James Larkin bought a new Superb Combi 4x4 TDI six months ago. Here's what he thinks so far:
The four-wheel drive estate market is not very crowded compared to say the two-wheel drive small SUV segment, so when I went shopping for a comfortable 4x4 estate car it came down to just four options: the Skoda Superb Combi , the Subaru Legacy Estate, the Audi A6 Avant and the Volvo XC60. All of these models are available with four-wheel drive and any options you could want from heated seats to panoramic roofs. It came down to the Subaru and the Skoda. Both were around the same money and had almost the same specification in terms of equipment. After driving both it was Skoda Superb Combi 2.0 TDI Elegance 4x4 manual that I went for.
Key Facts:
Model tested: Skoda Superb Combi 2.0 TDI Elegance 4x4
Pricing: €43,377
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Body style: five-door estate
CO2 emissions: 165g/km (Band D, €481 per annum)
Combined economy: 6.3 litres/100km (44.8mpg)
Top speed: 217km/h
0-100km/h: 9.1 seconds
Power: 170hp at 4,200rpm
Torque: 350Nm at 1,750- to 2,500rpm
Millage: 28,000km
Purchased: 14th January 2012
Inside & Out: 4/5
The build standard is high inside and so far I have had no issues with anything. Switches are easy to use and are in the right places. One thing I would change is the stereo power and volume control. The whole knob turns and it would be better visually if the centre stayed in place while the outside of the knob rotated for your volume control.
Using the ISOFIX bars in the back was difficult at first as they are quite far into the seat back. However, after a while the leather loosens up and you get used to placing the children's seat straight in without any bother. The leather is good quality and has been easy to clean when the inevitable bottle of formula or bar of chocolate has taken a dive mid-journey.
The back is just as welcoming to adults with plenty of room for even a long legged six-foot-six friend of mine with plenty of room to spare around his knees and head. Moving into the boot this car comes into its own. Its vast size with lots of tie-down points means you can keep everything in its place when loading up for work, going on holidays or just chucking the bike in the back with the seats down and not worrying about whether it will fit or not.
On the outside, I think it's a handsome looking car but it's no Italian aftershave model. The doors and handles are solid. The mirrors are in a good location and I have never had an issue with a blind spot to date so let's hope it stays that way. One thing that needs to be addressed is the rain runoff on the four side doors. If you park facing up a hill you will get water on your hands and/or clothes when you open the door. I can see how this could be overlooked when developing a car but it's my only bug bear on the outside of the Superb.
Engine & Transmission: 4/5
The 170hp engine with a six-speed gearbox will pull you along the motorway at 120km/h at 2,250rpm all day long if you ask it. The engine and wind noise are low too thanks to the well-sealing doors and not too big shut lines on the car. Tyre noise with the standard Dunlop Sport FastResponse fitted to this car is low but at €165 a tyre it would want to be. The engine pulls well in all gears with its 350Nm so gear changes are kept to a minimum even on N-roads and overtaking opportunities are made safer and quicker when they appear. The six-speed gearbox is smooth and feels solid but it is let down by the long clutch travel, which can make it more difficult to match revs when changing up or down gears in a hurry. Sixth gear in the Superb is shorter than in an Audi A4 I recently drove and so a longer sixth gear bringing the revs down to 2,000rpm at 120km/h would be a good addition in future models for both engine noise and mpg at motorway speeds.
Ride & Handling: 3.5/5
It's a big car and as such you will cruise in comfort on most roads. The four-wheel drive only really kicks in on road if you are pushing on a bit. Grip wise then this is a very good car and you might be lulled into thinking you can push on a little further into a corner or brake a little later than you normally would, but as I said above this is a big car.
Body roll in a corner is noticeable and if conditions are poor then braking late as an option is out the window. The brake feel could be improved but if you are looking for a sports car then this is not it. It's not meant to be. The Superb will take you and your cargo in comfort as far as you want to go. Do what you have to do and hop back in and drive home again. I have driven from Dublin to Letterkenny and back via Sligo, Roscommon and Longford in a day (nine hours including meetings) and when I arrived back home I feel like I could do it all again.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money: 3.5/5
This car is fitted with most big saloon comforts like cruise control, satnav, Bluetooth, etc. and I can't think of an option I have not used at some point. Everything has a purpose and it's making use of them that makes driving the Superb so easy. A common and on-going issue is the Bluetooth not talking to your phone even after they may have been synced before. It's something that can be overcome in the short term but it is a hindrance all the same. I have not had the issue for a while now but the dealer has been very good in keeping in touch and keeping me up to date.
Satnav maps are another slight let down and have yet to catch up with the road builders along some new parts of the M8 and M7, but again it's not something to worry about. The heated seats were a treat back in Spring and the sunroof is getting a daily workout when it's not raining. Being able to run two Bluetooth signals is very handy as you can use your phone through the steering wheel controls while your music device can talk directly to the stereo. Spec-wise I have to say the Skoda Superb is a very good car in standard guise but it's worth getting some extra toys fitted if you can.
On combined driving I am getting around 6.0 litres/100km (47.1mpg), which I am happy with. The driving has been mixed and it has to be said that with the new DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) cars you do have to rev the engine once every so often to maintain the performance. Only yesterday I noticed a difference in how the engine was reacting after a short drive across the Wicklow hills.
Tyre wear has been even on either side of the car and I just rotated the tyres front to rear as inner and outer wear was even. At this rate I would expect the Dunlops to last another 20,000km before they need to be changed.
The Superb's first service is due in 2,000km so we will see what's needed and how much that will cost.
Summary
To wrap this up I would say the following: I wanted comfort, efficiency and a car I could ask to take almost any load. The Skoda Superb Combi has filled every brief. Every car will have its faults if you look for them and so has the Superb, but after six months and 28,000km I'm still sure I made the right choice.