[GForceEnjoyer]

Introduction:

Merriam-Webster defines luxury as “a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort”. A length of 4869mm? Abundance, check. A 2.0 Litre turbo-petrol producing 190 horsepower and 320 N/m of torque paired with a lightning-fast dual-clutch automatic gearbox? That’s more than enough to move around with great ease, check. A serenely supple ride and a hushed cabin paired with big and incredibly supportive seats draped in perforated, double-contrast-stitched leather? Comfort, check. That’s the Škoda Superb for you. A possible textbook definition of the luxury sedan. It’s got all their defining characteristics. So, what, you may ask, differentiates it from the big three German marques? Well, it’s also German underneath but on the outside, it’s Czech. It proudly sports the Škoda badge; one that doesn’t scream opulence or luxury, but value.

And that’s how I’d describe this car. Whether or not it’s the textbook definition of the luxury sedan is up for debate, but it’s undoubtedly the textbook definition of value-for-money. For around 35 odd lakhs, you can get a car that matches the E-Class, 5-Series and A6 in terms of size (even edges ahead in terms of space), almost matches them on interior quality and refinement but outright annihilates them with how much you get for your money. It punches FAR above its weight.

Likes:

• Powertrain: The 2.0 TSI with 190 horsepower and 320 N/m of torque is an absolute bomb and is coupled with a lightning-fast DSG. Incredibly fun to drive.

• Ride quality: The suspension is extremely supple and absorbent, yet high-speed stability is very good; proves that the car was designed to cruise all day on the autobahn.

• Exterior & interior design: A simple yet extremely elegant and purposeful design that I feel will age like a fine wine.

• Perceived quality: The doors have a reassuring heft and shut with a muffled yet prominent thud. Panel gaps are amazingly even, and the interior is also well screwed together with generous use of high-quality materials.

• Equipment: Everything you could desire and then a bit more. There are so many little thoughtful touches that really brighten things up too, such as the felt-lined door pockets and the beautifully executed, configurable ambient lighting.

• Space and comfort: Acres of space, even NBA players won’t have issues with legroom. The powered 12-way adjustable front seats mean that you can fine tune your seating position, greatly reducing fatigue.

• Sound system: The 12-speaker 610W Canton sound system is incredibly powerful and punchy with extensive customisability. Great for the audiophile in me.

• Practicality: The boot is enormous with 625 cubic litres of space. No need to pack light! There are many well-thought-out storage bins in the car too, including a cooled glovebox and central storage bin.

• Safety: 5-star NCAP rating and top-notch safety equipment such as auto emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, etc.

• Handling: Now, this car is no corner carver; it was never designed to be one. Despite the soft suspension however, it is still an extremely competent and surprisingly agile handler for its size and weight. Power is put down effectively and there is quite a lot of grip when cornering.

• Fuel efficiency: I’ve seen stellar numbers up to 17 km/l on the highway on a good day. With a light foot (excessively light), you can coax the figure into double-digits in the city too.

Dislikes:

• Perceived reliability and aftersales: Škoda’s horror stories do little to boost a prospective owner’s confidence in the brand and car. Case in point: we bought our Superb only after the infamous DQ200 transmission had been replaced with a wet-clutch unit with a higher torque rating (meaning that it's understressed), the DQ381. We are watching out for the electronics too.

• No full-sized spare: I’d call it a necessity in India. This shouldn’t have been an omission. The way it's placed in the boot also makes it inconvenient to check the tyre pressure.

• Rattles: This is something that seriously infuriates me, as a one-year-old car should NOT have them. Are our roads (Hyderabad's ridiculous rumble strips) finally having an effect? There are a couple of persistent ones and others that come and go as they please (more on this later).

• Maneuverability: The sheer size of this car means that one has to be careful while taking it to tight spots. For example, Google Maps’ intermittent inability to distinguish between roads and barely motorable “gullies” once resulted in us having to make an unbelievably tight 5+ point U-turn in Lonavala. Credits to the fantastic driving skills of my dad who was driving at the time, for getting us out of there without a single scratch.

• Missing kit vis-à-vis the European car: A tyre inflator, adaptive suspension (the Kodiaq gets it even in India), matrix LED headlamps, auto high-beam, travel assist (adaptive cruise control), CD-player (I mean it’s the top-spec model and it's offered abroad; why omit it here?), the option to display Android Auto in the virtual cockpit, etc. are available on the global Superb L&K but not in India.

• Blank buttons in the cabin: Despite this being the range-topping L&K trim, there are quite a few blank buttons around the gear lever (4) and on the steering wheel (2). Thankfully the ones around the gear lever are symmetrical, so it is still livable.

• Road noise: Now, this is far from an inconvenience but the level of road noise in the cabin is just a little higher than it should be. Getting quieter tyres should help.

• Piano black interior trim: I’m not the biggest fan, both in terms of looks and practicality (it’s a little too easy to scratch and sometimes catches a lot of glare). I’d prefer wood any day.

• Relatively low ground clearance + long wheelbase: This would, at least in theory, greatly increase the chances of scraping the underbody somewhere. Surprisingly, this hasn’t happened even once so far, and this car has been driven long distances across 4 states so far. Regardless, care has to be exercised.

[GForceEnjoyer]

Index:

How a Superb ended up in our garage
Exterior
Interior
Interior (continued)
The feel behind the wheel
Technical details
The smaller yet significant things
Ownership experience and conclusion

How a Superb ended up in our garage:

My admiration for this car actually goes back a very long way; all the way back to 2014, when there was a brown second-generation Superb in the parking lot. Its limousine-like silhouette and the mind-blowing space at the rear, complete with rich-looking leather upholstery was enough to draw my attention each time I passed by it. I made sure to look for its name on the boot: Superb. Fast forward to 2016, when I first saw a brand-new white third-generation Superb in the parking lot. Its clean, sharp lines, the sculpted details, the menacing DRLs that double up as side indicators and of course the sheer footprint of the car ensured that the nameplate now had my full attention. I’d always admire it whenever I saw one waft by. Never did I ever imagine that one day, a Superb would be parked in our garage!

The story began in late 2020, when we were considering upgrading from our 2006 Ford Fiesta 1.6 SXI. This was my first time being involved in buying a car (I’m 3 weeks younger than our Fiesta) and it was an exhilarating experience. The same criteria we had used in 2006 came into the discussion: “Sasti, sundar aur tikau”, which when translated from Hindi to English means “Cheap, beautiful and durable”. We clearly compromised on the first one, while the bar for our second criterion was raised into oblivion! As for the third one, let’s just hope that the DSG doesn’t decide to play spoilsport here. Our preference was petrol-automatic, but we were open to other options too. We started off by looking among the C-segment cars. We weren’t fully expecting one to completely satisfy our needs, but decided to test drive all the appealing candidates anyway, in an effort to gauge how the automotive scene had changed from 2006. As we’d half-expected, our search took us to the D-segment, and finally to the Superb.

