Škoda Superb Combi: Five meters of “value for money”

The first impression:

noblesse without side effects. The Superb shimmers luxuriously without being overly bulky with embarrassing tinsel. And above all, at almost five meters, it is almost endlessly long.

This is what the manufacturer says:

Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer calls the generational change for the Superb evolution instead of revolution and promises customers improvements in all disciplines. “The result is a product that offers more than before in terms of functions, user-friendliness and comfort,” says Zellmer, pointing to even more space and new electrified drive trains as well as better operation.

When it comes to upgrading, the Volkswagen subsidiary is walking a fine line. Škoda is the cheap brand in the group family, but it shouldn't come across as too cheap and undercut the sister brands - on the other hand, the products shouldn't come too close. Zellmer used “value for money” as the watchword for Škoda. He hopes that he can lure customers with the elegant grill or the spectacular cockpit and not just with the price.

Positioning doesn't get any easier with the new Superb. Škoda helped develop the new VW Passat, so the two cars are closer than ever. The price is no longer 500 euros apart. In addition, former competing models such as the Ford Mondeo Tournament or the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer are no longer offered, so the manufacturer does not have to fear price competition. However, this also brings him closer to the sister brand Audi. The Audi A4 Avant is getting a bit old, still costs more, but is not as stylish as the new Škoda Superb.

This is what we noticed:

The car is more homely than ever, ensnares the occupants with plenty of space and a new instrument panel characterized by vertical lines that extend far beyond the fans. Above all, however, the operation is finally intuitive again. “We listened to our customers’ wishes,” says development director Johannes Neft, proudly pointing to the three so-called smart dials in the center console. These rotary controls with a built-in mini screen combine numerous functions, but are still more intuitive than any touchscreen and, in combination with the fixed buttons on the steering wheel, make setting the climate etc. child's play. It could soon become even easier. The Superb gets a so-called chatbot with artificial intelligence, which is intended to take voice control to a new level. Then buttons and touchscreens are no longer needed.

For the first time, a head-up display is offered - greetings from the upper class. In addition, in the future there will only be direct-shift transmissions and no more manual transmissions. This eliminates the need for a gear stick and the gear selector lever moves behind the steering wheel. This may be unusual, but it creates space between the seats for even more shelves, two wireless charging cradle with cell phone cooling and multifunctional cup holders. Space is the greatest asset of the large station wagon. This applies to the center console and especially to the trunk, which has increased by 30 liters and now holds 690 liters with the rear seat backrest upright. If you fold down the backrest of the back seat, you can load 1920 liters.

The new driving experience fits the spacious ambience and the noble atmosphere: the Superb does not drive as confidently as its similarly sized but two classes more expensive competitors from Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi. The air suspension or the six-cylinder engines are missing. But with new adaptive dampers it rolls smoothly over the road and you can hardly hear anything from the engines. Especially not if you're driving one of the new plug-in hybrid drives.

This is what you need to know:

The Škoda Superb Combi will go on sale in spring and, unlike the Passat, will continue to be offered as a sedan. The notchback design is hardly in demand in this country, but reduces the starting price by 1,100 euros to 38,480 euros. The cheapest station wagon is on the list at 39,580 euros.

Škoda is promising up to ten percent less fuel consumption for the engines and is celebrating the introduction of the first mild hybrid drive in the Superb. You can choose between petrol and diesel engines with up to 193 hp, with the most powerful variants also being offered with all-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive. The Czechs' pride and joy are the new plug-in hybrid drives, initially with 204 and later probably 265 hp system output. These drives now have a 25.7 kWh battery that promises an electric range of over 100 kilometers instead of the previous 60 kilometers. In addition, the battery can now for the first time be charged with up to 50 kW using a quick charger.

We won't forget this:

the long list of extras marketed as "Simply clever", which grows to 28 positions in the new Superb and now also includes an electric luggage roller blind. The highlight among the practical details is and remains the ice scraper in the tank cap, which once opened the ranks of extras and now keeps up with the times: It is made from recycled plastic.