Skoda Superb review

Quick review

The Skoda Superb combines everything we loved about its award-winning predecessor with newfound sophistication. Both the king-size hatchback and massively practical estate car versions are comfortable, hugely spacious, and offer a well-finished interior at an affordable price. There’s also a host of smart and intuitive technology on offer that’s equally impressive, as it adds more functionality without overcomplicating matters – in typical Skoda fashion. 

Skoda Superb: price, specs and rivals

The fourth-generation Skoda Superb has a lot to live up to. The last one was such a brilliant all-rounder that it won our Family Car of the Year award an impressive four times. That was no mean feat against a sea of talented alternatives and underlines the car’s strengths as a tempting option for modern families that are inevitably also having their heads turned by SUVs.

Like before, the Superb is offered as a five-door saloon-cum-hatchback and a hugely practical estate car. The Skoda Superb Estate is expected to be the more popular of the two in the UK, as was the case with the previous model, because the large hatchback bodystyle has fallen out of favour.

Most of the Skoda Superb hatchback’s key rivals (like the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia) have kicked the bucket, and even its sister car, the Volkswagen Passat, is offered exclusively as a wagon these days. The Peugeot 508 is probably the most direct rival to the Superb Hatch still left, although the unconventional Citroen C5 X is also a worthy adversary. 

Mid-size SUVs such as the Hyundai Tucson are the bane of the Skoda Superb Estate, but it also faces competition from the latest Passat, the Peugeot 508 SW, and our reigning estate car of the year, the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports. Meanwhile, the BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes C-Class Estate offer more premium alternatives.

The Skoda Superb stands out because of its impressive value, because prices start at just under £35,000 for the hatchback, and a little over £36,000 for the estate. The entry-level SE Technology spec – which Skoda expects to be the most popular with Brits – comes generously equipped with a big touchscreen, 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, cooled wireless charging pad, keyless start, heated and massaging front seats with adjustable lumbar support, a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning and traffic-jam assist.

Upgrade to mid-range SE L trim to add larger 18-inch rims, sports comfort seats, a hands-free powered tailgate, leather and artificial upholster, and matrix LED headlights with dynamic range control and cornering functionality. Estate models in this trim also benefit from an electric sliding parcel shelf for the boot.

Skoda’s poshest specification, Laurin & Klement, costs over £10,000 more than the base cars, and gets a dark chrome grille surround with matching exterior trim, unique wheels, a choice of either black or cognac brown leather upholstery, a heated leather steering wheel, heated rear seats, a heated windscreen and even heated washer nozzles. Range-topping models do feature Dynamic Chassis Control Plus (DCC Plus) adaptive dampers and more driver assistance features.

The Skoda Superb is not an exciting car to drive, but it is comfortable, refined and ultimately very relaxing. The steering isn’t completely weightless, but it remains light enough to make manoeuvring this 4.9-metre family car easy. 

Numerous driver assistance systems make life even easier, with the adaptive cruise control maintaining a safe distance from the car on the motorway, and also using data from the sat-nav to anticipate bends, junctions and roundabouts. It also utilises traffic sign recognition and can slow down or accelerate the car according to the speed limit. There’s lane keep assist to make sure you don’t stray out of your lane, too.

You can tailor how the Superb rides with the optional ‘Dynamic Chassis Control Plus’ (DCC Plus) on SE L trim cars (standard on Laurin & Klement), which includes adaptive dampers that you can adjust the settings of via the central touchscreen using the same sliding scale as on many high-end VWs. It goes from a superbly supple and refined ride in its comfort setting, to something much tighter in sport mode, which is helpful to keep body movements under control at higher speeds on twisty roads and motorways. 

It isn’t a necessary option, though, because we found that the standard suspension is, on the whole, very well judged. Aside from a slight fidget over rougher surfaces, it softens the impacts of potholes to give a cushy ride, yet it remains taut enough to allow the car to feel stable at high speeds and stay level during fast corners. It suits the Superb well, and complements the excellent road noise suppression and substantial reduction in wind noise compared with the previous Superb.