Cars considered:
• Honda City (4th gen, ZX CVT): The powertrain felt slow and disconnected (the CVT rubber-band effect at play), which put us off straight away, so did the uncomfortable placement of the head-restraints. I did like its design though, and the rear seat was a big plus.


• Maruti Ciaz (top end petrol-automatic): The dull powertrain, interior quality and slow and buggy infotainment led to its rejection.


• Hyundai Verna (SX(O) 1.6 petrol-automatic): The 6-speed torque converter gearbox was quite smooth but fumbled under enthusiastic driving. The lack of space was a downer too, weighing out the extensive feature list and comfortable seats.


• Toyota Yaris (top end petrol-CVT): The yawn inducing driving experience and the styling (mostly the interiors) resulted in a flat-out no.


• Kia Seltos (GTX-plus 1.4 petrol-DCT): This was the first car that had truly impressed us in our search, living up to the hype with its competent powertrain and features. However, shortly after the test drive, the announcement of its safety score put an end to any possible consideration.


• MG Hector (Sharp petrol-DCT): Like the Seltos, we felt that the hype surrounding this car made it worthy of a test-drive. The seats were very comfortable and the sound system was impressive, but the dim-witted DCT, sloppy handling and slow infotainment wrote it off our list.


This was when we decided to explore the D-segment.

• Honda Civic (1.8 ZX CVT): I absolutely loved the styling and comfortable seats. The handling was tight too. However, the cabin was surprisingly loud, and the powertrain seriously soured the experience. We got overtaken by a Ford Ikon 1.6 while getting up to speed on the highway!


• Toyota Corolla (top end 1.8 CVT): The powertrain was somewhat dull, but the car was extremely comfortable. However, the model was discontinued mere days after our test drive.


• Hyundai Elantra (could not test drive): We wanted to test drive the top end SX(O) petrol-automatic, but no dealer seemed to have the car available. The only one that did had just the pre-facelift car available. Even getting a response stating the same took forever, so we dropped it.


• Škoda Octavia (3rd-gen 1.8 TSI): We nearly brought this car home. The f-a-s-t 1.8 TSI and lightning quick DSG (my first dual-clutch experience) was a monstrous powertrain combination. I also liked the styling (yes, even the split headlights) and the interiors. However, the onset of Covid19 put an end to this consideration, so did the Octavia’s discontinuation due to BS-6 norms. In hindsight, it’s good that we didn’t end up with the infamous DQ200 transmission.


During the pandemic, we put off the purchase, since our running had dropped drastically, and buying a car in addition to our Fiesta made little sense at the time. It did, however, give us a lot of time to realise what a difficult car the Fiesta was to upgrade from, which is honestly the highest badge of honour I can give to a humble (only to those unfamiliar with it, of course ) C2 segment sedan from 2006.This played a key role in us making the jump from a C2 segment sedan to a D2 segment sedan. In mid-2021, we began our hunt again, prompted by the release of the new Octavia.

• Hyundai Elantra (second attempt, pre-facelift SX(O) petrol-automatic): Believe it or not, they STILL didn’t have the facelifted version to test drive even after over a year! They brought a facelifted diesel Elantra over to our place despite explicitly asking for a petrol. Then, a few days later, the same pre-facelift petrol automatic car from before Covid19 was brought to us to test drive. This left a really bad impression on us. In fact, my mom didn’t even bother coming for the test drive. The suspension tuning was a pleasant surprise, but the driving experience was totally numb. The interior also didn’t really feel special, outweighing the extensive feature list. The Elantra was out.

• Jeep Compass (S 4X4 Diesel Automatic): This car’s highway manners were great, but the awfully slow and dim-witted ZF-9 gearbox was a massive fly in the ointment, always shifting at inconvenient times (during a corner, etc). Besides, we didn’t warm to the idea of a diesel very much, resulting in the Compass being dropped from the list.


• Škoda Octavia (4th-gen 2.0 TSI L&K): I was somewhat let-down by this car if I’m being honest. The all-touch interface was almost a deal-breaker straight away, but other things also soured the experience. The throttle was like a hair-trigger, far too sharp. On the open road though, this Octavia put a smile on my face the same way the previous car did. Otherwise, it just felt less connected and more clinical than the last car. The pricing and missing equipment (ventilated seats for example) also led us to drop it from consideration.


We then finally forayed into the D2-segment. There were only 2 offerings: the Toyota Camry and the Škoda Superb. In the end, we ended up deciding to stick to sedans only, as we had owned only low-slung cars all the way from the very first car in the family up until the Fiesta. So, the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour were not considered.

• Toyota Camry (hybrid): I was very impressed by the seamless change between the source of propulsion between the electric motor and the petrol engine; it was incredibly refined. The car was extremely comfortable too, especially in the rear seat department (where I feel it beat the Superb comfort wise). The performance was quite exciting due the instant electric response. The CVT rubber-band effect did play spoilsport here too, though. The high pricing (hybrid taxes), outdated and confusing infotainment and the interior quality that left us somewhat underwhelmed finally swung the decision in the Superb’s favour. It was a very close fight though, requiring much deliberation.


Then, finally, the Superb. Seeing this car in the flesh and then opening the door to ride in one for the first time felt like a dream come true in itself. I was able to realise 5 years of silent admiration for this car! The ride quality and seat comfort left a great impression on everyone, so did the explosive 2.0 TSI and fantastic DSG. We (well, I) had almost decided by the end of the test drive that the Superb was the one. But the fly in the ointment was the aftersales in Hyderabad. Mahavir Škoda was the only dealership at the time, and its reviews were… less than satisfactory at best.

Even after verifying that the purchase made financial sense, we kept putting it off. Then, one fine day, we read about PPS Škoda and Mody Škoda that had just opened. After talking to owners who had gotten their cars serviced there, we finally decided to go ahead (we purchased the car from Mahavir Škoda as the pre-sales experience was top-notch, but have been getting it serviced at PPS Škoda). In September of 2021, thanks to an incredible series of events and a l-o-n-g car-buying process, the car I had been admiring silently for 5 years finally came home in Lava Blue guise.

Not visible here is the massive grin that I wore on my face for the rest of the day. On to the review!


