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Old 24th April 2016, 16:45   #1
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Skoda Superb : Official Review

The Skoda Superb is on sale in India at a price of between Rs.23.83 - 30.85 lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• The benchmark D2-segment luxury sedan...all over again. Well priced for all it offers
• Timeless, elegant styling. Fit, finish & build quality are top notch
• Amazing rear seat comfort. Beats luxury cars costing twice as much
• Classy cabin is practical & user-friendly. Cavernous 625 liter boot!
• Terrific diesel & petrol engines mated to fast gearboxes. Manual tranny available too
• Loaded with features & technology. Equipment list runs pages long
• 5 star safety rating & kit - 8 airbags, ESP, TC, ABS + EBD, EDL and lots more

What you won't:

• DSG is known for breakdowns. Old Superb's long-term reliability was overall poor
• Skoda's scary after-sales service. Dealer network doesn't understand customer service
• Diesel's price premium (over the petrol) is 3 lakhs on the road! That's unusually high
• Some product planning goof-ups (limited colours, no navigation, no diesel MT)
• Non-availability of diesel cars due to improper stock allocation. Be prepared to wait long


Last edited by GTO : 24th April 2016 at 17:00.
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Old 24th April 2016, 16:45   #2
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"Tall is the new long" or "oonchi is the new lambi", as Maruti Suzuki's Executive Director (Marketing & Sales) R.S. Kalsi stated at the Vitara Brezza's press party. There's no better way to describe the changing preferences on the automotive landscape. Everyone wants to go higher above the ground to tackle pothole-laden streets, ferry more passengers or simply make a statement. Whatever the reason may be, SUVs & crossovers have eaten into the sedan market, especially the D segment. If there was one car that fought a lone battle against this changing trend, it was Skoda's flagship sedan, the Superb.

The game-changing 2nd generation Superb (related article):


Skoda launched the B5 (first-gen) Superb at Rs. 23.45 lakh back in 2004. This was a petrol-only (2.8L V6) model, with the diesel (2.5L V6) following later in 2005. It royally flopped because it was too bland, too expensive and looked too much like the half-price Octavia. The B6 (second-gen) Superb was the one that made things right for the Czech carmaker. Not only was it priced aggressively at 18 odd lakhs, it also offered unmatched cabin space, comfort, equipment & quality. The Superb went on to dominate the D2 sedan segment. The picture wasn't all rosy though. A good number of owners are disappointed with its unreliability & poor after-sales (a Skoda trademark). Search on Team-BHP and you'll see threads by members who've gotten a full refund or even their cars replaced! The ones on breakdowns & problems are even more. As Contrapunto posted here, "people swear "by" the Camry, and swear "at" Skoda".

We like the penetrative pricing strategy which is similar to the new Ford Endeavour. The asking price is only marginally higher than the outgoing Superb; it's such a breath of fresh air to see well-priced new models. The Superb is cheaper than even the 5-year old Toyota Camry and makes the likes of the Audi A3 / A4, Mercedes CLA etc. look horribly overpriced. Of course, it's a different matter that, when Skoda launched the Superb in Mumbai, they slyly released prices without octroi (related post). We have another bone to pick in the area of pricing: the diesel variant carries a hefty 2.6 lakh rupee ex-showroom premium over the petrol. This will equate to ~3 lakhs on the road! Considering the petrol is also a modern turbo-charged direct-injection motor, the diesel's premium is simply unjustifiable. Sad, because the diesel variant has the more reliable 6-speed DSG (petrol's 7-speed DSG is a devil). Even in other areas, European diesels are generally more robust than their petrol counterparts.

Skoda Superb : Official Review-skoda-superb-price-specifications.png

The sole direct competitor to the Skoda Superb is the Toyota Camry. Honda (Accord), VW (Passat), Hyundai (Sonata) and Nissan (Teana) have all exited the D2 sedan segment due to dwindling sales (although the Accord is poised for a re-entry). It's an interesting place to be in as the Superb & Camry will battle same-price SUVs (e.g. Endeavour, Fortuner) as well as entry-level German cars (from the A3 to the 320d). Further, there will be some cross-shopping with its own sibling! Walk into a Skoda showroom as you'll see folk deciding between the Octavia & Superb as the price difference isn't too much.

Unveiled in 2015 at Prague, Czech Republic, this is the B8 third-generation Superb. You might be wondering, where's the B7 Superb then? Well, Skoda decided to skip the B7 platform which the 2011 Passat was based on. The new Superb is built on the MQB platform, just like the Skoda Octavia & 2015 Passat (yet to arrive in India).

Jozef Kabaň is the man responsible for the Superb's design and we have to say, we're big fans of his work. The new Superb's styling is very classy & understated. It's no longer quirky as its predecessor was - the proportions are just right. This is a clean design that looks elegant & proportionate. You wouldn't have guessed it, but the new Superb is actually a bit longer than the car it replaces. The design does a fair job of concealing the sheer length. Equally, in person, the Superb doesn't evoke a WOW feeling, instead portraying a sense of maturity. Some people will like it, others will miss the flash. We also heard people complaining that the front looks too much like the Octavia. There's no denying that.

The paint quality is top notch and has a rich lustre. Look closely at the 'Black Magic Pearl Effect' shade (in particular) and the pearl flakes are visible too. Sweet! Build quality felt at par with the 2011 Passat and there is zero complaint in this regard. Fit & finish are impeccable, with the Superb feeling every bit like the premium European sedan that it is. As expected, the MQB-based Superb is significantly lighter than its predecessor. The petrol MT weighs 1,494 kg, petrol AT is 1,540 kg and the diesel AT is 1,565 kg (vs 1,586 - 1,644 kg for the old car).

Skoda has limited the car to 2 variants only – Style and Laurin & Klement (L&K). We were pleasantly surprised with the Style variant that is also well-equipped. It certainly doesn't feel like a base variant, what with the 8 airbags, safety driving aids, sunroof, electric driver's seat, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera and more. You'll see a lovely comparo on the two variants by BHPian Lancer_rit here. Speaking of airbags, the Superb has a 5-star Euro NCAP rating (link).

The range of colour choices is awfully limited. The Business Grey shade is only available on the L&K trim, which means the Style variant gets 3 - black, white & brown. On such an interesting car, customers would surely want interesting colour options. The popular Rosso Brunello (maroon) shade is available (see this post), but ironically, only for a few initially built cars. How strange, how inconsistent.

Skoda also needs to learn how to handle its launches properly. When the Octavia was introduced, the company didn't have enough kits, resulting in unusually long waiting periods! Now, this new Superb was launched in February, and those who booked the diesel got an email stating 'no deliveries in March due to global demand'!! Basically, no kits of the diesel until May! Then, Skoda must be the only manufacturer whose website for a fresh new car is full of broken links - related post. As if that wasn't enough, when BHPian ManishKapadia placed a request for a new brochure via their online form, he was sent a pdf of the old Superb (related post)!

Very timeless, very classy. No denying that the face is very similar to the Octavia though. This lack of a distinct identity might put off some potential customers:


Rear end is elegant as well. Notice how the exhaust tips are hidden out of sight. Virtually no differentiating factor or badging between the petrol & diesel variants. We love the fact that there's no chrome garnish !


