Old school virtues get new packaging in the fourth generation version of Skoda's big Superb. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.
Ten Second Review
This fourth generation Superb might well be the last all-new fossil fuelled car the Czech brand ever launches, so it's appropriate that as a product, it's very 'Skoda', sensible, spacious, good value and unpretentious in both hatch and estate form. There's something old (diesel engines) and something new (cutting-edge PHEV power) and the end result is quite simply superb.
Background
It seems strange now to remember what an outlandishly unusual product the Superb was for Skoda's line-up when it first launched in B5-series form back in 2001. We'd never seen a Skoda this big and luxurious. The pundits said it wouldn't sell and VW Group higher-ups made plans to quietly drop this Passat-derived model at the end of its first generation. But sell it did - so well that Skoda got the green light to build a second generation B6-series version in 2008, then a third generation B8-series model in 2015.
Late 2023 saw the announcement of the fourth generation B9-series model we look at here, still Passat-based (it's now even built on the same production line) and sharing everything meaningful with the brand's second generation Kodiaq SUV. Nothing too radical's been changed here, but almost every part of this car has been thought about afresh. The result is difficult not to like.
Driving Experience
You'd expect an increased degree of electrification here - and, by and large, that's what you get. There's no full-electric version (the MQB Evo platform doesn't allow for it), but the iV Plug-in Hybrid powertrain that was rarely chosen with the previous generation model gets a big boost with this one. It offers a much bigger 25.7kWh battery (up from 12.7kWh before), which boosts EV range considerably - to 84 miles. The PHEV system (which this time only comes with the Estate version) still generates 204PS, but its engine is now a 1.5-litre petrol unit linked (like the previous 1.4-litre powertrain) to a 6-speed auto gearbox.
All other Superbs use a DSG 7-speed auto, the range starting off with a conventional mild hybrid model that sees the 1.5-litre petrol unit reappear again, here in 150PS form. Next up are the 2.0-litre powerplants, petrol units with either 204PS or 265PS and diesels with 150 and 193PS. In both cases, the more powerful 2.0-litre option comes with AWD.
Previous Superbs appealed particularly to long distance drivers, offering a solid feel, refinement and journeying comfort - and this one will be no different. Damping can be further improved by the new 'Dynamic Chassis Control Pro' adaptive system, which can provide an almost limo-like ride when set in 'Comfort'. Refinement will be enhanced by the sleeker body which is 10-15% more slippery (a Cd of 0.23 for the hatch and 0.25 for the estate).
Design and Build
At first glance, this fourth generation Superb looks merely a mild evolution in its five-door and estate forms. Closer inspection though, reveals some significant changes. For a start, the new MQB Evo platform allows it to become an even bigger car, around 40mm longer and 10mm taller than before (though it's also 15mm narrower). You'll notice changes at the front too, where slimmer LED headlamps (which deliver 40% more light) flank an octagonal grille which dips in the centre to allow a larger Skoda badge to sit at the end of the more sharply creased long bonnet. There's also a shallower windscreen rake and slimmer tail lamps. Wheel sizes vary from 17 to 19-inches.
Inside, the cabin redesign is much the same as the one featuring in the second generation Kodiaq SUV. Which means a large 12.9-inch centre screen and a 10-inch 'Virtual Cockpit' instrument display. Prominent at the base of the centre stack are three so-called 'Smart Dials' that control climate and can be programmed to work all kinds of other things, from audio volume to driving modes. All the cabin textiles are 100% recycled; and there are the usual Skoda 'Simply Clever' touches - like a cooling device built into the 'Phone Box' wireless charging pad, a USB port built into the rear view mirror and storage for high-viz vests in the doors. To provide more stowage space, the gear shifter has been moved to the steering column.
The Superb has always been known for vast amounts of rear seat legroom and this MK4 model is just as good in that regard - and offers 6mm more headroom. Rear passengers now get a fold-down centre armrest that can extend and slide forwards - which is useful when using the integrated tablet holder. Boot space is rated at 645-litres in the hatchback (20-litres more) and 690-litres in the estate (30-litres more), the latter figure growing to 1,920-litres with everything folded. So yes, it's all very practical.
