New Skoda Superb review, test drive

Skoda’s new Superb blends even more space, size and value in one stunning package. But just how good is it? Shapur Kotwal drives it.

Published on Feb 12, 2016 12:31:00 PM

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Surprisingly, it doesn’t feel as big from behind the wheel.

New Superb now has a much more sophisticated design, with plenty of bold cuts and creases all over the body.

Now the Superb isn’t exactly a car you buy to get your dose of driving thrills. Still, it’s remarkably stable and allows me to carry a fair bit of speed into corners, which makes it nice to drive. This is especially true in Sport mode, where the dampers are stiffened, the throttle and gearbox responses are sharpened and the steering gets a bit more weight. Yes, I often have to coax it into corners and it doesn’t respond well to quick steering movements, but it is fun if you’re smooth, deliberate and slow with your driving inputs. Stay disciplined with your driving style and you can keep going progressively quicker with plenty of confidence. VW’s MQB platform, on which it is built, certainly helps it get its dynamics right. And the brakes do a fair job of giving you confidence before you enter a corner. Where the Superb driving experience does feel like a bit of a letdown is in the gearbox department. Our car was fitted with Skoda’s six-speed, twin-clutch automatic which, though great for upshifts, often hesitates when you call for a quick downshift.

Six-speed DSG similar to that on the current Superb.

Finally I stop – another nice patch in which to take pictures, and not a threatening cloud in sight. Time to take a walk around this massive sculpture of cuts and creases. Done by Skoda’s chief designer Joseph Kaban and his team, this Superb is so much better-looking than its predecessor that comparing the two is unfair. Several times more mature in both outlook and detail, it blends near-perfect proportions with bold details. And the best bit is that it all works fabulously. The wider new-age Skoda grille, the crystal-like diamond cut headlamps, the sculpted fenders and sides and the especially attractive rear. The challenge, of course, was keeping the design simple, in line with other Skodas, and the designers have managed that too. What really stands out, however, is the all-new level of sophistication – a level not seen on a Skoda yet.

There are few cars that can deliver this kind of space and the rear seat is super too.

Indian car buyers are also likely to fall head over heels for the S-class-sized interiors. Unbelievably spacious and roomy on the inside, forget six-footers, this car can seat four seven-footers in comfort. If ever there was a car designed for NBA stars, this is it. The long rear doors open wide and dropping into the rear seat comes so naturally, you just don’t want to get out. The rear seat is even better than on the current Superb sold in India. To begin with, it’s considerably wider, and the inclination of the backrest is perfect as it supports your back in all the right places. Thigh support and seat height is also good, despite the fact that you do sit a wee bit lower. The seats, however, except for the squab, seem to be the same size as those on the Octavia, so Skoda seems to have lost an opportunity to make it even nicer.