Index

[GForceEnjoyer]

Exterior:

The Superb is unmistakably a Škoda. This is a very imposing and purposeful look. The use of chrome is a little heavy but looks regal. There are quite a lot of straight lines, and the proportions are spot-on, making this an incredibly tasteful design.


The hood is a clamshell unit, fantastically integrated into the character line running down the side of the car. It is nicely sculpted with contours that seem to flow into the grille.


The Škoda badge sits at the front of this long, raised element on the hood. It is a look that’s been seen across many of their cars.

The headlights are beautifully detailed and are a tribute to the Czech style of glassmaking. They are self-leveling, as well as adaptive; they point in the direction you turn the steering wheel. Automatic headlight control is also provided. The headlight washers are located below the headlights; they spray washer fluid by popping out from the visible housing.


They look stunning at night (Don't miss the lettering).


Their throw is also very impressive…


…And the high beam’s is even more so! Incredibly powerful.

(Apologies for the poor quality, my phone camera seems to be allergic to darkness.)

The LED fog lamps are very wide! They also function as cornering lights. Also visible are 4 proximity sensors. A subtle chrome line can be found on the lower air dam. There is a functional air curtain that helps smooth airflow down the sides of the car on either side too.


The Škoda butterfly grille takes centre stage. Half the grille is closed off for aerodynamics. The dual chrome slats looked a tad excessive at first, but they’ve grown on me. The centre is a gloss black panel, housing the ADAS system in models sold abroad in addition to the front camera for the 360° camera here.


The side profile is that of a traditional sedan. A strong character line flows all the way from the hood and merges with the taillights. Note how the window line swoops up at the front to become level with the hood. Classy. The windows are tinted from the factory; beneficial in our 40°C+ summer heat. The sheer size of this car is evident, but once again, the proportions here are spot on.


The alloys are dual-tone diamond-cut units (this specific design is called Cassiopeia), shod in 215/55/R17 tyres. Disc brakes are provided at the front as well as the rear. The stock Apollo tyres aren't the best choice of tyres for this car for sure. I've seen the traction control light flashing way too often, even below 3500 rpm on an aggressive start off the line, although cornering grip is decent. They are also not the quietest. An upgrade to a set of Michelins or similar will help for sure. (Tip: Avoid using the tyre pressures for a full load unless you absolutely have to, as they really affect the ride quality negatively. The PSI values are insanely high: 36 front and 48 rear. Use 32 PSI in the front and 33 in the rear tyre).


The L&K badge can be found on the front fender. The font is incredibly elegant.


The ORVMs are just big enough for this car. They look almost identical to those found on the Polo, Vento/Rapid and the Octavia! There is a puddle lamp as well as an integrated turn indicator. They are electronically adjustable and foldable. The left ORVM also tilts down in reverse to show you the kerb if you select it via the adjustment knob. Neat!


All four doors have request sensors for keyless entry. Simply insert your hand to open the door normally to unlock the car, and place your hand on the visible request sensor to lock it.


This is a styling element I noticed on the rear door sill; the character line is continued into the door frame. Interesting.


The trademark Škoda kink at the rear window can be found here.


The roof slopes down gradually in an almost coupe-like fashion.


Škoda claims that this is a “panoramic” sunroof, but it’s only slightly larger than a normal sunroof. It can be propped up for ventilation or opened fully.


The entire mechanism slides over the roof though, which is a strange sight for sure.


The car gets a shark-fin antenna.


The slightly smoked tail lamps look absolutely gorgeous. A thin strip of chrome runs across the boot to connect them. Don't miss the Š K O D A lettering. The bumper could have done with better (fake or real) exhaust surrounds though.


Check out the fantastic styling of the taillights!


They look stunning at night.


The car has two exhausts; both of them angled towards the ground. I’d love to have the proper chrome surround from the 280 horsepower all-wheel-drive variant of the Superb abroad. Note the proximity sensors and the large reflectors.


The character line rises up and forms a subtle lip spoiler on the boot.


This car is a liftback. Despite looking like that of a three-box sedan when closed, the boot lid is a hatch. It is also powered.



The boot can swallow an insane amount of luggage! The capacity is 625 cubic litres. It can be expanded even further to a massive 1760 cubic litres by folding down the rear seats.


A couple of parting shots, taken near Doddabetta Peak (Ooty) and en route to Pune respectively.



Index

[GForceEnjoyer]

Interior:

The dashboard has a very simple and functional approach. No flashy elements here, just clean, straight and elegant lines. Chrome is sparingly yet tastefully used. I absolutely love this look!

(Visible in the door pocket is a microfiber cloth. It's great at absorbing dust but is gentle on the surfaces at the same time. Remember to use separate ones for the interior and exterior and ideally for the smooth and shiny interior surfaces too.)

The two-spoke steering gels surprisingly well with the interior of this car according to me. It is grippy to hold; however, in certain positions, the stitching and edges may become a bit of a bother. There is a large range of rake and reach adjustment too. The knurled finish on the buttons looks great, but they could have done with a little heftier feel during operation. The quality of the leather wrap is top-notch. The blank buttons are for those of the heated steering wheel and Travel Assist (adaptive cruise control) offered abroad. Interestingly, I’ve seen some cars with these buttons in India too. Note the Laurin&Klement inscription on the bottom spoke.


The virtual cockpit is an absolutely brilliant unit with a ton of customisability and a great deal of information that you can choose to display. The screen is high resolution and has an anti-glare coating, making it easy to read. The animations are really well done too.

Attempting to cover each and every possible feature here will result in an inconveniently long text wall, so I’ll share a useful link instead:

a useful link

The seats are very large and extremely supportive. The black, stitched L&K emblem looks incredibly classy. The upholstery is perforated. The headrests are comfortably placed; however, I would’ve liked fore and aft adjustment too.


Both the front seats are 12-way electrically adjustable, with the driver's seat getting 3 memory settings.


The sunroof lets a lot of light into the cabin, making it feel airy.


The strips of ambient lighting exude elegance. They are customisable according to colour and brightness. You can also choose to turn off individual areas of ambient lighting entirely via a menu on the touchscreen!


The front light bezel. The driver gets to control the rear lights too.


The footwells are illuminated; looks extremely nice. The chromed-out pedals look sporty and the dead pedal is also wide enough and angled comfortably. However the organ-type unit from the previous generation Superb is missed. Your left leg also sometimes presses against the centre console when resting on the dead pedal. The hood release is visible too.


The 8.0 inch touchscreen is quite responsive, and the interface is very logically laid out, with a ton of functionality including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Thankfully, physical buttons were not done away with during the designing of this car’s infotainment system. The knob on the left is a volume and power knob, while the one on the right can be used as an FM/AM frequency tuner and doubles up as a scroll wheel to select items and scroll through menus without using the touchscreen. (PS: I can’t not notice the fact that the power symbol on the left knob rotates along with it!)