Market and Model
Expect to budget to budget from around £35,000 for the most affordable ('SE Technology') versions of this fourth generation Superb, so prices have been massaged a bit over the previous generation model. But this Skoda still comfortably undercuts its identically-engineered VW Group cousin, the Volkswagen Passat (which is these days available only as an estate). An Estate Superb commands a £1,300 premium over the hatch. Expect to need a budget of just over £40,000 if you want your Superb with plusher trim '(SE L') or the PHEV engine (which only comes in Estate form)- and getting on for £50,000 for top 'L&K'-spec. Still, at that price point, a Superb iV would make an interesting alternative to any number of mid-sized Crossover full-EVs.
As with the Enyaq EV, there are a range of interior packages - Skoda calls them 'Design Selections'. With base level trim, you only get rather dour black and grey fabrics, but you can improve on that by choosing option packages entitled 'Loft', 'Lounge', 'Suite Black', 'Suite Cognac', 'L&K Black' and 'L&K Suite Cognac'.
Safety provision is a strongpoint. The improved autonomous emergency braking system can now detect cyclists. Plus there's a new 'Crossroad Assist' function that uses radar sensors in the bumper to monitor traffic at blind junctions and issue you a warning if you're about to pull out into the path of another vehicle. You can also now specify up to ten airbags in this car (including two side bags in the back).
Cost of Ownership
For the conventionally-engined models, the economy figures aren't too much different from before. Which means that if you opt for the base mild hybrid petrol 1.5-litre petrol variants, you're looking at about 45mpg on the combined cycle and about 145g/km of CO2. The base 2.0 TDI diesel improves that to around 55mpg and around 135g/km. As we told you in our 'Driving' section, the PHEV model is capable of around 84 miles of range before you need to use fossil fuel. Skoda believes that will allow many families to use this car as an EV, given German market research suggesting that 95% of journeys are less than 31 miles long and 99% are shorter than 62 miles. The brand claims that with petrol and electric power sources combined, the Superb iV's range would stretch to over 620 miles. The PHEV battery now supports DC charging at up to 50kW - which is much faster than the old-shape Superb iV, which was limited to just 3.6kW AC charging. That means a 10 to 80% battery top up will take around 25 minutes, while a new 11kW on-board charger allows full home battery replenishment to take as little as 2 hours.
As for servicing across the range, the recommended intervals for all engines are based around a 20,000 mile/2 year regime. And you can budget ahead for maintenance costs by taking out a fixed-price pre-paid servicing plan at point of purchase that covers the first two scheduled garage visits. Finally, while it's certainly true that other rivals better the three year 60,000 mile warranty that Skoda provides, you can extend your cover to four or five years by paying extra. Not that you really need to. The brand regularly tops independent consumer satisfaction surveys: according to real people, there are few more satisfying cars to own.
Summary
In a market increasingly dominated by SUVs, it's often tempting to wonder whether there's really still a place for a conventional 'D'-segment Passat-class model like this. Even if you were set on choosing a Skoda, why wouldn't you buy a Karoq or a Kodiaq for this sort of money? To continue to justify its place in the range, this fourth generation Superb had to offer a more credible answer to that question; and, by and large, it has.
It still won't really satisfy the very few people who come to this class in search of dynamic handling. But otherwise, there's much to like here. Not least the kind of exterior elegance that fits in as comfortably at a high class hotel as it does on a taxi rank. Above all, the Superb delivers space, and that's a quality you can never really have too much of in this corner of the market. Why? Because it's the one attribute where more mainstream marques can really land a telling blow on the premium badges. Something similarly priced like a BMW 3 Series or an Audi A4 is always going to feel more cramped inside than a Skoda Superb - and the advantage of the Superb Estate in that regard is particularly notable.
This then, remains a convincing flagship for Skoda's increasingly impressive model line-up, offering real luxury in an everyday accessible package. It's now safer, slicker and, particularly in plug-in form, more technically advanced too. Or, to put it another way, it is, to use Skoda's words, 'Simply Clever'.
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