Skoda Superb review

Skoda Superb Hatchback rivals

Vauxhall

Insignia Grand Sport

3.9 out of 5 3.9

Volkswagen

Passat Saloon

4.2 out of 5 4.2

Ford

Mondeo Hatchback

3.8 out of 5 3.8

If you're looking for one of the best cars for space, long-distance cruising and value for money, the Skoda Superb could be worth a look. A traditional family car with five doors and hatchback boot, it goes up against the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport, Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and a raft of far more fashionable family crossovers and SUVs. 

As it's such a popular car with company drivers, the Superb also needs to fend off cars like the BMW 3 Series (except it's larger than a 5 Series) and Audi A4 (and its A6 bigger brother). It puts forward a solid case for itself with a range of efficient and powerful TDI diesels and TSI petrol engines, slick gearboxes and a relaxed, comfortable driving experience. 

Sleek styling hides vast interior

The Superb is a large five-door hatchback, with the alternative of the even larger Skoda Superb Estate that comes with a simply gargantuan boot. Skoda has done well to disguise the Superb's huge dimensions. It's almost five metres long which translates to a huge amount of space inside that rivals luxury chauffeur-style cars. 

If you wish for your Superb Hatch to mimic the Estate, it’ll do that too. With the rear seats in use it’ll still hold up to 625 litres of luggage, making it a perfect family car. Drop the rear bench, which can be done remotely from levers in the boot and that increases to a faintly ridiculous 1,760 litres - more than many estate cars.

It feels just as spacious up-front, with its Octavia-inspired cabin and wide transmission tunnel. Plenty of adjustment when sat behind the wheel ensures you’ll always get comfortable, while the 'Simply Clever' solutions ensure daily-life isn’t too much of a grind with neat storage solutions and some useful touches, such as a small waste bin that slots onto the door bin. You’ll find umbrellas secreted away in the front doors, and the cupholders in the centre console have rubber grips on the bottom to allow for single-handed opening of bottles while on the move.

Engines, models and trims

There's a wide range of engines and trim levels to pick from too, whether you want something simple to get from A to B or something with a more luxurious feel. In terms of engines, there's a 1.5-litre TSI petrol with 150hp and a choice of manual or DSG gearboxes, while a 2.0 TSI with 272hp sits at the top of the range with all-wheel drive and a DSG gearbox Sitting between the two is a 2.0-litre TSI with 190hp. There's a bit more variation available on diesel models. Buyers get a choice of 1.6-litre TDI with 120hp, a 150hp 2.0-litre TDI Evo (added to the range as part of the car's facelift and range updates for 2019) and an existing 2.0-litre with 190hp. You can have these with either manual or DSG gearboxes, and the more powerful one can come with all-wheel drive on some models. 

A plug-in hybrid powertrain joins the range in 2019, which will boost its eco credentials and, potentially, be of particular appeal to business users. In terms of trims, there's bewildering number: S, SE, SE L, Sportline Plus and Laurin & Klement. The SE L is a good pick for company car drivers, while the Sportline models come with a sportier exterior style with black trim in place of chrome. Laurin & Klement is the luxurious option with plush leather and all the gadgets. 

What else changed in the 2019 update?

The biggest news was the addition of a plug-in hybrid option - using a 1.4-litre TSI petrol in combination with an electric motor - but a small selection of aesthetic and technology upgrades were thrown at the Superb. In terms of styling, tweaks were made to the front and rear bumpers with more chrome, new LED headlamp units, new badging at the rear - and that's about it. 

Inside, the changes are even more subtle. It's largely the same as before but it now comes with Virtual Cockpit for the first time. This is a set of digital dials that's started to become available on several Skoda models. It's essentially a Skoda version of the system you'll find in the latest high-spec SEAT and Volkswagen models. 

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