Like with the virtual cockpit, explaining each feature would result in an inconveniently long text wall, so here’s a useful link:

a useful link

A noteworthy feature, however, would be the proximity sensor. Non-critical elements are hidden until you bring your finger close to it, freeing the screen up from clutter when not in use. Simply clever!



Another one would be the 360° camera, whose quality is good enough. The rear camera even gets its own washer!


The automatic climate control system is very easy to use, and the “MENU” button on the centre knob can be used to access a more comprehensive menu of functions in the touchscreen.


Heated as well as cooled seats have been provided, with a selection menu popping up on the touchscreen.


The fast, smooth and hopefully reliable DSG.

The DSG is the DQ381-7F, a wet-clutch unit with a higher torque rating than the previous transmission (the DQ200-7F).

To the left of the gear lever, the buttons for the park assist, 360° camera and electronic tailgate release can be found. On the right are the buttons for the traction control system, drive modes and auto start/stop system. The three buttons on the bottom are for the auto-hold feature, the electronic parking brake and central locking. There are 4 blank buttons even on the top spec L&K trim for some reason.


There is piano black trim running across the entire width of the dashboard with a little strip of chrome underneath. Don't miss the Laurin&Klement inscription!


However, the piano black trim around the gear lever can throw up some pretty strong reflections.


This storage compartment reveals a 12-volt socket, a USB-C port and a wireless charging pad.


The stylish and high-quality lid for the cupholders can be pulled back to reveal them. The little rubber elements visible here help hold bottles in place so you can open them with one hand; extremely handy (pun intended!).


This cooled storage bin in the centre console is positively huge! The armrest covering it can be adjusted for various levels of height. A USB-A port is found inside, which you can use to connect a phone to the infotainment (placing the device and the cable can be ergonomically inconvenient, though), or put in a USB drive for music like seen below. Also visible is the tab to pull up part of the floor; it reveals a deeper slot which can be used to hold items like tablets.


The typical euro-style headlight switch. Classy green and white backlighting with chrome inserts.


The finishing in the footwell is satisfactory, with no hanging wires and few exposed bits.


There is beefy rubber beading of high quality on the doors; really shows in terms of sound insulation.


Each A/C vent has its own airflow adjuster. The blank over the hazard-light switch is the display of the passenger airbag setting (on/off) found on the international model.


One of the 12 speakers. The sound quality is absolutely fantastic with the right settings, regardless of whether you choose to headbang to Gojira or Bloodywood, or relax to Lucky Ali or Enya.


The chrome door handles are of incredibly high quality and look stunning. Don't miss the visible lamp.


The lid is damped, while the glovebox is felt-lined, illuminated and cooled. However, the housing for Škoda's multimedia system and passenger airbag on/off switch (which the Indian car isn't even equipped with) eats into the space.


The dual-tone theme continues to the door pad. A sizeable portion is draped in padded leather, with the double stitching suiting it very well. Note the felt-lined door pockets. The grab handles are padded and double stitched. The chrome ring around the top is a slightly unconventional but nice touch.



Index

[GForceEnjoyer]

Interior (continued):

The cover for the mirror on the sun visor can be pulled back to reveal a mirror, illuminated by a little white LED.


The sun visors themselves can be quite useless at times though, as they don't cover the whole window; they should've been extendable like the Passat's.


The rear seat is on the firm side, but it does provide great support on long trips. Headrests and three-point seatbelts for all passengers!


There are literally acres of room at the rear. This is the space I have with the front seat in my ideal position (I’m 5’9” with long legs).


Headroom might be an issue if you’re tall, especially while getting in and out. (Please excuse the incredibly professional editing job. )


The high transmission tunnel (provision for the AWD variant abroad) can play spoilsport for a middle passenger.


The car gets single-zone climate control at the rear. However, a higher blower speed would certainly be better, and the B-pillar mounted A/C vents from the previous-generation car would be a godsend. The blank buttons on either side are for the rear heated seats from the international version.


The rear armrest is comfortable and set at a useable height. The cupholders are covered, although the cover itself doesn’t feel like it’s of particularly high quality.


You can also access the boot through here or carry long items like skis.


The rear windows get sunshades, which are very useful in our summers.


There is a sunblind for the rear window too. This can be used with the sunshades on the doors to darken the cabin on a sweltering summer day.


The “power-nap-package”, as termed by Škoda, is very useful to keep your head in place when sleeping.


The “boss button” allows you to move the front passenger seat forward, should you desire extra space.


The stitching on the back of the front seats is wonky in places; not expected in a car this expensive. Our 2006 Fiesta has perfect stitching, so why doesn't a 2021 Superb?


There is a 12-volt charging socket near the ashtray at the rear. Convenient.


ISOFIX child seat mounds have been provided.


The fit and finish in all areas is really commendable. However, a few rattles have surfaced from multiple locations. The first rattle to appear was from around the instrument cluster, a tiny creak. Then came phantom rattles that come and go as they please, from the front and rear left door pads (specifically around the top of the piano black trim in both cases). Then came another phantom rattle from the piano black trim on the left side of the dashboard. There was a momentarily persistent rattle from around the front reading-light bezel which was almost alarming. However, it just vanished on one fine day. This is not acceptable in a 35 lakh rupee sedan made in 2021, and we will be getting this checked out.

A parting shot.


Index

[GForceEnjoyer]

The feel behind the wheel:

Note: I am currently 15 and do not have a licence. Everything I have penned down here is based on my experiences riding shotgun as well as through interrogating my parents. Underage driving is a strict NO. With that out of the way, let’s get on to the good stuff.

Driving the 2.0 Litre TSI DSG:


The 2.0 Litre TSI engine is part of the EA888 family of Volkswagen Group turbo-petrols, used extensively throughout their lineup. It makes 190 horsepower between 4200-6000 rpm and 320 N/m of torque between 1450-4200 rpm. It is paired with the DQ381-7F dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The doors shut with a muffled yet solid thud, plunging you into a tranquil atmosphere. As you put your foot on the brake pedal and press the start button, the engine immediately fires up, barely making its presence known. The bars of the digital fuel and coolant gauges display their respective data being fed through them, illuminating one white bar after the next. The tachometer jumps up to around 1200 rpm for around half a minute, then drops down to an extremely refined and inaudible idle at around 800 rpm. The exhaust is incredibly subdued; even those with a keen ear will need to actively listen for it. However, it is a very mellow sounding note.

