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Czech firm continues to make the case for diesel estates with its stalwart family hauler

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Skoda has gone up in the world and within the Volkswagen Group. Where the Skoda Superb started as a stretched Volkswagen Passat, evolving to a stretched Passat with a weird boot and finally to nearly the Passat’s equal in the outgoing generation, the latest, fourth-generation Superb has turned the tables.

The new Superb and Volkswagen Passat were developed side by side, but with the process led by Skoda. Mladá Boleslav has turned from follower to leader, not just taking an important role in the development of new cars but also taking the opportunity to tear off the shared-platform straitjacket, such as by introducing off-menu user interface concepts that increase user-friendliness through common sense.

At the same time, the Superb has fewer estate-car rivals than ever. The premium German brands persist with large estates, but Jaguar has recently axed the XF, and entrants from Vauxhall, Ford or the Japanese brands are long gone. Instead, the Superb’s biggest challenge will be to convince buyers not to choose the ubiquitous SUV, and instead go for the classic estate.

The range at a glance

Models Power From
1.5 TSI e-TEC SE Technology 148bhp £36,175
2.0 TDI SE Technology 148bhp £36,690
2.0 TSI 201bhp tbc
1.5 TSI iV SE Technology 201bhp £41,465
2.0 TDI 4x4 SE L 190bhp £43,320
2.0 TSI 4x4 L&K 262bhp £47,655

Skoda still offers an extensive range for the Superb in the UK. There are currently two petrol engines, two diesels and a plug-in hybrid to choose from, with a third petrol coming later this year.

The most powerful petrol and diesel have four-wheel drive. There are three trim levels: SE Technology, SE L and Laurin & Klement, although not all engines can be combined with every trim level. All Superbs get a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

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DESIGN & STYLING

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2 Skoda Superb 2024 rear corner

Skoda has had no small amount of success with SUVs itself, particularly this new estate's sibling model, the Skoda Kodiaq. Along with the new Volkswagen Passat and Tiguan, both Skodas are among a group of new cars developed more or less simultaneously on the latest ‘Evo’ version of the VW Group’s MQB platform.

The big leaps forward come by way of a completely revamped multimedia system (of which more later) and drastically increased capacity for the plug-in hybrids’ drive batteries. This goes from just 13kWh in the old Superb iV to 25.7kWh in the new one, giving it serious company car credentials.

The other powertrains are updates of well-known four-cylinder petrols and diesels. Somewhat surprising is that only the entry-level 1.5-litre petrol gains mild-hybrid assistance. Manual gearboxes are out for this generation: every Superb gets a DSG dual-clutch automatic, with six forward gears in the PHEV and seven elsewhere.

As is usually the case with a new model generation, the Superb has grown considerably. It has done so more judiciously than most, however. The fourth-generation car is 4.9 metres, 40mm longer than its predecessor. That’s all in the overhangs, since the wheelbase remains at 2841mm. It’s slightly taller too, but to the delight of anyone who ever has to negotiate a tight city street or hedge-lined country lane, the new Superb is actually 15mm narrower across the body.

The same reduction didn’t show in our measurement across the mirrors (2090mm versus 2035mm), but any slowdown in the bloat of new cars is a positive development in our book.

Design-wise, the Superb leans into its estate-ness and seems to flat-out reject styling fads. There’s no light bar, no light-up grill, no black wheels, no aggressive performance-branded bodykit. There’s even some subtle chrome trim around the grille and the window surrounds. It’s more rounded than the old car but follows the Enyaq EV’s design language rather than the fussier style of the Kodiaq.

The Superb’s low-slung body also gave the engineers the opportunity to go to town on the aerodynamics. While it was never going to be as slippery as an electric saloon (which needs far fewer cooling openings), a flatter windscreen, a more streamlined roofline, a roof spoiler with side fins, redesigned exterior mirrors and active shutters for the grille have brought the drag coefficient down to 0.25 for the most aerodynamic versions of the Estate. As before, the Superb remains available as a five-door liftback as well. On some versions of that, the drag coefficient is as low as 0.23.

The core suspension layout is conventional, with MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link axle at the rear. This generation of MQB introduces the option of what it calls DCC (Dynamic Chassis Control) Plus suspension, which has adaptive dampers with separate valves for compression and rebound. This is said to allow for a greater breadth of adjustment.

INTERIOR

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7 Skoda Superb 2024 cabin

If there’s one thing you want a Skoda Superb to be, it’s roomy. And rest assured, this one is exactly that. By our measurements, typical rear leg room has increased by 65mm over the outgoing model – already a very spacious car. The flat estate roofline means that head room is generous too, and it combines with large side windows to make for a real sense of space, as well as outstanding visibility. Boot dimensions have remained more or less constant, which is to say: very big.

