Skoda Superb 1.8

The luxury saloon that pulls out all stops.

Published on Dec 06, 2009 08:00:00 AM

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Having raised the suspension by 20mm, and with almost 160mm of ground clearance, Skoda has stiffened the Superb’s springs and dampers for good straight-line stability. The Superb tracks dead straight even at speeds as high as 180kph with little sensation of speed or shuffling or rocking. The car responds in a measured manner to every tweak on the wheel even at high speeds. This allows you to confidently carry masses of speed into corners, even on upcountry single-lane highways.

Grip from the tyres is very strong and the new electric steering transfers masses of feel to your hands. Very direct and with no slack, this is one of the best electric power steering units we’ve used. Long high-speed corners are dealt with incredible confidence and the Superb just shrinks around you, tackling corners efficiently, with body roll well in control. The Superb doesn’t turn that eagerly on tighter corners and a bit of extra steering lock needed is in need. But once used to this, Skoda allows you liberties not expected of a car of this size. However, what takes a bit of getting used to at times are the brakes. While stopping power and bite are great, there seems to be a bit of initial tardiness to the pedal. Still, it’s a fabulous drive overall, not something you expect of a car of this size.

The flipside of the stiff suspension setup is that this car is less compliant and reveals more of the road surface to the cabin. It’s a touch noisy, and when rough surfaces filter through to the cabin you feel almost every expansion joint along the way. But you are never tossed around with its flat ride quality. The tall absorbent springs don’t allow the suspension to crash badly through potholes, and as speeds build up, the ride improves greatly.