As you slot the gear selector into “D”, the car smoothly creeps forward without any throttle input until around 7 km/h (this should ideally be minimised to preserve the clutch). The throttle response is quite laid-back in normal mode, resulting in an extremely smooth power delivery.

Something I’ve noticed is that the transmission blurs the shift between first and second gear by upshifting to second very early and then slipping the clutch briefly until the car gets to the right speed for it (unless you really want to get off the line quickly, which is when it fully uses first). While this ensures torque-converter like smoothness for the 1-2 shift, I have my doubts about how good this is for the transmission in the long run. It is also incredibly reluctant to downshift to first, even on inclines, meaning that it slips the clutch uphill in second even at single digit speeds sometimes; just like an inexperienced person driving a manual. Putting the car in first via the paddle shifters before ascending an incline has become second nature now.

As you pick up the pace with a light foot, the gearbox upshifts very early, often around 2000 rpm, meaning that you’ll be in seventh gear at speeds as low as 75 km/h. The engine is nearly inaudible and incredibly refined. The diesel-like 320 N/m of torque ensures that the car glides ahead effortlessly, while the transmission does a commendable job in making most shifts imperceptible. The Superb rides like a big sedan, but feels much smaller and more nimble to drive.

Turbo lag is absolutely un-detectable when driving with a light foot and coupled with direct fuel injection, the engine is alive as low as 1500 rpm. The suspension is very soft, lending the Superb a supremely supple ride quality. This, in addition to the hushed cabin due to heavy sound insulation, makes for an incredibly comfortable experience. You are cocooned from the outside world, surrounded by creature comforts. However, the suspension does sometimes produce thuds disproportionate to the size of the bumps.

The wait for the coolant temperature gauge to reach operating temperature is extremely short; this is due to the exhaust manifold that is integrated into the cylinder head (more on this later). In addition to warming up the fluids quickly, it also reduces the temperature of the gases prior to reaching the turbocharger. What this means is that you don’t need to wait an excruciatingly long time for the fluids to reach operating temperature; you can really bury your right foot into the carpet soon, and without hurting the car!



As you turn onto a magically deserted stretch of highway, your hand instinctively reaches for the “drive mode” button. Two successive presses of the button take the car from “normal” to “sport” mode. The transmission immediately downshifts to keep the engine over the boost threshold, while the assistance from the electronic power steering is reduced, making the steering weigh up. Airflow to the footwell vents is also increased, presumably to keep the driver’s feet cool even if they are on a track and frequently accelerating and braking.

The shifts are noticeably faster now, at the expense of some smoothness. However, this is what makes the DSG such an incredible thing to experience. The little jolts during the brutally fast shifts make the driving experience so much more involving, as you can clearly feel what the transmission is up to. The gearbox is far more willing to downshift too, even skipping gears under sudden and large throttle inputs. During upshifts, a deep, momentary sound can be heard. This is fondly known as the DSG-fart (creative naming, I know), caused by a tiny amount of unburnt fuel being sent into the exhaust to keep the turbocharger spooled.

The engine now pulls like a freight train right up to its (somewhat conservative) 6300 rpm redline. The mid-range punch is absolutely incredible, so is the top-end. Power delivery is linear yet dramatic, since all it takes is a slightly enthusiastic flex of your right foot for all hell to break loose. The engine note changes noticeably post 3500 rpm, becoming more audible and raspier. I actually wouldn’t mind it being a little louder inside the cabin at all, as it is quite a sweet-sounding engine. As you cross 4500 rpm, a high-pitched whistle from the turbocharger can be heard, which is extremely satisfying to the ear. The engine revs really quickly and can take you by surprise if it’s your first time experiencing such performance. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoy it!

Acceleration from a standstill is f-a-s-t, with the speedometer and tachometer positively racing to reach higher numbers, resulting in the Superb hitting the ton in 7.7 seconds. Although the front wheels struggle for traction initially, the electronic aids kick in soon enough and put the 190 horsepower and 320 N/m of torque straight to the ground. You really need to keep an eye on the speedometer, since this car is fully capable of reaching truly ludicrous speeds. You will be grinning from ear-to-ear on an open road with this gem of a powertrain for sure.



As you turn off the straight road onto another magically deserted, winding road, the Superb holds its own very well despite the soft suspension setup. It must have some beefy anti-roll bars since roll is surprisingly well-contained. The car is surprisingly agile too, something which seems to be a trait of MQB platform cars. It responds really well to a sudden change in the direction and turn-in is pretty sharp for a car of its size and weight. The multi-link independent rear suspension also means that mid-corner bumps and undulations do little to unsettle the car. The transmission also avoids shifting during corners most of the time.

Manual mode is great for enthusiastic driving. It can be activated by simply using one of the paddle shifters or by moving the gear lever to the left from the "D/S" position into the adjacent plane of operation with spring-loaded + and - positions. You can hold gears right until the redline, as well as engine brake as necessary (engine braking is far weaker in normal automatic mode than in normal manual mode, which is weaker than manual sport mode). The rev matches upon downshifting are also very aggressive, and very fun to listen to! Unlike a manual though, you can only shift under a sequential shift pattern.

As you bury your right foot into the carpet while cornering, the electronically locking front differential (XDS in VW-speak) really helps pull you around the bends. It does so by building brake pressure on the inside wheel when it detects excessive unloading, effectively acting like a limited-slip differential. It makes a world of difference during fast cornering, as it ensures that power is put down effectively. It's not very easy to make the Superb understeer.

The steering is very direct, allowing you to basically “point and shoot” in whatever direction you wish to go in. While it is not the most communicative of steering racks (hydraulic power assist is missed), it weighs up very well and inspires quite a bit of confidence. It also helps that the tyres actually have a decent amount of grip while cornering (an upgrade to Michelins will greatly improve that for sure), meaning that you can carry pretty good speeds through the corners. The disc brakes on all wheels are also extremely powerful with great pedal feel and a strong bite.



While the Superb definitely doesn’t complain about being hustled through corners (in fact, it often encourages the driver to push it further), it feels the most at-home on the highway, which we acknowledge and appreciate. As you come off the winding road, you put the car back in “normal” mode, flick on the cruise control and settle into a relaxing cruise on the way home. Seventh gear is very tall, with the engine spinning at 1650 rpm at 100 km/h and at 2000 rpm at 120 km/h.

