[dkaile]

Leaving for Jim Corbett Park in the Superb on Saturday morning. The 2nd trip of the Superb to 'Tiger Land'. Will update trip experience and photos on return.

[dezrskb]

Good luck dkaile
Looking forward to some good photos. Hope you have a good telephoto zoom lens

[Motoringlover]

Hi Dkaile - I enjoyed reading your 19 pages in a single go, I own a skoda too [Octavia VRS] my experience also has been pretty good in the recent past with the support service, though i do feel in the eagerness to manage the load of cars, they don't complete the investigation with respect to problems. I still have an unresolved issue which i need to sort with them. But overall i feel - its human and we are prone to mistakes. In the end i would like to believe they are improving and need to be given a fair chance.

I can't thank you enough to have detailed the report, i do now intend to include Superb petrol as one of the cars to be included as part of my next choice, I was contemplating a sedan for my mother [Driver Driven], but the with leg room that you shared in some of the pictures, I do now intend to give it a try. Thanks again for taking the time to write the report.

Best - ML

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by Motoringlover

I enjoyed reading your 19 pages in a single go... I still have an unresolved issue which I need to sort with them.

I do now intend to include Superb petrol as one of the cars to be included as part of my next choice, I was contemplating a sedan for my mother [Driver Driven], but the with leg room that you shared in some of the pictures, I do now intend to give it a try.

Thanks a lot Motoringlover for the kind words. Superb Petrol is an excellent though under-rated brand in the luxury segment which gives E Class comforts at a third of the price. It can turn out to be a excellent beater car for your mother if your budget permits. Its rear and even front legrooms are unparalleled in the current breed of cars I have seen. Hope your unresolved issues with the Octavia get solved soon.

Drive Safe and keep reading...

[dkaile]

Just returned today from a relaxing trip on the Superb from Jim Corbett Park. Had a flawless and luxurious performance from the car. But was disappointed by the fact that the entry to the Jim Corbett Reserve Forest is CLOSED by Supreme Court order. They are only taking safari rides to Sitamarhi Forest range which is NOT a part of the Jim Corbett Core area and the only sightings there will be of other animals but not the Tiger, even though they claim that it strays down there sometimes.

Some memorabilia -

Ready to roll at 6 am on 12/10/12


We were accompanied by an XUV and an Innova


En route Dhaba Stoppage for a nice cuppa tea


Reached Corbett in 4 hours flat from Meerut


Stayed at Club Mahindra


Next Morning started for Safari at 6 am. Had a scary encounter with this elephant immediately on leaving our resort, which was also the high point of the trip. He was crossing a public road flanked on both sides by dense forest. He charged us for a few feet on being startled but our Gypsy driver immediately backed the car.


And thankfully he retreated to the forest


On Sitamarhi side, the sightings are disappointing., They showed us these pug marks to keep our interest alive in this side alive, in wake of the Supreme Court Ban. But I doubt their authenticity.


Some bird shots




And then this beautiful butterfly


The morning nature walk resulted in this beautiful specimen


But nothing much else. So we spent time in enjoying a relaxing holiday instead. The Superb waiting to go back after 2 nights at the spa retreat.


Final stoppage at Mc Donalds, Gajraula for lunch


The average FE achieved was 11.2 kmpl due to some enthusiastic driving on a fully loaded car. Distance covered was around 460 kms on the return trip. The Superb remained stable at brisk pace. Had a flawless and uneventful drive overall.

[ac-cobra]

Originally Posted by dkaile

The average FE achieved was 11.2 kmpl due to some enthusiastic driving on a fully loaded car. Distance covered was around 460 kms on the return trip. The Superb remained stable at brisk pace. Had a flawless and uneventful drive overall.

Thanks for the great pics and review! I am also looking at the Superb as my next purchase. Want to add that your FE of 11.2 is not bad at all. I say this because we did a Delhi-Nainital return trip with me in my ANHC (with 2 onboard) and a friend in a Superb (with 3 onboard+luggage). Now he is a very spirited driver and I had to really push my ANHC to keep up with him (especially on the hilly areas). There were moments where he would surge ahead and stop for a few minutes for me. The funny thing: both our FEs were about 11.5 kmpl at the end of it!

Just goes to show that smaller engines might be efficient when you drive sedately, but in some cases can be as fuel consuming as larger engines if you push hard.

[dkaile]

Sunday Cleaning and a little TLC with Formula 1 to remove the scratches my enthusiastic lab had put on the car chasing monkeys... plus a little tyre/alloy cleanup overdue since long.

[dkaile]

The last 300 odd km trip gave me some phenomenal fuel efficiency figures as shown below. This included some brisk cruising at 160 at which the car was rock steady and eager for more. I am more and more impressed by the day of the build quality of this Skoda. Not a single rattle till now with 7th month going strong and nearly 7k kms.

[ac-cobra]

Originally Posted by dkaile

The last 300 odd km trip gave me some phenomenal fuel efficiency figures as shown below. This included some brisk cruising at 160 at which the car was rock steady and eager for more. I am more and more impressed by the day of the build quality of this Skoda. Not a single rattle till now with 7th month going strong and nearly 7k kms.

Attachment 1005116

I'm getting more and more impressed by the Superb. Do you think one should get one now or hang on till the facelift version arrives sometime next year? Not that it would matter much as its supposedly only the front and back lights and grill that are being modified. My concern is the downhill resale value.