We're big fans of clean designs and find the new Superb to be very appealing. It's longer than the older car by 28 mm, wider by 47 mm and taller by just 1 mm. The most obvious advantage is in the wheelbase which has grown by 80 mm! C-Pillar is now much sharper than in the older car (reference image):


If you're looking for flash, look elsewhere. No 'wow' factor here. Despite the length, the Superb looks like a proportionate luxury car (not a limousine):


Street cred comes from the sheer size:


All variants get bi-xenon adaptive headlamps with L-shaped LED DRLs. These bend in the same direction as the steering wheel (up to a certain degree) and 'adapt' themselves to different driving conditions (city / highway / rain) by changing their light pattern. It's pretty cool - check out the interactive explanation on Skoda's website:


The DRLs double up as turn indicators. Don't miss the headlamp washers tucked inside the trapezoidal enclosure below:


The crystalline design theme makes its way inside the headlamps as well. These actually pay homage to the Czech glass-making industry:


Skoda family grill is now larger than before. Chrome vertical slats look classy, as does the chrome strip on the air dam below. Incredibly tasteful:


No curves, it's all edgy. Static bending foglamps light up in the direction of the steering wheel (when the headlamps are on):


Indian Superb gets the 'rough road package'. Plastic protective plate underneath. While the ground clearance is rated as 164 mm on the petrol and 149 mm on the diesel, we hear from company sources that the two cars actually have the same 164 mm ride height. The difference in rating is because of a new feature that *might* follow later:


Bonnet design is evolutionary over that of the 2nd-gen Superb (link to image). Bonnet shutlines have moved to the side:


Two windscreen washers do their job competently. They are heated (for extremely cold / snowy conditions):


Like all VAG cars, the chassis number is located on the windscreen's bottom right:


Sharp ORVMs with integrated turn indicators and…


…puddle lamps:


Request sensor on both front doors. Merely place your finger on it (no need to press anything):


Great looking 10-spoke 17" Stratos rims on the L&K variant. Outgoing car wore 16" wheels:


The 5-spoke 17" Helios alloy wheels of the Style variant. These were shod with 215/55 R17 Hankook Ventus Prime 2 tyres. Poor choice of tyres for such a premium car:


Side rub guards portray the crystalline theme as well; these are part of the body itself (not added later):


That is just horrible! The sunroof opens & slides over the body! What an ugly sight. Even though the panoramic sunroof occupies half the roof, the open area is comparable to the older Superb:


Chrome strip surrounds the window area. It stands out on a darker colour. Check out the huge distance between the rear door handle and the edge of the door:


Shark-fin radio antenna mounted at the rear:


LED tail lights with crystalline elements inside:


How stylish they look at night:


Finally this long car gets a reversing camera! The number plate lights are white LEDs:


Fake rear diffuser in the form of a black plastic cladding at the bottom. Parking sensors are installed on it:


I tried & tried, but couldn't find any sensor for the 'virtual boot pedal'. Skoda then told me that it's a child part of the rear bumper. Check out the fuel tank's protection plate here:


All of a sudden, the Octavia looks plain-Jane next to its modern sibling:


A full size larger:


In Candy White. Looks bigger in light shades. Click to view the large size image and you'll see that the Superb has 4 front parking sensors:


'Business Grey' only on the L&K variant:

Last edited by GTO : 26th April 2016 at 08:45.
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The doors shut with a solid, reassuring thud, cocooning passengers from the world outside. Like the previous gen Superb, the interiors carry a black & beige theme. This colour combination is the preferred choice among segment buyers and rightly so – it makes the cabin airy and plush at the same time. Like the outside, the interior also has clean styling which is typically German – simple and elegant. Of course, the overall design language is very similar to the Octavia and the family look is obvious. It's classy, but there's no wow factor here. There are lines of ambient lighting on the dashboard & doors and you can customise their colour (warm white, blue, green). However, we feel it's too gimmicky & out of place in such an elegant interior.

This is a big cabin and the beige colour + glass area make for a bright ambience. There are a lot of soft touch materials in here and overall quality is top notch. The interior doesn't have any of the wooden inserts that we saw in the previous Superb. What you get instead are piano black panels (L&K only). This, along with chrome, is tastefully applied. That said, piano black finishing isn't as universally appealing as wood and there will be many customers who'll miss the veneered look.

Cabin width & headroom are sufficient at the front. While the leather quality is good (perforated on the top variant), we do remember the previous Superb's Nappa leather to be richer. The seat compound is just right - we don't like seats that are too soft as they aren't comfortable on long drives. The 12-way electrically adjustable driver's seat not only offers satisfactory support (including adjustable lumbar support), but it has 3 memory settings as well. The memory remembers your seat & ORVM positions. In the L&K variant, the passenger gets 12-way electric adjustments. Also on the L&K, the front seats can be heated & cooled! This cooling feature has been seen in the Passat, Elantra and Sonata before Skoda's flagship and I must say, I'm in love with it! It just feels so cool (pun intended), and is exceptionally useful in our hot weather. The feature ensures that your back never gets hot or sweaty.

The steering wheel is the same one we saw in the 2014 Superb Facelift. It adjusts for reach and rake, both. The steering is nice to hold and is just the right size. The overall ergonomics of the Superb are sorted; everything is logically laid out and falls to hands easily. Frontal visibility is excellent too. For a car of this size, the Superb is surprisingly easy to drive, with partial credit for that going to the friendly driving position. If I had a complaint from the driver's seat, it would be the rearward visibility. The sloping rear windscreen, C-pillars and rear neck restraints make it difficult. Not only is the view limited through the IRVM, even the ORVMs offer restricted visibility (they need to be a size bigger). Yep, there are parking aids in the form of a reversing camera and front + rear parking sensors. Keeping the length of this car in mind, you'll definitely need them. On a related note, the parking sensors remain active even while driving around. If a car / bike / pedestrian gets too close to the Superb in traffic, these will beep and show a warning on the infotainment screen. While I think it's very useful, some might get annoyed with the feature constantly alerting the driver in traffic (in urban India, everyone is always close to you!!). Those who dislike these alerts can turn the feature off. One more complaint I have is Skoda ditching the organ-type accelerator pedal which is ergonomically superior to use (related thread). The new Superb's suspended pedal simply doesn't suit the luxurious character of this car.

The 2nd-generation Superb's air-con had a notorious reputation for its inefficiency on hot summer days. I'm happy to report that the new Superb's climate control did a fantastic job of keeping us cool all throughout. The compressor is sure working hard and we rarely saw it cutting off. Anshuman says it never cuts off because the compressor doesn't have a clutch; it's the variable load kind (will lose effectiveness over time). Additionally, the blower is intrusive and constantly makes its presence felt due to the higher fan speed. The Superb gets a triple-zone climate control unit - one each for the front occupants, and temperature control for rear passengers. Must mention the awesome cooling feature of the front seats again, although chauffeur-driven seths will wonder why it isn't offered on the back seat (2012 Hyundai Sonata AT had cooled front + rear seats).

There are ample storage areas in the new Superb (just like the older car). The front doors can easily swallow a 1L water bottle + some more knick knacks. What's more, the area inside has fabric-lining which ensures that loose items don't make any rattling sound (helps prevent scratches on your belongings too). There is a large storage area under the centre armrest which is illuminated + cooled. Its floor can be further lowered to accommodate a small tablet (positioned vertically). 3 cupholders are provided between the gear lever and centre console, with a covering lid. Ahead of the gear lever, there's another storage area; it's here that you'll find the 12V power socket, USB and AUX-in ports. The driver gets a small stowage box (below the headlamp rotary switch), in addition to the glove compartment which is medium sized. Unfortunately, a big panel on top of the glovebox (housing the Skoda multimedia system) eats away space. This would ideally be for a CD / DVD player, but only has an SD card slot on the Indian car. Yes, the glovebox is illuminated & cooled. Below the front passenger's seat is a storage box with a 1.5 kg load capacity. Lastly, what's a Skoda Superb without umbrellas right? Get this - there are TWO of them mounted inside the front doors (one each). The outgoing Superb had one umbrella on the rear left door.