As befits a Skoda, the boot has plenty of pop-out hooks and bins, and there are two levers to fold the rear seats down. Annoyingly, they don’t fold perfectly flat unless you spec the £295 variable boot floor. There’s more space under the floor, enough for a spacesaver spare wheel, which is a £185 option.

However, the fact that a Skoda estate is very practical won’t surprise anybody. What’s arguably more impressive is what a soothing place the front of the Superb is. The outgoing car already compared favourably with rivals in terms of interior material quality, even if the design was a tad plain. The new one balances classic values with modern technology like few other cars. 

There’s a 13in screen, whatever the trim level. While the overall button count is down, Skoda has shunned the minimalist iPad-on-a-plank route in favour of a flowing design with wood-effect trim strips, elegant door handles and an almost art deco full-width vent.

Quite a few functions are controlled through the touchscreen, but in its latest iteration it works quickly and logically, and it is complemented by the new ‘smart dials’. The three physical dials can all be pressed to change their function, which is displayed on the small screen within. The outer ones control the temperature and the heated and ventilated seats, while the central pod can control the fan speed, navigation zoom, drive mode and more.

It’s a brilliantly simple yet tactile and intuitive system. If we have any criticism of the interior, it’s that the dials and the screen feel a bit flimsy and wobbly.

Rear passengers won’t feel like they are in second class, because the same materials quality returns here, and there are two USB ports, a climate control panel and, on SE L trim, an armrest with an integrated tablet holder.

Skoda hasn’t forgotten the basics, either. With the automatic gear selector having moved to the steering column, and no manual gearboxes, the centre console is free for storage. There’s plenty of space, naturally, and everything can be hidden from view by two shutters. The armrest cubby is big too and contains various movable trays and bins for things like glasses, and a felt-covered bar that you can use to clean the screen.

Multimedia system

Skoda has always managed to put its own spin on the shared Volkswagen Group multimedia system – usually for the better, and that’s no different with the new Superb.

The 13in touchscreen is standard on all Superbs and runs the latest version, which in its base form is already miles better than what you would find on the Octavia or the pre-facelift VW Golf. The home screen has customisable tiles that let you keep the navigation and the media on screen at all times. At the top of the screen is a bar of configurable shortcuts that gives you direct access to functions like the start-stop system and the auto hold.

The interface responds quickly, and Skoda’s smart dials complete the package, because they let you control the main climate controls without having to use the screen. Having a physical dial to zoom the navigation map is very useful too.

We found the standard sound system to be adequate, but there is room for improvement in the form of the optional Canton hi-fi.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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15 Skoda Superb 2024 engine

For this road test, we have chosen the 148bhp diesel engine because Skoda reckons it will be one of the big sellers, after the PHEV (which will arrive later this year) and the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol, which we described extensively in our recent Volkswagen Tiguan road test.

In short: it’s quiet, hard-working and has the potential for good fuel economy, although it can feel a bit short on torque in a big car.

While the petrol is a fine choice and the market for diesel cars has shrunk significantly, it’s heartening that Skoda doesn’t abandon those drivers who cover big mileages or need a tow vehicle.

From cold, the four-cylinder engine grumbles quite obstinately, and the dual-clutch gearbox can join in with some clunkiness and reluctance to downshift. However, once all the fluids are warm, the engine sounds quite smooth, with minimal vibrations, and the gearbox becomes more responsive too.

It retains some of the typical DSG tendency to upshift too early and to keep the revs too low, which can result in the engine bogging, then surging when you request some acceleration. A quick stab of the throttle usually prompts the gearbox to shift down a gear, though, letting you access the meaty mid-range you expect of a diesel.

Ultimately, the gearbox doesn’t have the fluidity of a good torque-converter automatic, but it’s good enough and rarely protests during hurried three-point turns.

We certainly have no complaints about the performance. We timed 8.9sec to 62mph and 23.7sec to 100mph, which are tidy numbers for any bread-and-butter combustion engine. It’s quite hard to find a performance benchmark, since most of the Superb’s peers no longer come with a diesel, while premium options like the Mercedes E-Class tend to be more powerful.

Naturally, the Superb is slower than the E220d, but it is on a par with the discontinued 2.0-litre diesel version of the Peugeot 508. It is easily grunty enough for everyday driving.

Braking performance was exemplary, coming to a stop in 45.8m from 70mph in a controlled fashion. With no regenerative braking to corrupt pedal feel, it’s nicely progressive.

RIDE & HANDLING

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2 Skoda Superb 2024 rear corner

The new Superb is neither overtly sporty nor exquisitely comfortable, but it lives in the crowd-pleasing middle ground that was always Volkswagen’s specialty. On the standard passive dampers of our test car, it has perhaps lost some of the suppleness of the outgoing car but has gained a dash of driver appeal.

