2023 (23) Škoda Superb 1.5 TSI SE 5dr DSG

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

The Superb has long been the standard-bearer for Skoda's model line-up but it gained a fresh lease of life in its more sophisticated third generation guise, a B8 design further improved in 2019 to create the updated MK3 model we're going to look at here. This enhanced design looked sharper inside and out and the brand added a Plug-in hybrid variant to the range for the first time too. Plus the pricing was sensible, there are extra hi-tech driving aids and as usual with a Superb, you get a class-leadingly spacious cabin, along with an absolutely huge boot in both Hatch and Estate variants. The result is a very complete package that should prove likeable to live with. As Skoda points out, you'll probably end up spending several years of your life in a car: important then, to choose the right one. If customer satisfaction surveys are to be believed, few Superb buyers ever doubt that they've done just that.

History

The name 'Superb' smacks of self-aggrandisment doesn't it, but it's actually an important nameplate for Skoda, dating back to 1934 and an original design that established this Czech maker's forward-thinking automotive credentials. Amongst other things, this pre-war model showcased overhead valve engines, hydraulic brakes and a four-speed gearbox, technology that was cutting edge for the period. And it was gracefully styled too, justifying a name borrowed from the Latin 'superbus', meaning 'proud' or 'stately'. It would be a long time before the brand would bring us another model - this car - that would again truly justify that terminology. The first and second generation modern era Superb models we saw in 2001 and 2008 certainly didn't. The first of these, based on stretched Volkswagen Passat underpinnings, was prompted by an initial request from Czech President Milos Zeman who'd come to Skoda wanting a large luxury saloon, having been embarrassed by the previous need to use German cars for his official duties. Surprisingly successful, this design justified development of a MK3 version that featured much more Czech DNA, based on a platform stretched from the brand's cheaper Octavia model. This time, buyers got an estate variant too, as well as a five-door version offering a clever 'Twindoor' rear liftback arrangement giving the look of a saloon but the versatilty of a hatchback. In both cases, the market's medium range Mondeo D-segment got a brilliantly spacious, excellent value contender, but one that in styling terms was dowdy and dull - the kind of car your dad would choose. The safe, comfort-orientated handling suited that perception too. It all meant that when it came to this third generation model line-up, it simply wasn't going to be enough for Skoda to once more bring us something big, sensible and decently priced. This car needed a more dynamic feel, a dose of technology and, most of all, a sense of style. In short, it needed to justify its name. This MK3 version, first launched here in the Summer of 2015, was ready to offer all of these things. It did and as a result, over 530,000 'liftback' and estate examples of this third generation model were sold in its first four years of production, though only 17% of these reached private buyers, the remainder taken by fleets and taxi companies. By 2019, Skoda decided that it would like a few more individuals to consider a Superb. Hence the need for a package of improvements to considerably enhance this B8-era design's showroom appeal. Apart from the slightly smarter look, there was lots of change beneath the bonnet, with two fresh volume engines - a 1.5 TSI petrol and a new 'EVO'-series 2.0 TDI 150PS diesel. Plus there was Skoda's first electrified model, the Superb iV plug-in hybrid. Add in new safety and convenience systems and a bit of extra so-called 'Simply Clever' design and all the ingredients seemed to be in place for a more promising proposition, particularly as this car was still unqualled in its sector in terms of rear passenger space and luggage capacity. It sold until a new fourth generation B9 design arrived in Spring 2024. It's the post-facelift models MK3 B8 models we look at here for a used car perspective.

What You Get

It seems a long time ago now that the Superb was a dull, dowdy thing. The look of this third generation 'B8'-series model evolved from designer Josef Kaban's futuristic 'Vision C' concept car of 2014 and for this 2019 update, the brand's then head of styling, Karl Neuhold, subtly updated the front and rear finishing to keep this Skoda feeling current. As before, clean-cut lines, smoothly shaped surfaces and sharp edges dominate. And if you like it, you'll find it difficult to understand why so many family buyers at this price point opted for a mid-sized SUV instead. So let's get to the changes that were made here. At the front, the radiator grille got a bit of extra presence thanks to smart double-slats and just below it lay a more prominent bumper framing a revised lower fascia section with wider, slimmer fog lamps at each corner. To suit the prevailing trend, the headlights gained full-LEDs. At the rear, it's a bit easier to identify the changes marking out the updated version of this MK3 model. A thin chrome bar runs along the full width of the car, bisecting the full-LED tail lamp clusters at either end. Just above it, the previous round brand badge was replaced with spaced-out lettering. Of course as usual, what's important is the stuff you can't see, in this case the MQB 'Modular Transverse Matrix' underpinnings that at the launch of this 'B8'-series Superb in 2015 reduced the kerb weight by 75kgs and improved torsional stiffness by 13%. What about behind the wheel? Well as the door closes with a reassuring 'thunk' and you take a seat inside, you find yourself in a clean, classy cabin that's simply styled and, in this updated form, lightly embellished with chrome highlights on the door handles and ambient lighting on the dashboard. The key cabin change was something original customers usually had to pay extra for - a 10.25-inch 'Virtual Cockpit' instrument binnacle screen which, thanks to borrowed Audi technology, was (back in 2019) one of the better digital displays out there. Another more subtle improvement lay with the standardisation across the line-up of a touchscreen in the centre of the fascia no smaller than 8-inches in size. Most buyers preferred the mid-range 'Amundsen' system, with its integrated navigation and WiFi that allows access to the useful 'Skoda Connect' package of online services. An even more sophisticated 9.2-inch 'Columbus' monitor was optional. You'll also like the brand's so-called 'Simply Clever' touches; the umbrella holder in the door; the useful little seat side pockets; the cooling you get for the glovebox and the spacious centre armrest compartment to keep drinks and sweets chilled; and the neat 'one-handed cup holder' below the gear stick that removes the need for the driver to take both hands off the wheel to unscrew a bottle top. And the back seat? You'll expect a lot here from a Superb if we tell you that the only car in the whole of the Volkswagen Group portfolio from this period with more rear seat legroom is an Audi A8 long wheelbase limousine. And, sure enough, there really is a limousine-like feel to the way that, once inside, you can stretch out back in one of these. Most other family vehicles require you to slot your feet beneath the seat in front but in a Superb, that may not be necessary if you aren't particularly tall. Elbow room was improved as part of the design changes which originally created this third generation model, making it easier to comfortably transport three adults over long distances than it would be in any other car in this sector, despite the prominence of the centre transmission tunnel. And out back? Get your stuff over the rather pronounced boot lip and you'll find 625-litre of space on offer. From this period, that's 39-litres bigger than you'd get from a Volkswagen Passat, 83-litres bigger than a Ford Mondeo and a huge 135-litres bigger than a Vauxhall Insignia. The Superb Estate can take 660-litres. A ski hatch can accommodate longer items. Annoyingly though, original buyers had to pay extra if they wanted to activate the spring-loaded 60:40 split-folding seatbacks with boot-mounted levers. Once everything's retracted, there's up to 1,760-litres of space. Unfortunately, the cargo floor isn't completely flat, but it can be if you choose the Estate model, which offers up to 1,950-litres of space on demand.