Classy beige & black interiors with white backlighting. Quality of materials is premium and there are lots of soft-touch surfaces. Notice the green ambient lighting which runs across the dashboard & doors. You can change it to white or blue if you so wish:


Leather steering is carried forward from the 2014 Superb facelift. Just the right size. It feels good to hold and the hornpad isn't much of a stretch for your fingers either. Piano black finishing is tastefully applied here:


Healthy range of reach & rake adjustment:


LHS buttons are for audio & voice commands, while the ones on the RHS are for the MID & telephone. Scrollers are fantastic to operate! Press the volume knob to mute. The button above the phone icon (on the RHS) is a dummy. On the international Superb, it opens up the driver assist menu (lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring and so on):


Again, classy is the only way to describe the new instrument cluster. It remains illuminated during the day and dims slightly at night. Revv counter on the left and speedometer on the right (just the way we like it). The numbers are easy to read. Good to see Skoda retaining the engine temperature gauge. W-i-d-e trip meter reset button (at the bottom) is so ungainly!


Coloured MID available in the L&K variant:


Top right shows current gear & driving mode. E.g. in Sport, it displays S1, S2... and in Eco, it's E1, E2.... In manual mode, only the gear number is displayed:


Voice commands are available on the L&K variant:


MID will tell you exactly which door is open. The Style variant (RHS image) gets a more basic MID:


Sure is a cluttered stalk! The light / indicator stalk also houses the cruise control options. You can activate cruise control at a minimum speed of 20 km/h, and accelerate from the stalk at increments of 1 km/h. Tap the light stalk softly for the 'lane change' indicator. On the right is the wiper stalk:


Small paddle shifters are very welcome, but their plastic construction feels very 'unpremium'. Should have had metal, even if only partially. On a ghat section or while overtaking, we used the paddles judiciously. At times, we downshifted just to hear the engine rev matching (more on that later):


What a stupid location for the engine start button! They obviously filled up the ignition keyhole area on the side of the steering column! In the AT, you need to press the brake pedal before starting the car (MT = clutch pedal):


Thanks to keyless entry & go, you don't need to remove the smartkey from your pocket / bag. Long-press the unlock button to roll down all the windows and tilt open the sunroof (vice versa with the lock button). In the L&K variant, hold the boot button to open as well as close the boot electrically:


Rotary headlamp switch with 'auto' mode. Pull the switch once and the front foglamps come on, pull again for the rear foglamps:


Dashboard surface is soft to touch. Side air vents with a subtle chrome border. Air volume can be adjusted. Don't miss the blue ambient light underneath:


Beige doorpad with a black top. The chrome door handle is of excellent quality. Its design is even mirrored on the tweeter ahead. Door is home to 3 speakers:


All 4 power windows get auto up and down functionality. Armrest area (bottom & side) is soft:


2 umbrellas on all variants (one on each front door). We can hear Sam Kapasi's roaring laughter (related post). Wet umbrella? No sweat. You can still slot it in here:


Comfortable seats. The L&K variant gets slightly better quality perforated leather with L&K branding on them. Front seats have a very effective cooling function:


12-way electrically adjustable driver's seat with 3 memory settings. Adjustable lumbar support too:


Active neck restraints are a part of standard equipment. These actually move forward in a crash to minimise neck injury:


Door sills are standard with different branding in different variants:


Am disappointed that Skoda has ditched the organ-type accelerator pedal for its flagship car! Even the VW Jetta has an organ-type setup which is ergonomically friendlier (related thread). The dead pedal is decently sized and is positioned at a comfortable angle:


Skoda designers have favoured form over function here. Actual mirror area should have been a size bigger in such an XL-sized car. Without ever distracting the driver, he can notice the turn indicators being on (from the inside). Not that you'll use the feature much in India, but both ORVMs are heated:


There's very little the IRVM can show. Due to the rear neck restraints and sloping windscreen, rearward visibility is limited. Also, you'll have to rely on the sensors and reversing camera to park this 4.9 m long car:


See what I mean? You'll never know how far behind the rear end is. It's just too difficult to judge its length while parking:


Quite a few geometrical shapes here. The design is classy, despite the obvious clutter due to so many buttons!


Tasteful chrome surrounds for the air-con vents. Center vents can be shut off completely too:


6.5" touchscreen infotainment system with piano black panelling. Touch quality is similar to a premium smartphone. Full ICE details in the next post:


Dual-zone climate control at the front (another zone at the rear). Air-con is capable, unlike the 2nd-gen Superb's unit. Works hard though and the blower's sound can get intrusive. 'Sync' button applies the same master temperature:


My favourite feature – climatic seats! The front seats can be heated / cooled. Trust me, on a hot day, the cooling makes a world of difference! Chauffeur-driven seth on the backseat will miss it:


The lid opens in an elegant manner to reveal the storage area underneath. The base is of a rubberised material. 12V power socket, USB and Aux inputs are located here:


I will complain of the several dummy buttons around the gear lever. It just feels wrong in such an expensive car, and mind you, this is the top spec L&K variant:


4 driving modes are available to the driver – Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual (more on that later):


Parking sensor and boot opener buttons:


The Style MT variant felt even more poverty-spec with those 3 buttons missing. Full of dummies!


The 'auto hold' button, electronic handbrake (pull to engage, push to disengage) and central locking button located below the gear lever:


Nice & comfy armrest:


A few angles among the many at which you can position this adjustable armrest:


Four 500 ml bottles can easily fit in the cooled + illuminated compartment (below the armrest). As you can tell, it's deep:


There's a little flap on the floor which covers a deeper slot. Large tablets or small laptops can slide in here and still allow the lid to close:


3 cupholders located between the gear lever and armrest console. See those 5 raised dots at the base? They interlock with the 5 dimples on the bottom of a typical 500 ml bottle, holding it in place, so you just need one hand to twist open its cap! No need to take both hands off the wheel. Quite handy, eh? When not in use, you can close this compartment by sliding the high quality lid:


A stowage bin on the driver's RHS. Two slots for holding cards & slips. Superb integration, unlike some other cars which have it on the center fascia (EcoSport image):


New sunroof & cabin light controls. Cabin only uses white LEDs. There's a button here for the rear cabin lamp too:


These are the security system's interior motion detectors:


Panoramic sunroof has a 1,002 × 1,200 mm pane made from tinted and heat-insulating glass, reflecting 92% of incoming heat and 90% of incoming light. Though it looks very big from the outside, the actual opening / viewing area is more or less comparable to the previous gen Superb. It has slide as well as tilt functionality:


Manual sunshade (same price Endeavour gives you an electric sunshade). This one isn't entirely opaque; it's translucent:


Both sunvisors get illuminated vanity mirrors. As soon as you slide open the cover, the light turns on automatically. Clip for holding parking / toll tickets too:


Small pocket on the front seats to store odd items (in the Style variant):


Front passenger seat in the Style variant is 8-way manually adjustable. Not bad because the passenger can adjust the seat height & lumbar support! In the L&K, it's a 12-way electrically adjustable seat. In this image, you can also see the regular (non-perforated) leather upholstery of the Style variant:


