The updated Skoda Superb was revealed last week with refreshed styling and a new plug-in hybrid variant. Skoda has now confirmed that the model will be launched in India around mid-2020.
In terms of styling updates, the Superb facelift gets a redesigned grille, optional new full-LED Matrix headlights and a tweaked front bumper that increases the length of the car by 8mm. There's also the addition of a chrome strip between the rear LED lights. There’s not much new on the inside, however. The Skoda does get new driver assistance features, which include predictive cruise control, but these are unlikely to make it to our market given the restrictions over the use of certain radar frequencies in India.
The refreshed Superb also gets a plug-in hybrid variant for the first-time, globally. Skoda is evaluating the introduction of the hybrid variant for India but it is not confirmed at the moment.
The Superb facelift features a 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine mated to a 112hp electric motor, which sends drive to the front wheels through a 6-speed DSG transmission. The peak system output is 217hp with 400Nm of torque. The hybrid Superb is capable of completing 55km of pure-electric running, identical to that of the Volkswagen Passat GTE plug-in hybrid with which it shares a platform. The battery pack is located under the floor, near the rear axle, which means a slight reduction in boot capacity – 485 litres for the sedan and 510 litres for the estate, compared to 625 and 660 for the non-hybrid sedan and estate versions, respectively.
Globally, the existing Superb powertrains will be carried over for the facelifted model, along with a new 188hp 2.0-litre TSI unit. What’s not known as yet are the engine options for India. Petrols will be the mainstay but Skoda could look at the hybrid too, given the popularity of the Toyota Camry Hybrid that the Superb competes with.
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Viraaj Bhatnagar
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