Skoda Superb buyer’s guide
FROM £4,000 Big family car was top value new, and now makes even more sense used
How award-winning Mk2 family car can be yours for £4k
BUYER’S GUIDE: Skoda Superb
Alloys All superbs have alloys, but some corrode beneath the lacquer. Dealers often replace these under warranty.
Keyless THE ‘KESSY’ keyless entry system sometimes refuses to acknowledge the key, meaning the car won’t start.
Badges SKODA badges can corrode noticeably. The only fix is to replace them; some have been done under warranty.
WHEN Skoda started to work with the VW Group in 1991, the Czech firm was the butt of endless jokes. No one could understand why one of the world’s slickest car makers would team up with a manufacturer from the other side of the old Iron Curtain. But the partnership has been an incredible success at every stage.
Nowhere is this more evident than with Skoda’s biggest and plushest car, the Superb. Borrowing a name first used by the company in the thirties, the first modern-day Superb (launched in 2001) was impressive, but the Mk2 (from 2008) was even more so, with its mix of VW quality, market-leading value and the most spacious cabin in its class, all backed up by a great dealer network.
THE Superb Mk2 arrived in September 2008 with 1.4 TSI, 1.8 TSI or 3.6 V6 petrol engines, or 1.9 TDI (Greenline) and 2.0 TDI diesels, the latter with 140bhp or
170bhp. Skoda also offered the 1.8 TSI, 2.0 TDI 170 and 3.6 V6 with 4WD.
The same engines were available in the estate, introduced in February 2010; at the same time the 2.0 TDI 140 diesel received common-rail fuel injection to improve refinement and economy. In August that year, the 1.9 TDI Greenline made way for a 1.6 TDI Greenline.
A facelift in summer 2013 brought redesigned lighting and more efficient engines. Then SE Business trim arrived in April 2014, with sat-nav, cruise control and Bluetooth. Skoda introduced an all-new Superb Mk3 in 2015.
A DIESEL Superb is the perfect cruiser, but if you do mainly short journeys, go for a petrol model to avoid diesel particulate filter (DPF) problems. If you’re buying to tow, a four-wheel-drive model is ideal, while the DSG auto box is lovely to use.
All Superbs are well equipped; there were initially three trim levels (S, SE and
Elegance) with SE Plus then SE Business arriving later. The S has alloy wheels, powered windows all round, an eightspeaker stereo and air-con. SE adds a multifunction steering wheel, rear parking sensors, Alcantara trim, cruise and climate control plus electrically folding door mirrors. Elegance spec has bi-xenon lights, sat-nav, electrically adjustable heated front seats, leather trim and tyre-pressure monitoring.
TO enjoy similar cabin space to the Superb, you need to be in the executive segment, which means cars such as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-class – all of which cost much more.
Price-wise, the closest rivals to the Skoda are large saloons, hatchbacks and estates such as the Ford Mondeo, Toyota Avensis and Vauxhall Insignia, all of which have less interior space.
If you’re looking for an estate, the Volvo V70 is a spacious car that’s also
very safe and well built, on top of which it represents good value as a used buy. Don’t overlook the Volkswagen Passat, either: this is related to the Skoda, but is more expensive and less roomy.
THE Superb lives up to its name; it’s no wonder owners love it. The car topped our Driver Power satisfaction survey in 2011 – one of four consecutive podium finishes. We’ve handed it a raft of other trophies, too, including Best Family Car and Best Estate three times in a row at our annual New Car Awards.
The only fly in the ointment for some will be the Superb’s size; unless you’re using it as a family car it’ll probably be too big. It’s 484cm long, so you’ll need a large garage to accommodate one of these king-sized Skodas. Still, the generous dimensions ensure excellent stability when you’re towing, while the massive boot and cabin mean you’ll never be short of carrying capacity.
Interior
THE Superb is incredibly spacious inside, particularly in the rear, with a clearly laid out, solidly constructed and well equipped cabin. Five-doors have a ‘Twindoor’ rear end, allowing the bootlid to be opened either in a regular saloon fashion or as a full hatch tailgate, giving access to the vast 1,670-litre boot with the seats folded. Estate models can stow a massive 1,865 litres.
No spare
THERE is no spare as standard, just a repair kit. A full-size spare usually fits in the well, though, depending on spec.