Skoda Superb vs Toyota Camry

Priority is for safety features, driving comfort, new tech and services.

BHPian sgunasek recently shared this with other BHPians.

Looking for a car for my father. He has got a Chevrolet Cruze now for about 4 years. He is a saloon car lover.

Priority is for safety features, driving comfort, new tech and services. We plan to keep the car for at least 4-5 years. He clocks approximately 700 km / month (although now it has reduced due to the current situation). We like all company fitted equipment without going for any further changes.

40-50L is our planned budget. We shortlisted Skoda Superb and Toyota Camry. He did test drives of both. Each have their own strengths.

Skoda Superb

Pros:

• Looks good
• Driving comfort
• Refreshed model (2021)
• Engaging Engine

Cons:

• Need to think about servicing
• Not sure about it being trouble free

Toyota Camry

Pros:

• Driving is good
• Hybrid powertrain (saves fuel cost)
• Not to worry about service (might cost very less)
• Hopefully trouble free

Cons:

• Pricey with only one model option
• More lengthy

We were thinking of waiting for the Volkswagen Passat but no sign of release dates. Can’t wait for 3-4 months. Also considering one of the 3 Germans but it was way out of the budget and to be honest, services/ maintenance stories are horrible.

Welcome your valuable suggestions!

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Both are amazing luxury cars without a high-end badge. The Superb can beat the 40 - 50 lakh German marques on many parameters, while the Camry is a Lexus with a "T" badge.

Both cars have their own pros & cons. Hope you've read our official reviews. If you don't mind the price difference and want absolute reliability + good service, go for the Camry. It is a true all-rounder that will keep the entire family happy! The Camry's face is a love it or loathe it design; if you prefer cleaner styling + a European build + VFM package, pick the Superb. The Superb will be the more satisfying to drive - especially with the new 2.0L turbo petrol - although the Camry is no longer boring either. On the other hand, no way will the Superb be as trouble free to own as a Camry, be it in the reliability or service quality areas. My brother was recently shopping in the segment and picked the Superb. Camry wasn't considered as we hate the face design & the price difference was 10 lakhs (we got a great discount on the Skoda).

Drive both again and pick the one that makes you smile more. End of the day, choosing between these two will come down to the price difference, brand preference & design preference.

And yes, please do keep your cars for longer. You lose way too much money changing them every 4 - 5 years.

Here's what RJK had to say on the matter:

Exact dilemma I faced before finalising & buying Camry in Jan'21. Superb is, well, a Superb car; very very hard to ignore if one can control the service aspect. Like you, this car is bought for my parents & I am in the country sporadically. However, I get the servicing done over the phone & for that aspect, nothing can come close to Toyota. Can't say the same about Skoda, whose Fabia we owned from 2011-2014. That car was solid but the service centre (JMD) was far from solid. And this was apparently better than the other rogue dealers that Skoda has!

All in all, if you can manage the sporadic troubles that may & will arise with the Skoda plus the service centre, Superb is a fantastic value for money.

Camry has its own benefits - bloody silent ride when its on battery, fabulous sound insulation, nice JBL audio, powered seats with lumbar support, powered steering for reach and rake. In Sport mode, it does have a little grunt but one can still can't get past the fact that its a large vehicle & can't attack turns/corners & it drives like an appliance. My point of reference is our previous Honda Civic (what a fabulous steering it had!). I purposely did not drive the Superb because I knew I would be very very tempted to buy considering the value it offered at nearly 10-12L INR less. Also, the MID doesn't offer trip info anywhere close to what the Germans do.

We bought our car from a dealer where Toyota Tsusho holds 94% ownership, so I was pretty sure that the chances of hanky panky were very slim. That gave me a lot of solace & the experience was pretty smooth, right from booking until delivery, though they skimped on the delivery formalities like garland, pooja, key handing over ceremony etc. at the showroom citing COVID. They, however, did take me to the stockyard 2 times at their expense in a new Yaris, 1st time for PDI in the yard & 2nd time for driving my car from their yard to their showroom for delivery (Yes, I'm mad & anal like that).

There, I hope I have managed to confuse you further. Feel free to ask me any specific questions related to Camry as I'm also exploring the car right now. I have been meaning to start an ownership report of the same, one day, god willing!

Here's what V.Narayan had to say on the matter:

Having owned and driven both the old Camry (business) and the Superb (personal) and driven the new Camry (brother-in-law's), I would advice Camry hands down even in my sleep. The new Camry's interiors are good, ride is great and quietness & the hybrid motor is like the Lexus ES300h. As for after sales, Skoda isn't within a hundred country miles of Toyota. The Superb may have the car enthusiast's vroom and straight line acceleration and throbbing macho engine sound and the 'thud' (so beloved of car reviewers), but trust me you don't want to deal with Skoda's ASS unless you are eager for punishment. In 14 years, yes 14 years, the Camry never had a breakdown of any kind. The Skoda, in 7 years, needed the breakdown van three times. You don't buy a car. You buy, in my opinion, a product plus a service over several years. That combined package must work well. Camry. All the best. Let us know what you go for.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.