Family toolbox

There is space to rival a big Aussie six in the Czech mid-sizer that borrows prime VW parts

IT’S been tough for the Skoda Superb to find traction in Australia. At its peak it found about 900 buyers a year but that dropped to just 264 deliveries last year.

So it’s time to hit the reset button with an all-new model.

The Czech brand has taken the usual approach, borrowing the basics from the Volkswagen family toolbox, injecting a touch of Audi class,

But whereas in the past, it has undercut its VW stablemate the Passat, this time its delivered a car that’s priced at several thousand dollars more.

The new Superb, the third generation of the modern model, now starts at $39,990, a whopping $8000 more than the previous car.

The line-up tops out at a little more than $50,000, but the pay-off comes from a punchier 160kW base engine, more standard equipment, extra safety, a body that’s bigger than a Volkswagen Passat and a cabin that could easily have been lifted from the Audi A4.

The Superb comes as a wagon or a sedan, although the four-door is more like a giant hatchback.

There are two turbo petrol engines (160kW/350Nm and 206kW/350Nm) and a turbo diesel (140kW/500Nm), front or all-wheel drive and solely a six-speed DSG gearbox.

The wagon is tipped to sell more, based on the previous model’s 70-30 sales split.

Skoda is still struggling to find its place as the lesser sibling in the Volkswagen family in Australia, a pity for a car as good as the new Superb. It’s quiet, refined and ideal for family motoring.

“Not that many people own a Skoda. There are not that many on the road,” says Skoda Australia director Michael Irmer.

“We will not stop here. We will continue to drive further. And this starts with product.”

The new Superb, called Gen3, is in the same size range as a Falcon or Commodore, although most of the mechanical package is familiar from the latest Passat that made our Car of the Year shootout in 2015.

It’s a little edgier in the body design and has some of the great touches that make a Skoda special, from umbrella sockets in the back doors to clip-in mounts in the back seat for an iPad.

The substantial suite of safety gear includes emergency auto braking, lane-keeping assist and rear-view camera with cross-traffic auto braking.

Various care packages include prepaid service and a guaranteed resale price.

ON THE ROAD

The basic Superb is well equipped and easy to drive, with power and torque both up by more than 10 per cent over the previous model. It gets along well enough with the doubleclutch gearbox keeping the engine in its sweet spot.

The suspension is compliant but still provides good feel, although I find the standard setting in the steering is too light even with 18-inch alloys.

The driving position and outward vision are good, the sedan boot is gigantic and easy to load, and there are deft touches around the cabin. The Superb would be supereasy on a Sydney-to-Melbourne cruise, and the wagon adds the load capacity that makes family motoring a breeze. It’s the anti-SUV that works, without compromises on comfort and quietness.

There's’s no great reason to go for the AWD package with the 206kW petrol turbo, beyond ego, but the diesel makes a lot of sense with handy torque and a potential range of more than 1000km.

Pushing harder shows that the basic Volkswagen engineering works well with a Skoda skew, with great brakes and enough performance for twisty roads and big hills.

I also toggle through the driving modes, from Eco to Sport, and discover that the car is much more lively when you want but relaxed and frugal when you don’t. There is no chance, thankfully, to test the safety gear, but it’s definitely a five-star car.

It’s a bit bland but that will not be a worry for people who buy a car as a family tool.

VERDICT

On the value front, the Superb costs more than a Passat but has measurably more lounging space and more equipment. That definitely makes it a better family car.

It’s also better buying than before and makes a powerful case to lure someone who in the past might have gone for a Commodore or Falcon, particularly a wagon.

There’s a lot to like in the Superb and nothing to really complain about, which means it could easily make the field for this year’s Car of the Year contest in December.