Test drive: Skoda Superb 1.4 TSI 150 CV, an XL saloon

The Skoda Superb has always been an enormous saloon that has nevertheless gone fairly unnoticed in its segment. Its greatest strengths have always been the interior space and a price that left any equivalent rival behind. With the arrival of the new generation, its qualities remain intact, and it also improves with a new exterior design, more technology, more safety equipment and a price that remains unbeatable.

The new Skoda Superb is available from 21,390 euros. The range consists of a 150 CV petrol engine (the one we tested) and three diesel engines: 1.6 TDI 120 CV, 2.0 TDI 150 CV and 2.0 TDI 190 CV (available with manual or automatic gearbox and even all-wheel drive in the case of the 190 CV). The 1.4 TSI petrol engine with 150 CV may be very interesting for those who don’t drive many kilometres a year, and it features cylinder deactivation to save fuel.

Exterior design: refined German lines

Until now, previous generations of the Superb did not have design as their best ally, it was a large, very spacious car but with a simple exterior design. Fortunately, things have changed and Skoda has really stepped up its exterior design, creating a saloon with personality, with clearly German lines that nonetheless don’t leave anyone indifferent. Both at the front and rear, elegance shows in every line. It is a large car: 4.86 metres long, 1.86 metres wide and a 2.84 metre wheelbase, which translates into a spacious interior.

At the front, the headlights stand out (with Full-LED technology depending on the trim), along with a bonnet with pronounced lines that outline the brand’s new grille and the new design of the Czech logo. Versions equipped with LED headlights stand out especially for the headlight design, with diodes that outline it and give it a different and distinctive “look” (especially the position lights). On the side profile, elegance and sobriety prevail, highlighted by the multi-spoke alloy wheels, which on our test unit were 19 inches.

Finally, at the rear, the lights are once again the stars (they feature LED technology for some lighting functions) and the boot has a huge loading lip, although it loses the ability to open in three-box mode or as a hatchback with the glass included (they have now opted for the larger opening). That said, it has optional electric opening.

Interior design: simple, with rear seats fit for a head of state

The dashboard design is simple, very German, with everything necessary and more than adequate finishes. The centrepiece of the dashboard is the touchscreen that brings together navigation, entertainment and even digital TV (optional), while the lower section houses the climate controls, and around the gear lever there are a series of buttons controlling the driver assistance systems and the rest of the equipment. The driving position is comfortable, with good visibility and everything within reach, especially the seats, which hold the body well and provide proper lateral support (our test unit had electric adjustment with memory and heating).

An interesting detail: the front doors still hide the legendary umbrella, which no other saloon on the market carries (except Rolls Royce), a very practical and simple feature that gets us out of trouble on a rainy day.

The best part of the Superb’s interior is the rear seats, where three people travel comfortably and two adults do so exceptionally well. The Superb is a large car with a generous wheelbase, and that shows in the interior space. There are no space issues in the rear seats, either for headroom or legroom. The rear seats have independent climate control and are also heated.

Boot and storage: 625 litres to fill

The boot is another strength of the Skoda Superb—which has grown compared to the previous generation—with its 625-litre capacity, it has few rivals. Besides being large, it is very usable thanks to a low and very wide loading lip, and when the tailgate and glass are fully opened (though it no longer has the dual opening system of the previous generation).

As for storage spaces, the car has several glove compartments throughout the interior, from the door bins, which are of a suitable size, to a compartment in the centre tunnel together with the typical box with considerable depth. As a practical detail, it has several 12V sockets in the boot and a tablet holder behind the front passenger seat.

Engine and performance: Petrol, why not?

The unit we tested is the only petrol version available. In our country the Czech brand has opted for diesel engines (the best sellers in this segment), so if you want a petrol Skoda Superb, the only option is the 1.4 TSI 150 CV engine. This engine is already well known within the German group and has been updated with the latest improvements, such as the active cylinder management (ACT), which can deactivate two cylinders when we don’t need much acceleration.