Engines, 0-62mph acceleration and top speed 

The slowest Skoda Superb is the entry-level 148bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol, with a 0-62mph time of 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 139mph. This engine does come with mild-hybrid technology, so while acceleration is more leisurely than on other models in the range, this engine is smooth and has a slick start-stop system that works well when driving in town. The engine produces a rather unpleasant drone during hard acceleration and it tends to hang on to the lower gears a bit too long while accelerating, but it fades into the background when you lift off once up to speed.

Next is the 148bhp 2.0 TDI, with its extra torque over the 1.5 eTSI petrol helping shave a little off the 0-62mph time, which drops to 9.2 seconds. It’s not the most refined diesel engine at low speeds, but it is a responsive engine that pairs well with the standard seven-speed DSG automatic. Opt for the more potent 190bhp version, and its additional power and traction advantage of four-wheel drive cuts the acceleration time to 7.5 seconds, and goes on to a top speed of 147mph. 

The quickest Superb is the 261bhp 2.0 TSI, which has a 5.6-second 0-62mph sprint and a 155mph top speed. Those aren’t shabby figures, but Skoda is preparing a high-performance Superb vRS for the first time, which will take on hotter family saloons and estate cars from the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Audi. Exciting stuff. 

It’s worth noting that only the Skoda Superb Estate is available as a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle). This version uses a 1.5-litre petrol combined with an electric motor to provide 201bhp and an 8.1-second 0-62mph time and 136mph acceleration time.

Both the Skoda Superb hatchback and estate are currently available with mild-hybrid petrol, diesel and a potent pure-petrol engine with four-wheel drive is due soon. The plug-in hybrid powertrain has been reserved for the Superb Estate, which claims to return an almighty 784.3mpg. 

Meanwhile, the first-ever mild-hybrid setup in the Superb features a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, working together with a starter generator and 48-volt lithium-ion battery that allows the car to coast with the engine completely off, or provides a small boost of power to aid the engine at low speeds. Skoda claims it can return up to 54.1mpg, and during our lengthy test route driving in a more real-world fashion across the Czech countryside and cruising on some motorways saw us achieve 43.5mpg.

The claimed figures for the 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine proved to be even more on the money during our testing, as Skoda claims it will return up to 57.9mpg, and we achieved mid-40mpg overall in real-world driving, with a stretch of motorway driving seeing 60mpg with little effort. Both petrol and diesel models have a 66-litre fuel tank, while the iV plug-in hybrid has a smaller 45-litre tank.

Electric range, battery and charging

The plug-in hybrid Skoda Superb Estate iV offers a pure-electric range of 70 miles thanks to a 25.7kWh battery (19.7kWh useable), although we’ll need to drive this version in order to find out how accurate that figure is. 

Just like the Volkswagen Passat eHybrid, the Superb iV has a maximum charging speed of 50kW, meaning a 10 to 80 per cent from a DC rapid charger could take just 25 minutes. Alternatively, fully recharging the battery using a common 7kW home wallbox charger requires a little under four hours.

Tax

Company car drivers will be drawn more towards the iV plug-in hybrid versions of the Skoda Superb thanks to much more affordable Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company car tax rates compared with a petrol or diesel alternative. You could save more money by opting for an electric car like the brand’s similarly practical Skoda Enyaq, though.

The plug-in hybrid would cost you quite a bit in yearly Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) tax because the cheapest version, unfortunately, costs over £40,000 when new. This means you’ll have to pay an additional surcharge from the second time the vehicle is taxed for five years or until it is six years old.

Insurance groups

The Skoda Superb should be less expensive to insure than its Passat sibling, with insurance starting in group 24 and rising to group 35 for the 2.0 TSI 4x4 petrol. 

By way of comparison, the VW Passat starts in group 30 before going up to group 40 for the quickest eHybrid 272 plug-in hybrid.

