Skoda Ireland has announced pricing for the new plug-in hybrid versions of the fourth-generation Skoda Superb. The starting price for the latest part-electric model will be €54,385.
Wasn’t there already a Superb PHEV?
Yes, there was. The previous generation Superb had a model badged iV, which used the old 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine and a 13kWh battery. However, it only had an electric range of up to 50km, and less than that in most real-world driving circumstances.
The new Superb plug-in hybrid gets the latest VW Group PHEV architecture, which pairs the more modern 1.5-litre TSI turbo petrol engine with a substantial 25kWh battery pack. According to the WLTP official test, that’s enough to give this new Superb PHEV an electric-only range of 124km.
Does it take ages to charge up, though?
Nope. Skoda has added 50kW fast-charging for this generation of Superb PHEV, so you can do a 10-80 per cent charge when you’re out and about in just 26 minutes. The electric part of the hybrid drivetrain is based around an 85kW motor, which equates to 115hp - the same as the old 1.6-litre TDI diesel engine - so performance on electric power will still be decent.
The system's total power output is 202hp, with a maximum torque of 350Nm. That’s good enough for an 8.1-second 0-100km/h time, yet the Superb PHEV’s official CO2 emissions are low enough for it to qualify for a €120 annual motor tax bill.
Sounds tempting…
You’re not the only one who thinks so. Plug-in hybrid sales have grown recently in Ireland, probably not coincidentally with the introduction of new long-EV-range models such as this new Superb. In fact, they’re up by 22.3 per cent so far this year, at a time when electric car sales have fallen by 25 per cent.
Ray Leddy, Head of Marketing and Product at Skoda Ireland, said: “The Superb has been the standard-bearer of Skoda’s range for more than 20 years. Many competitors have abandoned the large saloon and estate segment, leaving retail and fleet customers with only premium brand options. We are confident the new Superb can compete toe to toe with the best premium German cars on quality and refinement while surpassing them in terms of spaciousness and value. We are particularly excited with the introduction of the new Superb PHEV with a 124km WLTP fully electric range. The Superb Combi PHEV can provide a fully electric daily commute for the vast majority of Irish drivers, without any range anxiety for those who aren’t ready to make the change to a fully electric vehicle.”
The Superb PHEV will be available in three trim levels: an entry Selection, priced at €54,385; the Selection +, which costs €56,885; and finally, a luxurious Laurin & Klement model (named after the founders of the Skoda company), priced at €63,545.
For anyone who’s not keen on part-electric power (and in fairness, you do have to give up about 170 litres of boot space for the Superb Combi estate, but that does still leave a very healthy 510 litres) there’s the 2.0-litre TDI diesel version of the Superb, which as Skoda Ireland was keen to remind us is designed to run on emissions-saving HVO bio-diesel.