Skoda Superb Skoda’s remarkably spacious and comfortable executive car can now be yours for as little as £8000
BUYING GUIDE Remarkably roomy, practical and comfortable, Skoda’s executive car is better value for money than ever when it’s used In production 2016-present Price from £8000 Our favourite 1.5 TSI 150 SE Technology
FOR SOME, AN EXECUTIVE car is all about an impressive premium badge, but there are those for whom space and value for money are more important factors, and in both of those departments, nothing can hold a candle to the Skoda Superb.
It’s certainly huge inside – in the front seats, the back seats and the boot. And the good news is that the Superb delivers in most other areas as well.
It sits on a stretched version of the Volkswagen Golf’s underpinnings and comes with a broad range of excellent engines, with a choice of six-speed manual and DSG automatic gearboxes. Initially, smooth 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engines producing 123bhp or 148bhp propped up the range, but in 2018 they were replaced by a more efficient 148bhp 1.5-litre unit. There are also a couple of versions of the 2.0-litre petrol (with 217bhp or 276bhp) and, from 2019 onwards, a 1.4-litre plug-in hybrid. Diesel engines come in 118bhp 1.6-litre and 148bhp 2.0-litre guises; there’s also a 187bhp 2.0-litre diesel that can be had with four-wheel drive.
Even entry-level S models are well equipped, with air-con, Bluetooth, a DAB radio and, initially, a 6.5in touchscreen. SE adds 17in alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors and adaptive cruise, while businessorientated SE Technology adds sat-nav, front parking sensors and an electric driver’s seat with memory function. SE L Executive and Laurin & Klement models add plush leather seats and even more gadgets. Sportline and Sportline Plus trims joined the range later, offering larger alloys and sporty carbonfibre interior and exterior styling details.
The Superb was facelifted last year, with new bumpers, a different front grille and the addition of LED headlights, while inside, the standard touchscreen grew to 8.0in, with a 9.2in screen and a digital instrument panel becoming available on higher trims.
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
All of the engines are gutsy enough to give the Superb a reasonable turn of speed, while fuel economy is impressive for such a big, capacious car. The Superb rides and handles well, too, if not with quite the panache of some premium rivals. That said, it’s a refined motorway cruiser, especially in petrol form.
Inside, the driving position is good; the dashboard and major instruments and controls are all laid out in a clear and logical way, and the quality of the materials used is high.
As mentioned, there’s plenty of interior space front and rear. The boot is long and deep and holds significantly more than those of the Superb’s main rivals, and it’s easily accessed via a hatchback tailgate.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
It’s possible to pick up a Superb for around £8000, but this is likely to be one with a high mileage. Up the budget slightly to between £10,000 and £13,000 and you’ll have your pick of good 2016 or 2017 examples, all with an average mileage for the year, a full service history and bought from an independent or franchised dealer. Meanwhile, £13,000 to £16,000 gets you an excellent 2018 Superb, while around £19,000 buys a postfacelift 2019 model.
The 148bhp 1.5 TSI is the most efficient petrol model, with official average fuel economy of 43.5mpg, while the 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel promises 55.4mpg. Road tax for all models registered before 1 April 2017 will vary depending on the CO2 emissions the engine produces, while examples registered after this date will have the same flat-rate fee of £145 per year.
Servicing plans are available for the Superb for a reasonable price, covering two or three services and payable by direct debit.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR?
The Superb is a long and fairly wide car, so check the bodywork carefully for any damage and the alloy wheels for kerb damage. Make sure the rear seats fold as they should. Some Superbs made between October 2018 and June 2019 might have an issue with their engine not providing the normal amount of torque at low speeds. Affected cars can be sorted with a simple software update. The airbags and seatbelt tensioners on some models built between May 2016 and November 2016 might not trigger in a collision, potentially causing injury. Speak to a dealer to find out if these have been replaced on your car.
The Superb finished 11th out of 22 executive cars in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey. Skoda as a brand finished in ninth place out of 31 manufacturers in the same study.
WHICH ONE SHOULD I BUY?
We favoured the smooth, refined 1.4 TSI 150 petrol in earlier cars, and its replacement, the 1.5 TSI 150, is our current pick, thanks to its blend of decent performance and economy.
As far as trim goes, we’d be tempted to spend a bit more for an SE Technology model, which has the best mix of equipment and price.