Under-seat storage box with a load bearing capacity of 1.5 kg. Perfect to stow away your laptop or valuables:


Soft opening glovebox. However, it was misaligned in one of the test cars:


The felt-lined glovebox is of a medium size. There's a cooling vent & pen holder too. Eating away into the space is a media console on top which houses only an SD card slot (no CD / DVD player). See the international version at this link:


Faux wood inserts have been replaced by piano black (L&K) and silver (Style). Here's some trivia behind the L&K brand - Václav Laurin and Václav Klement are founders of the Laurin & Klement Co. (automobile, motorcycle & bicycle manufacturer) which was taken over by Skoda Works. Thus, Skoda Auto was born:


Nifty clip on the windscreen (driver's side) to hold toll / parking slips:

Last edited by GTO : 26th April 2016 at 08:57.
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In-Car Entertainment

The responsiveness of this 6.5" touchscreen is among the best that I've experienced. It's almost as quick as a premium smartphone. Over & above the touchscreen, the head-unit has physical buttons for the important functions (preferred while driving). The system gets MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Unfortunately, it doesn't have GPS navigation inbuilt (although you can mirror your phone's navigation on the screen):


The L&K variant gets a Canton sound system with 12 speakers (610W). 6 speakers in the front doors, 4 in the rear doors, 1 on the dash and a subwoofer in the boot. Sound quality is awesome . The Style variant gets 8 speakers:


Listen via Bluetooth, AUX, USB or SD card, but no CD / DVD player (despite that huge media console in the glovebox):


3 colour options for the ambient lighting - green, blue and warm white. The light intensity, area of lights and footwell lighting can be controlled from the touchscreen. Footwells get white lighting only:


Climate control settings via the infotainment screen. Temperature & fan speed for any of the 3 zones can be controlled from here. Rear buttons can be locked too (i.e. to prevent kids from fooling around with them):


The tyre pressure monitoring system:


For such a premium car, the quality of this reversing camera display is poor. The system features adaptive as well as colour coded guidelines. An annoying thing is that left screen which needs to be manually minimized every single time that the camera display turns on. While on the move, it is this left display that appears on the screen if a biker / pedestrian comes too close to the car:


The 4 different viewing options of the camera display (clockwise) - perpendicular parking, parallel parking, wide angle and bumper view:


Bring your finger close to the screen and a tab pops up displaying the function of those buttons. Sweet! Yep, you can view drive-specific data on the touchscreen too:


Plethora of options available in the vehicle settings...


...including those for the MID on the instrument cluster:


One of the few cars which shows the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the ICE:

Last edited by GTO : 26th April 2016 at 15:59.
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Caution: the panel between the door handle and the edge of the door runs almost a foot! Just be a bit careful so that the door's edge doesn't hurt you. Ingress / egress are otherwise very convenient, especially due to the wide opening doors and the big gap between the B-pillar and seatbase.

Step inside and you will experience acres of legroom! Limo-like leg space has always been a USP of the Superb. Due to an 80 mm longer wheelbase (compared to the older-gen), this car sets a benchmark when it comes to rear bench space this side of the S-Class / 7-Series / A8. Skoda claims that the larger dimensions have liberated 157 mm of additional legroom (it's not evident though). Sitting behind a 6 foot driver, there was easily 5" of knee room to spare between my knees and the seat! Another thing worth mentioning here is that the seatback is soft, so in the rarest of occasions that your knees touch the front seat, you'll be alright. Foot room (below the front seat) is generous too and there are awesome angled footrests to rest your feet on (like in the old S-Class Mercs). There's so much space here that I could actually sit with one leg in a crossed position – like a BOSS! Speaking of boss, Skoda has provided 'Boss Buttons' on the front passenger's seat. As if the legroom wasn't enough, the 'boss' can use these buttons to slide forward the front seat and adjust its recline angle (electrically). You can adjust the seat even when there is a passenger sitting on it.

I found the under-thigh support to be satisfactory. However, in terms of absolute comfort, the Camry's rear seat which is more like a sofa is that much better. The Toyota also offers an adjustable backrest angle. The Superb's armrest is set at a suitable angle and so are the supremely comfy, soft headrests. The door armrest though is located a little too far for normal folk. What's tight is the headroom, due to the sharp C-pillar design. At 5'10", I barely had 2 inches of headroom available. I suggest that super-tall buyers spend some time here before signing on the dotted line.

Skoda says that elbow room has increased by 69 mm. The seat itself is wide enough for an occasional third passenger. However, the tall transmission tunnel will force his feet to rest on either side. The 5th passenger's raised seating area also isn't comfy. All 3 seatbelts are 3-pointers and all 3 neck restraints are adjustable .

Skoda has equipped the Superb's windows with sunshades which can be rolled up to protect rear passengers from the harsh summer heat and give them some privacy. These are exceptionally handy in our sunfilm-less era. The Passat had an electronic sunshade for the rear windscreen, but the new Superb gets a manual one. It's quite a pain to reach out and hook it in place. Too much work for a sethji, I must say. These menial tasks are best left to the driver. As mentioned earlier, the new Superb's air-conditioning is powerful. Rear passengers can set their own temperature, but strangely, there is no blower speed control. The vents do have an airflow knob though. Remember the B-pillar mounted air vents of the old Superb (image link)? They're gone.

Storage areas for rear passengers include a 500 ml bottle holder in each door, two seatback pockets, 2 cupholders + pen holder integrated in the rear armrest, provision for a tablet holder and a compartment at the base of the air-con console. Here, you'll find a 12v socket to charge your smartphone.

Party trick = walk up to the Superb and swing your foot under the rear bumper to open the boot! Hands full with bags? No problem. No longer does the Superb have a twin-door hatchback though; it's either all open or closed. The boot is as cavernous as ever with the new Superb getting 625 litres of cargo capacity (60 litres more than before). Further, the rear seats can fold down in a 60:40 ratio to liberate 1,760 litres of boot space. Once you are done with loading the boot, press the button and it'll close down electrically.

Ingress & egress are easy due to the wide opening doors and big gap between the B-pillar and seatbase:


Armrest area (base & side) has soft touch materials. Doorpads can accommodate a 500 ml bottle:


Enormous rear legroom - a Superb trademark. Forget the E-Class, this is S-Class rivalling space:


Seatback area is also soft, for the rare occasion that you'll bury your knees in them. Two handy seatback pockets:


'Boss' buttons (L&K only) through which you can electrically slide & straighten the front passenger's seat:


Awesome angled footrests. Also notice the floor level air-con vents, lighting and mat lettering in this image:


Tall floor hump will make things difficult for the 5th occupant:



All 3 headrests are adjustable, soft and supremely comfortable! Rear headroom for 6 footers will be tight though, thanks to the sharp C-pillar. Also visible in this pic is the lever to fold down the rear seat:


Comfy, wide armrest:


It includes integrated cupholders, a mount for a tablet holder and a pen slot:


You can access the boot from the rear seat, or use this feature for long items (e.g. skis):


From the rear seat, this is all you'll see through the "panoramic sunroof". It's not a proper panoramic sunroof like the Endeavour's:


Rear air-con vents with temperature control. No blower speed setting, although there is a knob for air volume control. You see those dummy buttons on either side? Those are for the heated seats of the international variant:


Storage area with a 12V power socket below:


Manual sunshade provides protection against the summer heat and some privacy:


Useful rear sunshade too! Trust me, it makes a BIG difference. Like the Passat, it should have been electrically operable:


Two-piece parcel tray. The farther end folds upward with the boot, while the other half remains fixed:


Individual LED cabin lights at the back:


Spring-loaded grab handles with coat hooks:


Take a look at the B-pillar mounted bag hook as well as the height adjustable front seatbelt:


Safety mounts for the little ones:


No longer do you get an option to either open the boot (only) or the entire hatch. The 3rd-gen Superb ditches the twin-door mechanism:


Cavernous 625L of boot space is 60L more than before. It's not just the storage capacity, but even the neat layout of the boot that impresses:


Rear seats fold down in a 40:60 ratio for added flexibility. With these down, cargo capacity is a whopping 1,760L!


