’ve driven cars without all these safety extras and until I can clean the sensor, I just drive with a bit more caution.

Skoda Superb automatic hatchback: first report

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Our photographer gets his hands on his fourth Skoda and is already a fan, thanks to the Superb’s immense comfort and practicality

• Mileage: 2,650
• Economy: 50.9mpg

Normally a long-term test car comes to us box fresh – but although it’s new to me, this Skoda Superb has already graced the pages of Auto Express as one of Skoda’s press demonstrators, before coming into my hands as a used car.

I’ve wanted a Superb for a while, because I’ve had various Skodas in the past and have liked all of them. The Yeti, oddball name aside, was a great car – fun-to-drive and with a practical interior. The Octavia vRS offered Golf GTI pace, while doubling as the perfect family wagon, and I enjoyed my experience with the less racy, but still practical Karoq SUV.

As such, I’m looking forward to putting the Superb through its paces – and one of its first assignments was to spend time with some classic family saloons from the past. The Ford Sierra and MG Montego were part of my youth – you used to see them everywhere. So, I’m interested to see if the Superb has what it takes to bring back such fond memories in 20 or 30 years’ time.

Early signs are good. It looks impressive on its 18-inch wheels and with the optional £600 Carmine Red Metallic paint.

When parking it next to the eighties cars here, you can see the obvious difference in size. The Superb is a big car, and I say that as someone who previously drove a sizeable family SUV. The Czech saloon-cum-hatchback feels bigger than my previous Citroen C5 Aircross, despite its more traditional shape.

The engine I’ve chosen is the 2.0-litre 150PS diesel, paired with a seven-speed DSG transmission. In a world where many opt for electricity, I’m sticking with a more traditional fuel because I frequently need to travel long distances and keep to tight deadlines.

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So far, it doesn’t seem to have any obvious weak areas. Acceleration is good, motorway miles are easily covered, and I was pleasantly surprised when the car was delivered, to see the fuel display indicating more than 800 miles of range. That’s the sort of headline figure that electric cars can only dream of and is why, especially to those drivers covering higher mileages, a diesel car still makes sense.

One of the more obvious changes compared with the other Skodas I’ve run in the past is the introduction of new technology. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition and various active safety systems are there to remind me of the relentless pace of change in the car industry.

Thankfully, the only thing I’ve needed to fine-tune so far has been the collision-warning system, because it was far too sensitive, and kept flashing up a noisy warning and head-up display alert when it really wasn’t required.

It’s still early days, but one thing I’ve already come to appreciate is the Superb’s vast interior space. Passengers are treated to excellent levels of comfort with almost limo-like room to stretch out. This is great news for the family, plus the huge boot means there’s enough capacity to cart around all our stuff, and my photography gear, too.

One small annoyance is the electrically operated boot – it’s something a lot of people love, but because I need to access the boot space repeatedly during photo shoots, it can become a little frustrating waiting for the electric motors to (slowly) work their magic.

Elsewhere, Skoda has added its usual practical bits to the car. The trusty door umbrella is still there, as are ‘curry hooks’ for bags in the boot, and even a retractable towing arm (which I’ll probably never use).  But the bit I like most is the removable fabric tray that sits under the hard parcel shelf. It’s just the correct size for my tripod bags or light stands and helps me keep the boot nice and orderly. It’s also great for the weekly shop, taking bottles or smaller bags that would otherwise move around.

‘Simply Clever’ is the phrase Skoda uses in its advertising – and it really applies here.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.