Paired with this 1.4 TSI 150 CV unit is a six-speed manual gearbox with a decent feel, with especially long sixth-gear ratios that help reduce consumption on country roads and motorways.

This turbocharged engine stands out for its power delivery, its 150 CV is more than enough to move the Superb with ease, allowing overtaking or driving with a full load without any problem. We particularly liked the smoothness of the engine, as it is not noisy at all, and when pulling away it is very smooth and builds revs progressively without abruptness. Another detail we appreciated is its low-rev response thanks to the turbo, as its 250 Nm of torque is available from 1,500 rpm.

Four cylinders or two? The most recent novelty of this engine is the active cylinder management system (ACT), which can deactivate two of the four cylinders when power demand is low. That is, when cruising between 1,400 and 4,000 rpm, torque does not exceed 100 Nm and up to 130 km/h, the system deactivates the second and third cylinders. Precisely thanks to this advance, if we are careful with the accelerator we can achieve fairly low consumption (in our case on the road around 5.5–6 litres per 100 km). When it engages, the instrument cluster shows that the engine is running on two cylinders, and we notice a change in the engine sound; the other cylinders reconnect immediately if we need more power.

Handling: comfort above all

The Superb is a car of considerable size and designed for the greatest comfort of its occupants. Our test unit had adaptive chassis control (DCC) with a driving mode selector—Individual, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Normal. With adaptive chassis control, the suspension stiffness varies depending on the driving mode, and it also affects steering firmness and throttle response.

Despite its size (4.86 metres long) and its enormous wheelbase (2.84 metres), it is a car that surprises in terms of agility, as at no point does it feel heavy at the wheel—quite the opposite, as proof, its weight is only 1,395 kg. It is true that its dimensions don’t make it the best car for winding or constantly curved roads, but clearly this sporty edge is not what the Superb is looking for.

The best place for it is the open road or motorway, being a very comfortable car with an engine more than sufficient to move it with ease, and with on-board comfort above what its rivals offer. The driving mode selector, together with the adaptive suspension, is noticeable mainly in the change of suspension firmness between Sport and Comfort modes, although I feel it is an optional element that can be perfectly dispensed with in a saloon of this type.

Consumption

Gone are the days when buying a petrol saloon was madness, years of naturally aspirated petrol engines that, while long-lasting, had very high consumption. Our protagonist is a good example of this: it has cylinder deactivation technology, its engine barely reaches 1,400 cc (1,395 cc), it features Start/Stop, and all of this to reduce consumption as much as possible.

On the road, the consumption we measured on our usual test route averages around 6.5 litres per 100 km, dropping to 6.3 litres per 100 km on our usual motorway route. However, on roads with little gradient and if we are careful with the accelerator, it is easy to maintain averages of 5.5 litres per 100 km at normal speed, thanks to cylinder deactivation. On our usual urban route, the average consumption was 7.4 litres per 100 km.

Equipment: safety first

We always start the equipment review by first going through the safety features fitted as standard on the Skoda Superb, which include: front, side, curtain and knee airbags, stability control, ABS, tyre pressure monitoring and automatic braking in the event of a collision. With all this standard armoury it is hardly surprising that it has achieved the five Euro NCAP stars, with 86% for adult occupant protection and 86% for child occupant protection. Especially noteworthy is the Skoda Crew Protect Assist system, which uses the ESP sensors to detect when an emergency manoeuvre occurs and tightens the seatbelt pretensioners to prepare for a possible collision; if the collision ultimately does not happen, they release automatically and the car returns to normal driving.

As for the rest of the equipment, it is structured in four trim levels: Active, Ambition, Style and Laurin&Klement. Standard features include two-zone climate control, 16-inch alloy wheels, a touchscreen radio with USB and Bluetooth, rain and light sensors, among others. In addition, the Style trim adds 17-inch wheels, cornering fog lights, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, electric driver’s seat with memory, and interior lights, among other features.

