Skoda Superb Sportline 4x4

Launch control and a drinks cooler compartment: our newcomer has varied attractions

AFEW YEARS AGO SKODA’S advertising strapline was ‘Simply Clever’. While it may be a little early in our relationship to determine the intelligence of my new long-termer, I can already say without doubt that the Skoda Superb Sportline is ‘Simply Very Appealing’.

It’s powered by the Volkswagen Group’s 2-litre TSI turbocharged engine, here with 276bhp. This helps drive the 1550kg hatchback from standstill to 62mph in an impressive 5.6sec. Standard accompaniments to this engine are a six-speed DSG gearbox, fourwheel drive and launch control. Yes, you read that correctly: launch control on a Skoda.

If the powertrain specification seems promising, so does the level of other kit the Sportline comes with. On the list are keyless entry, bi-xenon adaptive headlights (the beam of which changes shape depending on your speed and the weather), 19-inch Vega alloys wearing 235/40 R19 Pirelli Cinturato P7s, and the Columbus satnav upgrade with a massive 9.2-inch touchscreen and integrated Wi-fi. That screen can also be turned into a performance monitor, providing information such as oil and coolant temperatures and even cornering and acceleration G-forces.

Other Sportline niceties include privacy glass, a rear diffuser, twin exhaust pipes, plus a gloss black finish for the front grille, side strips, window surrounds, door mirrors and spoiler. Inside are a set of attractive Alcantara sports seats with silver diamond stitching, Alcantara door cards and a three-spoke leather multifunction steering wheel. And did I mention the drinks cooler compartment…?

That’s all included in the 4x4 Sportline’s £34,460 list price, but we’ve also added a number of extras, including Dynamic Chassis Control (£750, and enabling me to switch between Sport for fun and Comfort for when I need a softer platform to photograph other cars from), the 12-speaker Canton sound system (£600, and perfect for long journeys), heated front seats (£350) and a rear parking camera (£350, and handy with the Superb being nearly five metres long). The most expensive option is the £850 sliding sunroof – lovely for summer drives but actually chosen in this case to allow me to stand up out of it and shoot from a higher vantage point.

The other great advantage of the Superb from a working perspective is its huge boot, which has 625 litres of load space with the rear seats in place and a stonking 1760 litres with the seats folded. In other words, it’s huge. It even has an extra 12V socket for charging kit on the move, or maybe an espresso machine when you’re stationary…

So a lot of car, a lot of kit, and also a not insubstantial amount of money – £39,115 to be precise. But then this car feels far more special than a standard Superb. Over the coming months we’ll see how it stacks up as a driving experience compared with my old Octavia VRS, of which I was extremely fond. Given this car is called ‘Superb’, I’ve got high expectations.

‘ There’s Sport mode for fun, and Comfort for when I need a softer platform to photograph from’