Depreciation

Over a typical three-year/36,000-mile ownership period, our experts predict that the Skoda Superb range should maintain between 46 to 48 per cent of its resale value, with the worst being the top-of-the-range, four-wheel drive 2.0 TDI 193 Laurin & Klement Estate, and the best being the hatch in 2.0 TDI 150 SE Technology form. Those percentage figures are similar to the Volkswagen Passat, which is a fine result considering the Passat is slightly more expensive to begin with. 

To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our free car valuation tool...

To our eyes, the Skoda Superb's sculpted bodywork could easily pass for something with an Audi or Mercedes badge on it, yet it still allows the big Skoda to fly largely under the radar. The designers and engineers have also refined the aerodynamics, whittling the drag coefficient down to just 0.23Cd for the hatchback and 0.25Cd for the estate version. This means both versions cut through the air better, helping improve fuel efficiency and emissions.

But while the styling is an evolution of what came before, the interior is completely redesigned. The three 'Smart Dials' nestled in the centre console are the biggest display of how the Superb skillfully balances clean, modern design and functionality. 

Each houses a sharp 32mm display, and pressing them toggles between various functions they’re responsible for. The outer dials control the cabin temperature and heated/ventilated seats, while the middle one can handle up to four functions, from fan speed, fan direction, map zoom, and drive mode selection. Using them feels natural after just a few miles, and the setup provides lots of functionality without masses of buttons cluttering the dashboard. We’re grateful this set-up has been used on the Superb rather than relying on a large central touchscreen, as with the Volkswagen Passat.

We’ve mainly driven mid-range versions of the Superb, and for the price, the interior feels well-built and finished in plush materials. The top-of-the-range Superb Laurin & Klement adds full-leather upholstery in either cognac brown or black, a heated leather steering wheel with shift paddles, and a panoramic sunroof. However, the Superb L&K’s interior quality doesn’t differ significantly from the considerably less expensive, lower-spec models, so we’d suggest avoiding the most expensive trim level to get the best value for money.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Every Skoda Superb comes with a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit driver’s display and a 13-inch free-standing touchscreen. The central screen is impressive not simply because of its size, clarity or sheer responsiveness, but because it’s running a largely intuitive and highly customisable menu system, including some clever shortcut buttons so that the driver can get instant access to their most used functions. Skoda has also incorporated a place to rest your hand when interacting with the system. 

Wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto are standard across the range, and fill the monolith of a touchscreen almost entirely when connected. Meanwhile, the digital driver’s display is clear and offers various layouts, including a full-screen map view. We were also impressed by the quality of the optional 13-speaker Canton sound system that’s a near £800 option on mid-range SE L, or comes as standard on Laurin & Klement trim. A wireless phone charging pad is standard across the range.

It’s the little details that help set the Skoda Superb apart from its rivals, and that includes the brand’s ‘Simply Clever’ convenience touches. There are no fewer than 28 of these helpful features throughout the Superb, with familiar examples including the umbrella hidden in the driver’s door, and a handy ice scraper (both of which are made from more sustainable materials). However, there are some new innovations, including the customisable Smart Dials, a screen-cleaner block, a cooling function for the wireless charging pad to prevent your smartphone from overheating, and a tablet holder built into the middle-seat armrest.

For the latest Superb, Skoda also moved the gear selector to the steering column, as has been done with the Volkswagen Passat, freeing up more space in the centre console. The covered front compartment houses the wireless charging pad and two cup-holders, while under the split-opening armrest is the ‘Jumbo Box’ with 5.5 litres of storage in there alone.

Dimensions and size

The latest, fourth-generation Superb Hatch measures 4,912mm long and 1,481mm tall, while the Superb Estate is 4,902mm long and 1,482mm tall. Both models are 1,849mm wide.

The Superb is slightly longer and taller than its already large predecessor, which has helped create more interior space, and an increase in the luggage capacity. The wheelbase is the same as before at 2,841mm. 