Our test unit had the Style trim but with several options worth highlighting. The first system that surprised us is the lane change warning, which also intervenes to keep us within the lines by gently turning the steering wheel. On tight bends it does not turn fully, and for safety reasons, when it detects that our hands are not on the wheel, it alerts us and deactivates the system. The safety pack for “Lane Assist” (lane change warning) also includes the blind spot warning, an increasingly common feature and highly recommended (both systems for 860 euros).

The “Front Assist” system brakes the car in the event of a possible collision and can also be combined with adaptive cruise control, which automatically maintains the distance from the vehicle ahead, braking if necessary (655 euros). Our unit also had “Light Assist” , which keeps the light beam correct at all times to avoid dazzling other vehicles while keeping high beams on, and its operation is simply sublime, more typical of the A8 we recently tested than of a mainstream saloon. All prices indicated are approximate, since there are different safety system packs that together reduce the final bill.

In terms of entertainment equipment, the TV tuner (1,040 euros) stands out, allowing us to watch digital TV in the car, although always when stopped, as otherwise the screen will go black for safety reasons to avoid distractions. It is a dispensable extra, but for those who want a fully loaded Superb, its operation is more than adequate and the coverage very good, even outside cities.

Superb prices

The Skoda Superb with discounts is available from 21,390 euros for the Active trim with the 150 CV petrol engine, while the diesel range starts at the same price for the 1.6 TDI 120 CV in Active trim. There is also an offer on the Ambition trim with the 150 CV diesel engine from 24,750 euros, fully equipped (17-inch alloy wheels, touchscreen navigation, bi-xenon headlights with LED, parking sensors, among other features). The remaining prices:

• SUPERB 1.4 TSI 150 CV ACTIVE 27,070 euros
• SUPERB 1.6 TDI 120 CV ACTIVE 26,570 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 150 CV ACTIVE 28,670 euros
• SUPERB 1.4 TSI 150 CV AMBITION 28,550 euros
• SUPERB 1.6 TDI 120 CV AMBITION 28,050 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 150 CV AMBITION 30,150 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 190 CV AMBITION 32,150 euros
• SUPERB 1.4 TSI 150 CV STYLE 30,870 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 150 CV STYLE 32,470 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 190 CV STYLE 34,470 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 190 CV DSG STYLE 4X4 38,960 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 150 L&K 37,520 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 190 CV L&K 39,520 euros
• SUPERB 2.0 TDI 190 CV DSG L&K 4X4 44,010 euros

Opinion and personal assessment

The years go by and the Skoda Superb remains a benchmark for space. Gone are the days when earlier generations were based on a stretched Passat or the later ones with a design that never quite convinced. In its third generation, the Czech brand has squared the circle, maintaining its interior space and an excellent value-for-money-and-equipment ratio, while at the same time designing a very attractive saloon that leaves no one indifferent.

It is for those looking for an enormous saloon that is comfortable for covering big distances without kilometres being a problem (which is why taxi drivers love it so much). The diesel engine with the most potential is the 2.0 TDI 150 CV, although if you prefer petrol, the one we tested – 1.4 TSI 150 CV – is more than enough to move the Superb with ease and plenty of room to spare. It is not a sporty saloon, but its agility and above all its low weight surprised us.

Its interior design is rather spartan, although everything is in its place and the finishes are good quality. As for equipment, the standard and optional safety fitment deserves special mention, with options more typical of a large premium saloon than of the Superb’s segment, which competes in a price range where smaller premium saloons are not available except through occasional offers or only with basic equipment.

In short, the Skoda Superb is a highly recommended car for those seeking space, comfort and outstanding value for money and equipment.

Photos | Test team, Diego G. Moreira, R. Rodriguez

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackSkoda Superb48 versions · from 47,000 €