The suspension really needs to be credited, since it is brilliantly tuned. At low speeds, it is soft in order to provide a supremely supple ride. The ride keeps getting better as you speed up, as it stiffens up with speed (presumably using frequency-selective damping, something I was unfortunately unable to confirm), leading to excellent high-speed stability. There can be a bit of vertical movement over large undulations in the road, but the car recovers quite well. If you have a low load, setting the tyre pressures to the lower PSI value nearly eliminates this. In fact, the tyre pressures for a high load are really high: (36 PSI in the front and 48 in the rear). It honestly ruins the ride quality, due to how harsh the bumps feel.

I really think that the Superb should have gotten the adaptive suspension (DCC: Dynamic Chassis Control), since it would be possible to set the stiffness as per one’s liking and according to the driving conditions at hand. In addition, the camera-based technology to constantly adjust the electronic dampers would lead to an excellent ride even on less-than-perfect road surfaces. The Kodiaq, Škoda’s flagship SUV gets this tech; so why not Škoda’s flagship sedan?



The Superb has 3 distinct drive modes, along with an individual mode:

• Normal mode: This is the mode in which the car starts up each time. The throttle response is laid-back, but the transmission will downshift if needed, and will let you hold gears until the redline at full throttle. Otherwise, the transmission shifts to the highest gear possible. The steering and adaptive headlights are on their default setting.
• Eco mode: This can be used if one needs every last drop of fuel in the tank. The throttle response is noticeably dulled, while the transmission avoids downshifting wherever possible. The air conditioning is put in a “mild” mode, where the turbocharger is prioritised over it. Auto start/stop is enabled each time you shift to this mode, regardless of the previous setting. However, you can still choose to turn it off.
• Sports mode: The transmission always downshifts to keep the turbocharger spooled, and responds enthusiastically to throttle inputs. In fact, I’ve seen it skip gears during kickdown, going from 6th to 3rd for example. The intensity of engine braking is increased too. The throttle response is instant, and the steering wheel is made heavier.
• Individual mode: The settings for the steering, air conditioning, powertrain and headlights can be set individually here.

I feel that the current "normal" mode should be made a "comfort" mode, and a mode in between the current "normal" and "sport" should become the new "normal" mode (I imagine it would feel something like the "normal" mode of the current Audi A4).



Turbo-petrols are known to be gas-guzzlers in traffic, and this one is no different. This was after one of the worst traffic jams in Hyderabad in recent times, causing 8 km to take nearly an hour to cover! However, if one anticipates traffic conditions ahead and drives with a light foot, the figure can be coaxed into the double digits on a good day even in the city. On the highway is where it really shines. I’ve seen figures nearing 18 km/l on days with sparse traffic allowing constant speeds!

Overall, considering the power and torque output of this engine, the fuel efficiency is extremely respectable, no complaints here. All figures were observed while using 95 octane petrol. Coupled with this, the 66 litre fuel tank leads to a massive range. We’ve done Hyderabad to Bangalore in a little under three quarters of a tank of fuel, even with bursts of spirited driving involved!

Index

[GForceEnjoyer]

Technical details:

Safety:

The Superb is equipped with 8 airbags (including side airbags for the rear seats), electronic stability control, traction control and electronic brake distribution + anti-lock braking as standard. It also has features such as rear cross-traffic alert, a fatigue alert system, seatbelt reminders for the front passengers and a configurable speed limiter. If you purchase the available connected car tech, the car can also make an emergency call to contacts of your choice in the case of an accident. It was rated 5 stars by Euro NCAP.


The platform:

The Superb uses VW group’s MQB platform; used for a shared modular design construction of transverse, FWD cars. MQB stands for Modularer Querbaukasten, meaning “Modular Transverse Matrix/Toolkit. This allows for a high degree of standardisation and interchangeability of parts across various body styles and models. VW had invested $8 billion into this platform, which was well spent, as production time was cut by 30%, with significant reductions in complexity and engineering costs.


The engine:


This is the 2.0 Litre four-cylinder turbocharged direct injection EA888 3B engine. B stands for “Budack”, after the engineer who developed its combustion cycle, Dr. Ralph Budack. It is essentially a derivative of the Atkinson cycle (which is in itself a derivation of the Miller cycle but without a supercharger). The main difference is that the Budack cycle closes the intake valve during the early stages of the intake stroke, resulting in longer effective compression and a faster flow of incoming gases.

This increases efficiency, since not as much air has to be compressed, but at the expense of some power (however, when compared to the previous EA888 Gen 3 engine; power, efficiency as well as torque are up from the previously used 1.8 Litre TSI). Another noteworthy feature is the intake camshaft’s variable valve timing system. At low load, the valve opening is kept short, while under high load, the valves are open for a longer period of time, allowing for full use of the engine’s performance.



The increased displacement (when compared to the 1.8 TSI) is solely due to a longer piston stroke (92.8 mm vs 84.1 mm). The compression ratio is 11.7:1 (not very tuner-friendly, good for an increment of around 30 horsepower without affecting reliability at best) due to the new piston head and combustion chamber (the roof is lowered by 0.9 mm), while the fuel injection pressure also sees a rise due to the new injectors; fuel can be injected in up to 3 injection sequences per stroke at a maximum pressure of 3626 psi. Port injection is used in conjunction with direct injection in order to reduce particulates in the exhaust as well as carbon buildup on the valves; something that is a concern with purely direct injection engines.

The engine block is made of cast-iron, with the pistons being made from an aluminium-alloy. The EA888 is one of the last cast-iron four-cylinders around, with most others switching to aluminium for better heat dissipation, but that’s not exactly a bad thing. Aluminium would be lighter, but at the expense of refinement, which would mean a lot of additional weight in sound deadening for an application like the Superb. Even in previous iterations, the EA888 was one of the most refined engines in its class; so much so, that Volkswagen had to use a device called a “Soundaktor” to make the engine audible in its sportier offerings!

Other noteworthy features and updates include a newly designed and better-ventilated crank case, which helps reduce oil consumption due to a larger difference in pressure with respect to ambient air. The exhaust manifold that is integrated into the cylinder head helps warm up the engine faster, reducing emissions (they are highest when the engine is cold) as well as reduce the temperatures of the exhaust gases before they reach the turbocharger in order to allow a leaner fuel mixture for fuel economy. Audi’s valvelift system is also present on the intake side, as well as a new vacuum pump, more compact turbocharger and an electronic wastegate (helps manage turbo lag and provides greater control over boost).

This is where my knowledge about the engine ends, so here is a link with further information in case anyone is interested.