Seats, leg room, head room & passenger space

Of course, those considering a Superb will have been drawn by the amount of space it delivers, particularly the yawning chasm in the back seats and boot. Even with the tallest driver at the helm, there’s enough room for a six-foot tall adult to stretch out behind them. There’s masses of legroom and headroom to spare, plus space under the front seats for passengers to tuck their feet in.

Boot space

The Skoda Superb hatch has a cavernous 645 litres to offer, while the estate version boasts an enormous 690 litres of load space – up 20 and 30 litres, respectively, over the equivalent version of the old model.

Folded the seats down in the Skoda Superb Estate to increase luggage capacity to 1,920 litres, and unlike the hatchback, it’s available with an electric sliding parcel shelf and an height adjustable boot floor. We wish the latter was offered on the hatchback, because there’s a substantial load lip without it.

Towing

Plug-in hybrid versions of the Superb Estate have a maximum towing capacity of 1,800kg, while the mild-hybrid petrol engine allows for a maximum load of 1,900kg. If your caravan is heavier still, diesel-powered Superbs can haul up to 2,200kg. Skoda also offers an electric tow bar with an adaptor on the Superb for a little over £1,100, or a shade over £1,200 for the same electric tow bar with a trailer assist system to help when reversing.

It’s too soon to say how the Skoda Superb will do in our latest Driver Power customer satisfaction rankings, but the Skoda brand has historically fared better than its Volkswagen sibling, so we anticipate this to continue. 

According to safety experts Euro NCAP, the latest Superb is a very safe place to be. Based on testing of its structurally identical sibling, the Volkswagen Passat, the Superb got the maximum five out of five-star rating, scoring maximum points in the side and pole impact tests. Indeed, the Superb did better than the far pricier BMW 5 Series for adult and child occupant protection, which is impressive.

Its high score is also due to the Superb coming with all the safety assistance technology needed to satisfy the current testing criteria. That includes Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection to avoid or mitigate low-speed collisions with other vehicles and vulnerable road users. There’s blind-spot detection to inform you of other vehicles alongside you when you signal to change lanes on the motorway, and lane keep assistance to help keep you within your lane.

You can add rear side airbags to your Superb as part of the Simply Clever Family Package, which costs just under £700. A tyre pressure monitoring system costs an extra £145.

Warranty

The Superb comes with a fairly typical three-year/60,000-mile (whichever comes soonest) warranty, which is the same as what you’ll find with most Volkswagen group cars – including the latest Volkswagen Passat. This can be extended from four years/80,000 miles for under £400, up to a maximum of five years/100,000 miles for just over £800.

There are plenty of manufacturers out there that offer longer warranties, such as Hyundai, which can provide a five-year unlimited mileage warranty as standard, or Toyota, which can offer an extended warranty of up to 10 years/100,000 miles just by having your car serviced annually at a Toyota franchise dealership.

Servicing

Servicing for the 1.5 eTSI, 2.0 TDI and plug-in hybrid iV models is required every 12 months or 18,600 miles, whichever comes first. Additionally, the 2.0 TDI needs a new timing belt every 130,000 miles.

When you purchase your Skoda, you can also specify a service plan for just under £500 to cover the first two services.

Should you buy a Skoda Superb?

Just because it isn’t an SUV is no reason to dismiss the Skoda Superb, because it does everything you’d need of a family car while being more efficient and cost-effective to run. The estate is likely to be the more popular choice, and given how cavernous the boot is, we can understand why. 

That boot is just as big as what you’ll find in the pricier Volkswagen Passat, but the Superb is the better choice because it offers a more diverse range of engines, including diesel power that’ll be important to private buyers and anyone who uses their car to tow a caravan. Company car drivers can also get exactly the same plug-in hybrid system as the Passat, but for thousands less, which all helps in terms of costs. 

We think the Superb has a more user friendly interior thanks to its ‘Smart Dials’, which offer a neat physical control for frequently used functions that you would otherwise have to delve into the central infotainment system of the Passat to find. While the Superb might be a small step behind the Passat in terms of refinement, we think the difference is small enough that you can easily use its lower price to justify choosing the Superb