With the seat down:


A clever cargo net beneath the parcel tray to hold loose items:


Notice the top tethers (for child seats) on either side of the boot access. Both seats are Isofix-ready:


Medical kit & net are neatly tucked away in the RHS compartment of the boot. Don't miss the 12V power socket, boot lamp, bag hooks and the many net hooks at the floor level:


With the cargo nets in place (sample usage). These are part of the official accessory list. Also check out both the boot lamps in this pic:


Style variant has an empty compartment on the LHS; L&K variant gets a subwoofer here:


Weird! While the regular tyres are 17" Hankooks, the spare is a 205/55 R16 Goodyear Eagle NCT 5. This is the exact same size & make of tyre as what the 2nd-gen Superb used. Smart way to dispose off leftover stock?! Whatever the reason, this is cheap:


In the L&K, simply press this button to electronically close the tailgate:


On the Style variant, you have to pull it down manually:


Since we're on the boot, some interesting points on its behaviour (thanks to Omkar who pretty much studied it in detail!):

• The boot when opened using the key opens with a double beep. This is followed by an alarm sound till the tail is completely open. Same goes for the closing.

• An option is available for 'half boot open', which would be useful for parking areas where the ceiling height is low.

• When the boot lid is at the extreme open position, long-pressing the boot close button (on the boot lid) would slowly bring the boot down. Releasing the button stops the hatch at that particular position. The cool feature is this is a memory function, and the next time you open the boot, it will open to that particular position only. To erase the position from the memory, manually push the boot lid to the max open position, press the boot close button for 5 seconds and voila - the memory is cleared.

• When using the key to open the boot, if you press the boot open button midway, the boot lid pauses at that particular position. Pressing the button again resumes the boot open motion and it swings up to the maximum level. When the button is pressed midway while the boot is closing, the boot lid would pause at that instant, although on resuming, the boot opens up instead of closing (totally ignoring the initial closing motion).

Last edited by GTO : 26th April 2016 at 08:40.
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Like before, the new-gen Superb has been launched with two engine and three transmission options. There's a 1.8L TSI petrol (EA888) which is offered with either the 7-speed DSG (DQ200-7F) in the same tune as the Octavia, or a 6-speed manual transmission (MQ350-6F) with a higher torque rating. The more practical offering is the 2.0L turbo-diesel with a 6-speed DSG (DQ250-6F). The diesel's power rating is higher than in the Octavia even though they share the same EA288 codenamed engine. The outgoing Superb was once offered with a 3.6L petrol that churns out 260 horses! Poor sales means it's not returning. Period.

The Laurin & Klement variants are equipped with four driving modes – ECO, Normal, Sport and Individual. No, this isn't just a gimmicky feature. It actually makes a difference. Four different parameters of the car - the steering, transmission, dynamic cornering lights and climate control - can be tuned to extract performance, efficiency or a combination of both. Internationally, the Skoda Superb gets an adaptive suspension too. In ECO mode, the transmission is more relaxed (lift off the throttle and the car coasts at a low rpm), the air-con compressor works lesser, the adaptive headlamps are deactivated and the start / stop system is activated. In Sport mode, the steering weighs up, the transmission is more aggressive and the adaptive headlamps are more sensitive to steering input. In 'Individual' mode, you can configure the 4 (steering, gearbox, cornering lights & air-con) individually.

Different driving modes are exclusive to the L&K variants:


Drivers have the option to tune the 4 parameters individually too:


Driving the 2.0L TDI + DSG


The Superb diesel gets more power under the hood. Where the older car had 138 BHP & 320 Nm of torque on tap, the new Superb makes 174 BHP (@ 3,600 - 4,000 rpm) and 350 Nm torque (@ 1,500-3,500 rpm). This power rating is comparable to the Audi A4 & pre-facelift A6. Transmission duties are carried out by a 6-speed DSG whose reliability is better than the petrol's 7-speed DSG. The diesel engine is also the more robust, hence we can safely assume that the Superb TDI will be more hassle-free to own in the longer term than the petrol. On the whole, the diesel is an all-rounder; it's competent in the city, on the highway and in the area of fuel-economy (ARAI rating = 18.19 km/l).

Press the brake pedal, gently tap the engine start / stop button and the Superb comes to life. It's quite silent on the inside at idle. However, you can hear a faint diesel thrum at all times (faint is the key term here). I must admit that the Superb seemed quieter than the Passat at idle & on the move. Overall refinement levels are good and it's only when the revv needle goes over 3,000 rpm that the diesel's thrum gets audible inside the cabin. Vibrations are well-controlled too.

The diesel's torque coupled with the DSG feels perfectly tuned for the city. There's negligible turbo lag and power is available from as low as 1,250 rpm. Throttle inputs are sharp and the engine is very rev happy. Its responsiveness will pleasantly surprise you. In the city, you'll notice the gearbox's eagerness to upshift quickly - at rpms below 2,000. The car is happy to hit 6th gear at speeds of 70 km/h. Owners will appreciate that upshift quality is smooth & seamless. On your daily drive through rush hour crowds, you'll only need to give the engine light accelerator inputs. With an easy foot, this luxo barge can be a calm commuter and fuel efficiency will be respectable as well. Under most circumstances, the car doesn't warrant a downshift at light - medium throttle inputs as there is adequate torque to pull away. It downshifts a lot lesser than the petrol DSG for sure. If you see a gap that you want to close immediately and floor the accelerator though, the car can take up to a second before it drops a gear (or two) and surges ahead. With a DSG, downshifts are nowhere as instantaneous as upshifts. Another noteworthy point: From time to time, we felt a jerk from the DSG whenever we were slowing down and it downshifted from 3rd to 2nd. This was felt in the 6-speed & 7-speed DSGs, both.

Drive enthusiastically and you'll see the traction control light continuously blinking as the 215 section tyres struggle for grip. There's a lot of wheel spin in the 1st & 2nd gears. In fact, at lower speeds, press the accelerator even halfway down and the traction control light flashes! Not that the previous car ever felt underpowered on the highway, but the 2016 Superb is even more competent on the open road. She's a capable cruiser that can happily do three digit speeds all day long. And with relaxed cruising ability at that! As an example, 100 km/h comes up at merely ~1,600 rpm while 120 km/h is seen at a calm ~1,900 rpm in top gear. Such relaxed cruising means minimal engine sound & a longer tank range. Overtaking is easy. Kickdown, wait a moment for the DSG to downshift and you'll see the diesel revving freely to 5,000 rpm. The mid-range packs a solid punch and the torque on tap makes light work of passing fast vehicles. On the highway, this engine + gearbox combination truly shines. You simply don’t realise the speeds you’re doing, thanks to the car's behaviour & stability! Expressway performance is of a very tall order.