Transmission:



The Superb uses a dual-clutch transmission, branded Direktschaltgetriebe (DSG). This particular unit is codenamed DQ381-7F and is an improved version of the previous DQ380 transmission, used across multiple MQB platform cars. “380” signifies the maximum torque in N/m that can be handled (as stated publicly by VW, the actual rating is supposedly 420 N/m (DSG, demystified! All you need to know about VW's Direct-Shift Gearbox), while the added “1” in “DQ381” is used to show that it is an updated version), and “7” represents the number of forward gears. “F” in this case shows that it is used in FWD applications (a variation called the DQ381-7A exists for AWD applications too).

The basic principle at play here is that there are two separate clutches, one for the odd numbered gears (1,3,5,7) and one for the even numbered gears (2,4,6). While the car is being driven in an odd gear (say, 3rd), the next or previous even gear (depends on the driving conditions) can be pre-selected. One clutch is engaged at exactly the same time as the other is disengaged, resulting in a shift-time significantly faster than that possible with a manual transmission. By extension, this can ensure an uninterrupted delivery of power to the driven wheels.

The DQ381-7F is a wet-clutch transmission, meaning that the clutches are bathed in oil for cooling purposes. This type of a setup is usually used for relatively high-torque applications. The outer clutch pack drives the odd numbered gears and reverse, while the inner clutch pack drives the even numbered gears. The outer clutch pack has a larger diameter than the inner clutch pack, meaning that it is capable of withstanding higher torque.

It is claimed that a DSG takes only 8 milliseconds to upshift (unverified). Downshifts take longer though, around 600 milliseconds. This is due to the need for rev matching to ensure that the output shaft is spinning at the same speed as the wheels by blipping the throttle. If the gearbox has to downshift an even number of gears (to a gear driven by the same clutch pack), the downshift is slower still, as the other clutch pack is not available for immediate engagement. This is the only time where power delivery is interrupted.

The DSG’s “mechatronics module”, or the transmission’s ECU in layman terms, allows the transmission to adapt to the style of the driver, progressively tailoring shift points specifically for them. It is combined with a hydro-mechanical unit, and uses fuzzy logic (where the truth-value of variables must be any real number between 0 and 1) to adapt to te driver’s driving style.

The gear ratios are as follows:

• 1st gear: 3.190
• 2nd gear: 2.750
• 3rd gear: 1.897
• 4th gear: 1.040
• 5th gear: 0.793
• 6th gear: 0.860
• 7th gear: 0.661
• Reverse gear: 2.900
• Final drive I: 4.471
• Final drive II: 3.304

1st, 4th, 5th and reverse fall on the first final drive ratio, while the rest fall on the second. This also explains why 5th has a lower ratio than 6th.

Index

[GForceEnjoyer]

The smaller yet significant things:

When you open the front doors, the Škoda logo is projected onto the ground.


There are umbrellas in each of the front doors! The storage slots even have drainage thought out, so you can put in a wet umbrella without worrying.


Note the sculpted elements on the taillights. They help improve aerodynamics.


The windshield washers are tucked below the hood and are heated for extremely cold conditions.


If you start rolling in neutral, the 360° camera automatically turns on.


A long press of the unlock button opens all the windows and tilts the sunroof up for ventilation. The reverse can also be done by a long press of the lock button.


There is a little plastic clip for holding items like toll receipts.


The Superb surprisingly gets a grab handle for the driver’s side too. The cost of modifying production for an LHD to RHD configuration to exclude the driver’s side in both cases must have exceeded the cost of including an extra grab handle in every unit produced. All four grab handles are damped.


The Superb gets an automatic supplementary heater for extremely cold climates. There is also automatic air recirculation, which is activated when the car is in reverse (to stop exhaust fumes from entering the cabin) and when the windshield washers are used (to stop the smell of the washer solution from entering the cabin).


You have to dive deep into the touchscreen system to find the options for the instrument cluster such as resetting the tripmeter. The massive tripmeter reset button on the pre-facelift car with the analogue instrument cluster was disliked, but it was surely easier to use in a hurry!


The rain sensing wipers work quite well, and you can even set their intensity.


The high beam, turn indicators and cruise control can be controlled from the same stalk! You can also use it to turn on the parking lights on only one side of the car.


When resuming cruise control from a speed below the chosen one, a green line appears on the speedometer.


If you exceed the set speed, a red line appears on the speedometer.


This message appears on the screen when you turn off the car. Nice little touch.


The sensors for the wipers and automatic headlights do a good job; there’s barely any delay even if it starts pouring out of nowhere or if you enter a dark tunnel after being out in the daylight.


Check out the knurled finish on the steering wheel scroll button!


You can customise the brightness of the ambient lighting through this menu or turn it off entirely.


For some reason, the sunroof cover is not connected to the actual glass panel, meaning that you can end up with this:


This compartment opens up to reveal the subwoofer of the 610W Canton sound system.


These useful elements can be used to hold items in place in the boot, as they stick to the floor using Velcro. There are two of these provided.


There is a 12-volt socket in the boot; great for equipment like portable vacuum cleaners.


These hooks are great for items you don't want to have sliding around in the boot. The smart magnetic torch that used to be found on the pre-facelift model has unfortunately been removed. This little piece of plastic serves as a memoir to those aware of its existence. Also not included from the international version are the levers to fold down the rear seats; you have to do it manually. This is a paid option abroad, but not even available in India.


The cover for the fuel tank has the information for the grade of fuel required (95 RON with a maximum permissible ethanol content of 10%) and the tyre pressure values. Note how the diagram of a car mildly resembles the silhouette of the Superb (the roofline for example). Interestingly, the ice-scraper located here on Škodas abroad is missing in India; not that we needed it anyway.


This little flap in front of the wheels helps improve airflow.


The hood is assisted by pneumatic struts and a double-hinged mechanism.


The low-pressure port injection fuel rail is visible here.


This is the high-pressure fuel pump. Smaller than I'd expected for sure. Note the Mass Airflow (MAF) sensor on the air intake.


There is a good deal of sound insulation under the hood.


The engine sits just ahead of the front axle. Quite a lot of space to work around in the engine bay (note the silver heat shield on the firewall).


Other points:

• The car has a system called “maneuver braking”, which brakes to avoid a possible collision when moving either forward or backward (for example reversing into a traffic cone or driving over a large rock).
• The blower for the A/C system changes its speed with respect to the speed of the car in order for its sound to remain subdued.
• After turning off the car, the infotainment and power windows can be operated until the driver's door is opened. Useful, since a passenger opening their door doesn't hinder you while performing the end-of-drive checklist.
• This car has a drag coefficient of 0.275; impressive for the time of its design.
• The driver’s side ORVM is auto-dimming to minimise glare at night. The pre-facelift car had it on the passenger side too, but it was removed for cost purposes. Not cool!
• A blanket is provided with the car, presumably for times when you need to sleep in it overnight.