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by ac-cobra

Do you think one should get one now or hang on till the facelift version arrives sometime next year?... My concern is the downhill resale value.

Even in Europe and UK the current Superb is continuing for now. It has also won the Auto Express's Best Family Car 2012 in the UK as you will see in that link. The facelift is still a year away by all accounts and shall not see dawn before late 2013, I presume. The current Superb has a very contemporary front but an understated back end which gradually grows on you. I somehow like the current front end more than the new one that they have launched in the UK spec Rapid. I am more than satisfied with the money I have invested in this decision. Resale is a genuine concern with 'all' petrol cars for now in India but then you save a fair amount upfront too. Even the superlative Petrol Corollas are going for just about 4~5L for lightly driven 6~7 year old vehicles. A vehicle like Superb should be bought with at least 5 plus years of ownership in mind by which time it will depreciate to about half of its original value, notwithstanding whether its a petrol or a diesel as per my estimates. PS- Just avoid the 7-DSG version at all costs.

[Swanand Inamdar]

Dont worry about the depreciation right now.
Its only right for you to enjoy the happiness that this car has to offer. And believe me you, there's a lot more to come.
Good to know that the FE is acceptable too. I did recieve the same on highway drives. In the city, its not worth even mentioning .

[dkaile]

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

In the city, its not worth even mentioning

I am averaging not less than 10kmpl in the city too in the last one month with a little sane driving, though previously my worst figures had dropped to 8kmpl in the Delhi traffic. This may be due to perhaps the absence of crawling bumper to bumper traffic here in Meerut. My highway FE mostly tapers off to around 11.5kmpl due to the fact that you just can't maintain this light foot that I did on the last trip as the car is just too eager to rip the horses apart. And I do like to take care of all my cars with baby gloves and they reciprocate.

[ac-cobra]

Originally Posted by dkaile

Even in Europe and UK the current Superb is continuing for now. It has also won the Auto Express's Best Family Car 2012 in the UK

as you will see in that link. The facelift is still a year away by all accounts and shall not see dawn before late 2013, I presume.

The current Superb has a very contemporary front but an understated back end which gradually grows on you. I somehow like the current front end more than the new one that they have launched in the UK spec
Rapid. I am more than satisfied with the money I have invested in this decision. Resale is a genuine concern with 'all' petrol cars for now in India but then you save a fair amount upfront too. Even the superlative Petrol Corollas are going for just about 4~5L for lightly driven 6~7 year old vehicles. A vehicle like Superb should be bought with at least 5 plus years of ownership in mind by which time it will depreciate to about half of its original value, notwithstanding whether its a petrol or a diesel as per my estimates. PS- Just avoid the 7-DSG version at all costs.

One would have thought Skoda would have sorted out their DSG box by now. I was actually considering an AT, but am OK with MT. The more I look at other cars in the same price range (Accord, Jetta, Passat, X1), the more sense the Superb makes! Also getting some killer deals on the Ambition model, but it lacks a lot of features, especially ESP.

When it comes to resale value, I agree with you to some extent, but Skodas do have a 10-20% worse resale return than say a Honda or Toyota, especially the Superb which possibly could be ready for a replacement 3 years from now. http://www.motorbeam.com/cars/skoda-...lans-revealed/

The practical voice inside me wants to hang on for the new Accord, but the heart is set on the Superb.

I'm going to wait it out for a month or so, let the Diwali season pass and give myself sometime to think it through. Any more comments/updates from you will be greatly appreciated! It sure is a killer car!

[abs182]

Originally Posted by ac-cobra

One would have thought Skoda would have sorted out their DSG box by now. I was actually considering an AT, but am OK with MT. The more I look at other cars in the same price range (Accord, Jetta, Passat, X1), the more sense the Superb makes! Also getting some killer deals on the Ambition model, but it lacks a lot of features, especially ESP.

When it comes to resale value, I agree with you to some extent, but Skodas do have a 10-20% worse resale return than say a Honda or Toyota, especially the Superb which possibly could be ready for a replacement 3 years from now. http://www.motorbeam.com/cars/skoda-...lans-revealed/

The practical voice inside me wants to hang on for the new Accord, but the heart is set on the Superb.

I'm going to wait it out for a month or so, let the Diwali season pass and give myself sometime to think it through. Any more comments/updates from you will be greatly appreciated! It sure is a killer car!

Ac-cobra I can understand your predicament as I'm also in the same boat. I'm also perplexed as to what to replace my Corolla with. I'm also super confused and have thus decided to wait till both the new Accord and the new Superb both are launched and hopefully wait for some ownership experience to come up on team-bhp and it's official reviews and than take a call.

[ac-cobra]

Originally Posted by abs182

Ac-cobra I can understand your predicament as I'm also in the same boat. I'm also perplexed as to what to replace my Corolla with. I'm also super confused and have thus decided to wait till both the new Accord and the new Superb both are launched and hopefully wait for some ownership experience to come up on team-bhp and it's official reviews and than take a call.

I think that makes a lot of sense. The only thing to consider is that you will get great discounts on the current Superb around this time. Already being offered the Ambition model with 1.7L off. Expect the discounts to be higher if you push hard (maybe 2L+). Once the facelifted version comes out in a year or so, you might not get that sort of discount, and there might be a price increase as well.