“S” mode is the best when you're in the mood to play. The DSG holds onto gears longer and keeps the engine in its powerband (at the cost of higher revvs). I didn’t use Tiptronic mode a lot in the diesel, as it simply isn't as much fun as in the petrol which offers a higher revv range. However, Tiptronic can be useful for getting the car ready before an overtaking manouveur. Why? Remember, downshift response time is the 6-speed DSG's Achilles heel. Still, there is no doubt that the DSG is superior to any of the other auto boxes in the segment.

A dual-hinged mechanism is used to slide the hood forward & up, allowing it to open without interference:
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More power under the hood than the 2nd-gen Superb:


Full insulation sheet:


2 pneumatic struts (one on either side) lift & hold the bonnet in place. Old Superb had just one:


36 PSI all-round with a medium load, and an unusually high 41 | 45 PSI with a full load:


Driving the 1.8L TSI + DSG


This 1.8L direct-injection turbo-petrol churns out 178 BHP (@ 5,100 - 6,200 rpm) and 250 Nm of torque (@ 1,250 - 5,000 rpm). ARAI fuel efficiency rating = 14.67 km/l. Mated with the AT, torque has been restricted to the max capacity of the DQ200-7F gearbox (250 Nm). Previous-gen Superb petrol AT owners have been troubled by transmission failures, and we still have our reservations on the long-term reliability of this gearbox. Some owners have reported as many as 3 mechatronic failures in the same car!

Fire her up and the first thing you'll notice is that the petrol isn't dead silent (like a Camry or Accord). Yes, it is faintly audible inside the cabin.

Slot the gear lever into D and a slight dab on the accelerator is enough for you to realise there is something special under the hood. The turbo-petrol's power delivery is instantaneous, and this engine too is very responsive in nature. With even light throttle inputs, the luxo-barge effortlessly glides around the city. Thanks to direct-injection tech & turbo-charging, the motor is definitely not dead below 2,000 rpm as some other petrols are. In fact, there is ample torque available at low rpms. Like we saw in the diesel, the petrol's DSG is eager to upshift below 2,000 rpm and reach the highest gear possible. You'll see it engage 6th gear at 60 - 70 km/h. While this is good for mileage, it can get irritating in traffic, because the box then has to downshift 2 (sometimes 3) gears when quick acceleration is required. The 1st gear of the DSG appears to be incredibly short; the DSG is reluctant to shift into 1st and prefers to slip the clutch in 2nd at times. I tried using D mode on climbs and realised that the engine can get bogged down in 2nd gear at low speeds. The DSG refuses to downshift to first, so you just have to wait for the turbo to kick in. Once it does, there's ample power on tap. Like with the diesel's 6-speed DSG, we noticed some jerkiness when the car was slowing down and the gearbox downshifted from 3rd to 2nd.

The TSI + DSG combo is a lot of fun on the highway. Acceleration is brutal from a standstill, and the motor hungrily revs up to its redline. The engine note is so addictive that you can’t help but floor the accelerator whenever you see an empty stretch, ending up with a huge grin plastered across your face . Adding to the fun factor is the high pitched turbo whoosh at high revs. The acceleration & performance are very addictive and you'll reach silly speeds without even realising it. Overtaking is quick & easy, and even part throttle responses do the job. The turbo-petrol has a strong midrange with ample poke available at higher revs too. However, at times, if you mash the A-pedal to the ground, the gearbox takes a second to decide whether to downshift or continue in the same gear. In terms of cruisability, the petrol DSG is relaxed, although not as much as the diesel. In 7th gear, 100 km/h is seen at 1,950 rpm.

'D' mode does a wonderful job nearly all of the time. Even with varying throttle inputs, I found the car choosing the correct gear. It never seemed confused like some old-school torque converter ATs. When you want to have fun though, there's always S mode available. In Sport mode, the gearbox holds onto lower ratios longer and won't upshift easily, thus keeping you in the meat of the powerband. With an aggressive right foot, you can hold a gear till the redline (after which it automatically upshifts). Sport mode is also very eager to kickdown, and will drop a few gears at the slightest tickle of the accelerator. There’s much more engine braking in Sport mode, with the ECU nicely blipping the throttle when downshifting. The only fly in the ointment is again, the reluctance to drop down to 1st gear, unless you floor the pedal.

The Superb is equipped with a tiptronic mode and steering-mounted paddle shifters. The paddle shifters in particular are a boon for quick overtaking manoeuvres and while driving on a mountain road. Importantly, the way the DSG rev matches on downshifts is super addictive! I was actually downshifting at times just to hear it rev match. The DSG supports aggressive downshifts and allows the driver to have some fun with this car. On a ghat section, not once did I miss an MT because of the sheer brilliance of the gearbox. Manually downshifting results in a healthy amount of engine braking - always a good thing (we love engine braking).

The smooth, fast & unreliable DSG:


The 1.8L TSI petrol has different torque ratings in the MT & AT:


Heat shield + adequate damping on the firewall:


Loads of part sharing with VW & Audi:


Even the petrol gets an insulation sheet under the hood:


Drive hard, pay hard! Here's what she returned after a high-revving ghat section (translated = 3.5 km/l) in manual mode:


While driving in manual mode, the gearshift indicator tells you to upshift / downshift (showing you both gear numbers). If you hold a gear till the redline, the DSG will upshift automatically:


Driving the 1.8L TSI + Manual


So, what's the petrol MT like? First, the numbers – 178 BHP between 4,000 - 6,200 rpm which is a wider band than the petrol AT. Max torque is much higher too, rated at a diesel-like 320 Nm between 1,450 and 3,900 rpm! The ARAI rating is a little lower @ 14.12 km/l. If you thought the petrol AT was punchy, wait till you drive the MT!

Push the clutch pedal in and press the engine start / stop button to fire her up. Must mention again: the petrol isn't dead silent; it's faintly audible inside the cabin. You need to be careful with your throttle & clutch co-ordination. The MT is easy to stall if you aren't paying attention and it does take some getting used to. Drive the petrol AT & MT back to back and you'll immediately notice that the MT feels a little more eager, lighter and responsive. This is due to the 70 Nm of additional torque available, with partial credit going to the 46 kg lower kerb weight too. I'm not sure if enthusiasts will line up for this car owing to its long wheelbase, but those who do will definitely have a smile plastered on their faces each time they floor the throttle. The Superb accelerates brilliantly...in a way that no luxury barge should have the right to! There's something special about a free-revving engine mated to a manual transmission and, make no mistake, this is among the best petrol engines on sale in India. No matter what speed or rpm, there's always power available on tap. Power delivery is brutal and she pulls relentlessly all the way to the redline. Even with a light foot, the Superb will reach high speeds before making you realise it. With a medium to heavy foot, you'll notice the traction control light flashing a little too often as the 215 Hankooks struggle to put the power down. The clutch is on the heavier side for a luxury car (not too heavy, but not a light pedal either). Owners will definitely wish it was lighter. The 6-speed MT's gates are well defined and you'll never miss a shift. It isn't as slick as a Honda Accord's though; this gearshift has a notchy characteristic.

All said & done, few people will ever buy the Superb MT. Premium customers simply love their ATs and the sales numbers prove it. However, for purists like us, we appreciate Skoda giving this option. Considering the DSG's reliability woes, the mechanically-simpler MT will be more reliable too.