As a result, body control is quite tight, both vertically and in terms of its resistance to body roll. Our test car arrived on surprisingly sporting Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres, which gave it strong grip. In combination with steering that’s intuitively geared and gradually builds weight as you load up the suspension in a corner, this gives you plenty of confidence in the car’s road-holding.

A few laps of the Millbrook Hill Route showed the Superb to remain composed even at higher speed, staying unaffected by the severe compressions. There is a slight tendency towards lift-off oversteer in faster bends when the chassis is provoked, but this is caught nicely by the stability control.

As is to be expected at the price point, the Superb does without four-wheel steering, so parking and guiding this large car around tight city streets requires a bit of circumspection. However, the fact that Skoda has kept the car’s width under control, combined with an expansive glasshouse that hasn’t been compromised by styling flourishes, makes the Superb relatively easy to manoeuvre. The steering’s strong self-centring effect and the impeccably round wheel help in this respect too.

Comfort & Isolation

The Superb’s ride does suffer slightly from its new-found handling dynamism, which is a slight pity given the shortage of really smooth-riding normal cars in the market. However, we are not minded to penalise it too hard for that, because wider experience of cars with optional DCC adaptive dampers has suggested they are that little bit more supple. While no miracle cure, they do make an appreciable difference and allow the Superb to deliver the comfort you expect from it.

Even the passive car is absolutely fine at speed, where the ride is tightly controlled yet not reactive or fidgety. But at town speeds, potholes can elicit a jarring wooden thunk, even though our car rolled on relatively modest 18in wheels.

In SE L trim, it also came with the upgraded Ergo Seats, which have 14-way adjustability, heating and ventilation, and a massage function. More importantly, they are terrifically comfortable over long distances: supportive but not overly firm, with enough adjustment to fit almost every body type.

Producing 69dBA at 70mph, the Superb is a touch noisy on the motorway. A BMW 5 Series or E-Class would be quieter, but that bit of added refinement is one of the things you pay handsomely for at the premium end of the segment.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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1 Skoda Superb 2024 front corner

Prices for the Superb start at £34,875 for the hatchback and £36,175 for the Estate.

That buys you a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol in SE Technology trim. You needn’t spend more to get a fully featured family car, since equipment like heated seats with a massage function, adaptive cruise control, a wireless phone charger and front and rear parking sensors are fitted as standard.

You might want to, of course, as SE L adds matrix LED headlights, electric memory seats, keyless entry, leather seats and the option of adaptive dampers. Load up a plug-in hybrid Laurin & Klement Estate, and you will be paying over £53,000. Then again, that’s still quite reasonable compared with a Mercedes E-Class Estate.

Our entry-level 2.0 diesel’s real-world fuel economy was excellent. Over the course of our test, including the performance testing, it averaged 52.7mpg, and in regular use 60mpg was easily achievable.

Skoda offers petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains, so there should be a Superb to suit every buyer, including high-mileage drivers and those who tow. The 148bhp diesel is rated to tow 2200kg.

Company car drivers should consider the PHEV, whose electric range has had a big upgrade for this generation. All versions are rated for at least 73 EV miles, landing them in the 5% benefit-in-kind tax band.

VERDICT

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16 Skoda Superb 2024 static

Skoda has gained a reputation as the quiet overachiever of the Volkswagen Group. The Superb is the perfect example of how the brand takes mass-market VW mechanicals and software, and then makes them just that bit more usable and accessible with careful design, and by adding a well-judged selection of physical controls, while also avoiding technology excesses and overstyling.

While other manufacturers boil down their model ranges to just a few big sellers, Skoda also continues to offer buyers a wide range of bodystyles and powertrains, including petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid, which are all impressive in their own right. With the fourth-generation Superb, Skoda hasn’t tried to reinvent the wheel. 

In the modern car industry, that kind of restraint seems almost an achievement in itself. By sticking to the essentials – space, efficiency, ease of use and intuitive driving characteristics – and doing those well, Skoda has produced a car that is outstandingly fit for purpose, makes the case for the estate car like few current rivals and does it at a price that significantly undercuts its competition.

Illya Verpraet

Illya Verpraet Road Tester Autocar
Title: Road Tester

As part of Autocar’s road test team, Illya drives everything from superminis to supercars, and writes reviews, comparison tests, as well as the odd feature and news story. 

Much of his time is spent wrangling the data logger and wielding the tape measure to gather the data for Autocar’s eight-page road tests, which are the most rigorous in the business thanks to independent performance, fuel consumption and noise figures.