Index

[GForceEnjoyer]

Ownership experience and conclusion:

The odometer reading at the time of writing is around 9500 km. It’s been a fantastic car to own so far and has lived up to nearly all the hype about German cars. It's difficult to believe that a year has already passed since we purchased the Superb! It’s been taken on several long road trips, such as Hyderabad to Lonavala and Alibag via Pune, Hyderabad to Ooty via Bangalore and Hyderabad to Hampi. The Superb is such a fantastic highway cruiser that even 10+ hour drives result in little to no fatigue. There are many more trips planned for the future; in fact, we were very close to driving to Delhi this April (and then to locations like Nainital and Agra) but decided to fly instead at the last minute. Perhaps Hyderabad-Delhi is something I can accomplish after I start driving.

Reliability:

The first things that come to mind when thinking of Škoda are DSG failures and aftersales horror stories. Thankfully, this particular car has a wet-clutch DSG which should hopefully be more reliable than the previous dry-clutch units which have primarily contributed to said failure rates. Still, we’re being cautious.

Little practices like shifting to neutral at traffic lights (and not riding the brake pedal) and staying in first via manual mode in crawling traffic and when ascending inclines at low speeds can go a long way in saving you potential future headaches. Creeping unnecessarily, ESPECIALLY with the brake pedal partially released should be avoided, as it wears out the clutch and may overheat the transmission (less likely with wet-clutch units). You should also never hold the car on an incline by using the accelerator, as it is once again detrimental to the life of the clutch. We’ve never used the launch control program and never plan to either, since pressing the brake and the accelerator at the same time is a no-go in any vehicle. We also follow the idling rule for turbocharged cars every time before turning it off.

As for the running in, we followed the standard procedure by the book. For the first 1000 km, we kept the revs below 2500 rpm, then gradually increased them to 3000 rpm until 1500 km. After that, we gradually increased them to the maximum by 2500 km. We were careful to vary driving conditions frequently too. We then got an oil change done at some point around 1500 km, to get rid of any metal slivers that might have found their way into it.

Thankfully, except for the rattles I mentioned earlier, there have been absolutely no issues with this car so far, and I hope it remains that way. We like to keep our cars very long (our Fiesta is nearly 16 years old at the time of writing), so this will be important.

Aftersales:

We purchased the car from Mahavir Škoda in Hyderabad, as the waiting period for the Lava Blue colour wasn’t too long and we got a decent deal. However, their reviews for service are less than satisfactory at best, and we didn’t want to risk it.

We got the oil change done at PPS Škoda, and get the Superb serviced there too. We also got accessories such as the floor mats and mudflaps fitted from PPS Škoda (Mahavir Škoda didn’t have them). While there were delays in sourcing the accessories, the experience was otherwise smooth.

During the first service, the cause of the rattles from around the sunroof that occurred on uneven surfaces was identified to be due to a design flaw. The fix will be covered under warranty and carried out by a specialist team. All was satisfactory on the first service, except for the poor interior cleaning job. The piano black trim was covered with swirl marks, while the windows had a ton of polish on them. The issue was partially resolved on the spot when we noticed it. However, we will still be getting the interior treated from outside next time. The final bill was roughly 11700 rupees. The cabin air filter, engine oil and oil filter was changed along with the drain plug washer. Wheel alignment and balancing was also carried out. All was smooth apart from the billing; the lack of a signal inside the service centre caused billing to take an inconveniently long time. In the end, the machine had to be taken outside to generate the bill.

So, the experience has been satisfactory so far. Let's hope it stays that way in the future.

Conclusion:

It was a very lengthy series of events that resulted in us purchasing a Škoda Superb, but I’m very glad that it happened. It took me a while to fully comprehend that the car I had been admiring for years was parked in our garage! We will be keeping it for a very long time for sure; it might also be our last internal combustion engine car. The EA888 engine with a DSG is a great way to go out on a high note according to me though. We will look into the possibility of mods only after the extended warranty is up, since we do not want any unnecessary expenses due to possible defects not being covered. However, the insane mod potential of this car will most likely be put to use in some way or another after 6 years are up; the possibilities are endless and incredibly inviting! As for the Superb being set to get the axe in 2023? No effect on us for sure, since owning cars long after the model has been discontinued is nothing new to us. Launched in 2016, the Superb will have had a great production run of nearly 8 years in India. Within those 8 years, it would have seen 3 major facelifts, and was offered with 4 different powertrain combinations with 3 different engines and 4 transmissions available over its lifetime! It is disheartening to see the death of the D segment sedan in India, so as a die-hard sedan lover, I am proud to have one out of this dying breed parked in our garage.

With this, I culminate my second car review on Team-BHP. It was incredibly fun writing it and taking pictures for it. Here’s to hoping that my third review will be of a car I purchase for myself in the future!

All photos were taken on my humble Redmi 9 Prime.

Drive on and keep enjoying those G forces!

A parting shot. Cheers!


Index

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Axe77]

What a cracking review young man! Delighted to see such top quality writing as well as such a mature understanding of the vehicle at such a young age. I look forward to reading more from you on the forum.

Its really regrettable that the Superb and Octavia are going to be discontinued soon. They were both genuinely world class products that combined the holy trinity of performance, luxury and practicality / space all within the same product at a relatively VFM price (although the VFM factor had somewhat eroded in more recent times, but still). Most other offerings including immediately above and below, including those from its own stable, compromise on one or the other factor from the above. Think BMWs and they compromise on space. Camry, luxurious but shy on performance. 2.0 VAG sedans - not quite the same on the luxury or build quality as their higher end siblings.

Hope you hang on to this one for a long time to come. They’re not gonna make them like this anymore.

[rpunwani]

Absolutely fantastic review, well thought and penned. Love your enthusiasm - looking forward to continuation of your ownership review and you driving the car after you attain the legal age

[Shreyas Aterkar]

Congrats man! Awesome review of an awesome car. The car is true to its name - just Superb. You have an amazing eye for details and that shows in the aspects that you have covered.


You have got it at the right time and wishing you many many miles of enjoyment riding and very soon driving the car.

[kaustavguha]

Congratulations! Wish you many happy, enjoyable and safe kilometers! The car looks fabulous in this colour!

As for your writing, it was really good and everything was explained so well! Someone like myself who had never been in a Skoda showroom or a superb for that matter, i got a very clear picture!

[sunikkat]

Congratulations.
All those who got these sedans (Octavia and Superb) in last couple of years are indeed lucky. You have a long time to hold on to your car. As we are progressing the options are only getting bad and expensive.