Ride, Handling, Steering & Brakes

The Superb has a typical European car-like suspension tune. It gets McPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear end. She takes in small to medium road irregularities well and owners will be comfortable on their daily drive to work. The suspension is a little more compliant / softer than that of the older Superb. Still, sharp bumps & big potholes do come into the cabin. On broken roads, it's acceptable, yet not what we would call a 'plush' suspension setup. The wheel upsize from 16 -> 17 inches is also perhaps a contributor here. As the speedometer climbs, the ride gets better. Highway comfort levels are excellent and the Superb can absorb broken patches without a fuss. It's a typical European luxury sedan in that way. On undulating roads however, there is some vertical movement felt. We don't remember this being there in the older car.

In terms of handling, the Superb does a fantastic job. Despite its 4.8m length, the car feels agile and eager to change direction. Its dynamics are sorted and the Superb exhibits very balanced behaviour. Even though we were pushing the car hard through the ghat sections, it held on to its line and encouraged the driver to push harder. Mid-corner bumps are discarded and the car remains unfazed. Another advantage is that the ESP is liberal, allowing you to play without excessive interference. Don't get us wrong though; with its size, weight and long wheelbase, the FWD Superb isn't a driver's car. If that's what you are looking for, consider similarly-priced RWD Germans like the 320d instead. Even the Octavia is a lot more fun, yet there's no doubt that the Superb behaves well despite its sheer length. It's also reassuring to know that an army of safety aids are there to help you in an emergency manouveur. What we didn't like is the choice of tyres. We're surprised that Skoda didn't pick a more premium tyre for such a high-end car. The 215 section Hankook Ventus2 tyres aren't impressive. They also squeal a lot.

The electric power steering is light at slow speeds and makes 'light' work of handling city traffic. It weighs up acceptably on the highway if you engage Sport mode (use it at speed). Unfortunately, there isn't much feedback on offer. While the steering is direct, it's not the communicative type that we enthusiasts crave for. The mass market will be happy though.

What will leave you surprised is how easy the Superb is to drive for what is an XL-sized sedan. The light steering, healthy frontal visibility, nice driving position, torquey engines and sorted ergonomics make it a breeze to drive in the city. Further, the brakes have the 'auto-hold' feature, which means you don't need to keep the brake pedal continuously pressed when stationary (e.g. at a traffic signal). On the flip side, the car's turning radius is 5.85 meters! That is rather wide and, as you would expect, taking u-turns in such a long car will require more 3-pointers than the average sedan.

On paper, the petrol & diesel Superbs have a ground clearance rating of 164 / 149 mm respectively. We hear from company sources that the two cars actually have the same 164 mm ride height. The difference in rating is because of a new feature that *might* follow later. No reason to doubt it as even the diesel never scraped on our test-drive. Since we haven't driven the car with a load of 5 passengers + full cargo, final verdict rests with our ownership reports.

The Superb has disc brakes on all four wheels. Braking capability is excellent and these brakes inspire confidence at high speeds. What's new is the electronic parking brake. With it engaged, just slot into D or shift to 1st gear (in the MT) and press the throttle to drive off - the parking brake automatically disengages. If the driver's door is open, the handbrake will refuse to disengage till the driver presses the brake and disengages it manually.

Rough road package means lots of protection underneath:

Last edited by Vid6639 : 18th September 2017 at 11:35. Reason: engine code = EA288
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Old 24th April 2016, 16:46   #7
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Other Points:

• While the pricing overlaps with cars from the German luxury brands, a lot of people will actually prefer the Superb as they don't want to show off their wealth to neighbours / business associates / government departments etc. Being less flashy is important to many.

• You can buy an Octavia Diesel MT or a Superb Petrol MT, but not vice versa.

• Unlike the Octavia whose 2.0L diesel & 1.4L petrol variants have an inferior torsion beam rear suspension, it's good to see that the Superb universally gets the more sophisticated multi-link. We think it's about time Skoda did the same with the Octavia too, as it is also a premium car.

• Even after you switch off the car, the audio system & power windows can be operated till you open the door. Very useful.

• You can see the adaptive bi-xenon lamps moving about with the steering wheel (up to a certain degree). The throw of the lights is really good and the cornering function only helps further.

• Both the ORVMs and IRVM are auto-dimming. There's no separate button to turn it on.

• Engage reverse gear and the left ORVM will tilt down (to show you the kerb). If you don't want it to, move the ORVM rotary knob out of 'L' position.

• Attention to detail = All storage pockets / areas have either a felt lining or a rubberised base .

• If you get out of the car with the key in your pocket, the cabin lights significantly dim down. They turn off in a theatre-like manner when the car is locked.

• At a standstill in 'N', you can rev the petrol DSG to 3,800 rpm and the diesel to 2,500 rpm.

• The car's electronic differential lock can be useful on tricky surfaces. If one tyre loses grip, EDL applies the brake to match its speed to the other tyre with grip. This also directs more torque to the grippy wheel, thus making it transfer the power more effectively.

• If you’re in Neutral and the car starts rolling, the reversing camera and parking sensors automatically turn on! This car has so many small features that will make you smile. Over & over again.

• Remember the cool removable torch that the international Superb had in its boot (link to image)? Sadly, it's removed from the Indian car. Strange that Skoda's press release mentions it though (link).

• Climate control system has a humidity sensor which reduces windscreen misting.

• The Superb has 'hill-hold' functionality which prevents roll-back when climbing up inclines.

• Unlike the Passat, this car doesn't feature a dead lock i.e. once you lock the car from outside, passengers inside can still unlock the Superb (albeit the security alarm will trigger). There's no emergency boot exit in the Superb either.

• Only one reversing light! Sucks in such a fully-loaded car. There's inherent value in having a reversing lamp on both sides.

• The Superb is equipped with Skoda's 'fatigue detection system'. It'll alert you if your steering inputs are haphazard. View Skoda's explanation here.

• Fuel tank capacity = 66 liters. You'll get a long tank range with the diesel.

• Skoda Shield is available for the Superb. Customers have the option to purchase insurance & extended warranty separately as well. Extended warranty up to 4 years / 100,000 km. Highly recommended for complex European cars (which the Superb is). Considering the poor reliability of the outgoing Superb, you better buy all the warranty coverage you can get.

• Worried about the service cost of your Skoda? The company has introduced a service cost calculator on its website. Data for this new Superb is already up.

• Skoda's new SUV is coming and it'll offer a similar value proposition, with SUV styling & more ground clearance - link to Ajmat's report.

• The Superb's drag co-efficient is an impressive 0.275!

• The company claims that the 3rd-generation Superb will single-handedly surpass the combined 700,000 global sales of the past two generations.

• Nifty accessories available at a decent price. For instance, two packing plates to hold cargo boxes in position in the boot. Cost = Rs. 965. These plates have velcro strips on the base to fix them on the boot floor, and a vertical support to hold a cargo box in position. The two plates are L-shaped; placed together, they form a rectangle. Skoda has named these as 'universal fixing element' as these can accommodate boxes of various sizes. Check them out here.

• Among the many safety features on this car is 'multi-collision brake'. If the Superb has an impact in which the airbag activates, it automatically engages the brakes to prevent a subsequent accident. Of course, the driver can override this by pressing the accelerator - full information here. Additionally, the Superb has prefill braking. If you suddenly lift your foot off the accelerator, the braking system gets ready to work (related link).

Disclaimer: Skoda invited Team-BHP for the Superb test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

Last edited by GTO : 25th April 2016 at 10:24. Reason: Typo
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The Smaller yet Significant Things:

Simply walk up to the car, swing your foot under the bumper and the hatch opens! For the virtual boot pedal, there's a sensor which is a child part of the rear bumper. It detects a kick below the bumper (when the key is in its radius) and after a second, the boot opens up:
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This awful gap between the headlamp & bumper sticks out like a sore thumb:


The waistline wraps around the boot to form an integrated lip spoiler:


The level of detailing in the design is astonishing! Notice the various cuts, creases and crystalline elements inside the tail-lamps:


L&K variant badges on the front fenders:


The lower portion of the skirt has a rough finish to withstand abuse (small stones, chips & the like):


The light / rain sensors are quick to respond. There was hardly any delay between the car entering a tunnel & the headlamp turning on:


If the driver walks away with the key in his pocket, there's an audible chime + warning flashed on the MID. Unlike Hyundais however, there isn't any warning that can be heard on the outside:


Quality of leather in the L&K is better than the lower Style variant. The seats proudly wear Laurin & Klement inscriptions:


When was the last time you could heat & cool your seat at the same time ? The blower fan is audible at higher settings, I must admit:


Door-open warning light (on all 4 doors) is bright enough to double up as a puddle lamp:


Front door can host a 1 liter bottle, with space left over for odd items:


The button to deactivate the interior motion detectors and towing protection (located on the B-pillar beside the driver's seat). The interior monitor detects movements inside the locked vehicle and triggers the alarm, while the anti-towing protection detects tilt in the locked vehicle and triggers the alarm. On a related note, Skoda claims that the anti-theft system has a backup power source (we're guessing a small battery):


To move the wipers into 'service position', switch off the car and hold the wiper stalk down for a second:


Analog-style clock display on the ICE:


Rear entertainment? Tablet holder available as an official accessory...


...and a waste bin too!

Last edited by GTO : 24th April 2016 at 16:48.
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Old 24th April 2016, 16:46   #9
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Chief Competitor to the Skoda Superb

Toyota Camry

What you'll like:

Lexus-esque exterior styling. Great road presence
• Spacious premium sedan with outstanding levels of refinement
• Fuel-efficient, environment-friendly Hybrid technology. ARAI rating = 19.16 kpl
• 5 star equipment (reclining rear seats, triple-zone climate, powered sunshade, ventilated seats etc.)
• Neutral ride and handling balance. Much improved over earlier Camry generations
• Toyota’s bullet-proof reliability and superb after-sales service

What you won't:

• Rs. 3 Lakh premium for the Hybrid tech & improved equipment levels (over the regular Camry)
• Skoda Superb is priced noticeably lower
• Unknown long-term maintenance costs & battery life of the Hybrid system in Indian conditions
• Numb driving feel. Not as dynamically accomplished as the Europeans either
• A rare 30 lakh car without a sunroof!
• No diesel engine in the line-up

Last edited by GTO : 24th April 2016 at 17:02.
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Old 24th April 2016, 18:18   #10
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Re: Skoda Superb : Official Review

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Official Reviews. Thanks for sharing, S2!!!

Quite a review of quite the car. Rating thread 5 stars .

There's never been a better time to have 30 lakhs in your pocket. First the Ford Endeavour, then this Superb. Both these products are the segment best, well-priced for what they offer, loaded with kit and offer great engines. The two have awesome, timeless styling too. It's really nice to see cars like these coming into the market. If Skoda had taken better care of its reputation, reliability & dealerships, they'd have won a lottery with the Superb. I'm also surprised at how they goof up production of important relatively low volume cars. The Superb diesel has yet to start deliveries, and we can't forget how Skoda struggled to build Octavias after its launch. Some customers had to wait over 6 months. Compare that to a company like Toyota which has no problem building anywhere between 500 - 1000 Corollas each month!

The 2016 Superb gives a fantastic upgrade option to owners of the 2nd-gen car (at least those that had a trouble-free ownership). I know that one dilemma faced by Superb owners is, what car do they upgrade to? Everything else seems so small. Forget the A4 & 320d, even cars like the E-Class, 5-Series & A6 don't offer the same rear seat space to their successful owners.

Last edited by GTO : 24th April 2016 at 18:20.
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Old 25th April 2016, 00:26   #11
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Re: Skoda Superb : Official Review

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Please do NOT post messages that add little or no informational value to the thread. We need your co-operation to maintain the quality of this forum.

Please read our rules before proceeding any further. We request you to post ONLY when you have something substantial to add to a discussion.

Last edited by GTO : 26th April 2016 at 17:39.
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Old 25th April 2016, 00:29   #12
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Re: Skoda Superb : Official Review

It would be so sad to see such a brilliant car not sell in good numbers ! I guess only SKODA is to blame for the poor reputation its got in the market. The dealership experiences too have gone down the drain. I went to see the Superb today at Mohan Cooperative in Delhi and i can tell you that you wouldn't buy a cycle from such a poorly maintained dealership. The building looks like its going to fall apart and the signages of Skoda seem to have been installed in 2001 !! (falling apart)
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Old 25th April 2016, 00:37   #13
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Re: Skoda Superb : Official Review

Great review. Love this car. The only fly in the ointment is the Skoda service and DSG reliability. A couple of things shocked me 1. only 1 reverse light ???? What the hell. Thats absurd, i geniunely hate it when manufacturers only provide one reverse light. 2. Russo Brunello only on a few limited cars ?? That was i think the highest selling colour in the old superb. Wow. 3. It should have a CD / DVD changer in the dash and in built Navigation. 4. The way the sunroof opens outside is very ugly. It should have been integrated internally.

Can you please tell us the secret feature which "might" come later on ?
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Old 25th April 2016, 00:38   #14
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Re: Skoda Superb : Official Review

What a review ! What a car ! Take a bow.

Such a great car and it's sad to see skoda managed to goof up many things (read the available combinations).
With their SUV also getting ready to launch, they should have taken more care.
It's big time skoda should treat Indian market more seriously.

Last edited by Asish_VK : 25th April 2016 at 00:40.
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Old 25th April 2016, 00:51   #15
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Re: Skoda Superb : Official Review

Wow S2, such a brilliantly detailed review, Thank You !

Now i just can't take the wait for my Diesel L&K to be delivered

Quote:
That is just horrible! The sunroof opens & slides over the body! What an ugly sight.
^ Regarding the sunroof i previously thought it was cool for the sunroof to be opening that way. BUT i was wrong & i agree with you that it indeed is a horrid sight !

Quote:
What a stupid location for the engine start button!
^ Truly wrongly placed button, indeed no point in having a start/stop button in that location.

Quote:
Skoda designers have favoured form over function here.
I Agree, when i test drove the car lat month i felt the same thing. BUT the world looks so sexy through that design. Im with Skoda on this one & glad that they chose 'form' over function.

Quote:
hese were shod with 215/55 R17 Hankook Ventus Prime 2 tyres. Poor choice of tyres for such a premium car
I agree, during my test drive the car (petrol 1.8 a/t)was wheelspinning in 1st and the tyres chirped when manually shifting to 2nd just before red lining. Not a good sign as this is not that powerful IMO. Well, my BMW doesn't wheel spin when i shift from 1st to 2nd manually. Poor Tyres indeed !

One sad thing is that they have retained the old L&K Badge;

OLD;

Skoda Superb : Official Review-2016skodasuperb04.jpg

Where as the new one which comes in the international markets is much more classy IMO.

NEW;

Skoda Superb : Official Review-superblk6.png

PS - Any idea of the 0-100 km/h timing of the Diesel ? (As this 174 hp engine tune is India specific only)
Internationally the same engine in 190 PS tune does this sprint in 7.7 seconds (Source: http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/superb...15/performance)

Last edited by karan561 : 25th April 2016 at 01:18.
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