What to Look For

In our ownership survey, we struggled to find many people who didn't like this Skoda. A few common faults came out of our research. Things like suspension noises over speed humps or poor road surfaces (look for that on your test drive); headlights that dip themselves too much; excessive rear brake disc wear; the glovebox opening on its own over sharp bumps and/or not closing properly; loose or dislodged chrome trim at the B-pillar. Plus apparently the flimsy ski hatch mechanism breaks easily; and the rear air vents sometimes collapse inwards. A batch of poor batteries caused problems for some 2019-era cars. Some of the issues we told you about in our guide on earlier pre-facelift versions of this MK3 model might still apply. To remind you, these included; issues with some electrical functions on some 2015-era examples due to an incorrectly installed cable clamp in the fuse box. And the anti-trap software on some Superbs from this period might not work when the sunroof is closing. Otherwise, it's just necessary to look out for the usual family hatch issues - kerbed alloys and evidence of damage from unruly children on the interior plastics. Obviously, you'll want a fully stamped-up service history.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2020 Superb iV PHEV excl. VAT) A pair of front brake pads are between £21 - depending on brand. Think around £28 for a set of rear pads. A pair of front brake discs start at about £91-£110 - for rear discs, think about £50-£75. Air filters sit in the £10 bracket. Oil filters cost around £4. A fuel filter is around £12-£35. A set of wiper blades are in the £21-£40 bracket. A pollen filter is in the £6-£30 bracket.

On the Road

The days are long gone when a Superb tackled twisting roads with all the agility of a Channel ferry. The installation of a stiff, sophisticated Volkswagen Group MQB platform into this third generation model in 2015 delivered a level of handling prowess broadly comparable with its close cousin, the Volkswagen Passat. Which means that though this Skoda is very much comfort-orientated, in this B8 form it's surprising capable should the need arise for you to push it along a bit. There were no chassis or suspension changes with this revised B8 model, but quite a lot was different under the bonnet. As before, the most popular engine was the mid-range 2.0 TDI 150PS diesel unit, which was heavily redesigned to a more advanced 'EVO'-spec. At launch, it managed up to 57.7mpg on the WLTP combined cycle and up to 128g/km of CO2, both WLTP figures. Also popular amongst Superb buyers were the two lower-capacity units. One is conventional, the 150PS 1.5 TSI unit, which features active cylinder deactivation. The other is somewhat more sophisticated, fitted to the Superb iV plug-in hybrid, which was the brand's first electrified model. Here, a 1.4 TSI petrol engine is mated to an 85kW electric motor (which boosts total system output to 218PS) and a 13kWh battery which, when fully charged, can provide up to 35 miles of all-electric WLTP-rated driving range. For completion, we'll brief you on the other engine options in the range. There are a couple of 2.0 TSI petrol units, one with 190PS, the other with 272PS and AWD. And there are a couple of alternative diesels, a 1.6 TDI with 120PS (which only sold until 2020); and the 2.0 TDI 190PS unit we'd recommend (this an older non-EVO-generation unit) which tends to be the choice of towers, first because it develops a lusty 400Nm of torque and second because it was often ordered from new with the option of AWD, in which form it can tug along up to 2.2-tonnes. Most of the engines have to be had with DSG auto transmission, though for the volume 1.5 TSI and 2.0 TDI 150PS variants, Skoda initially offered a rarely-chosen manual stick shift option (soon deleted from the range). As a Superb buyer, you're unlikely to want that. This car very much suits an auto.

Overall

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 Mondeo-class model like this. Even if you were set on choosing a Skoda from this period, why wouldn't you buy a Karoq or a Kodiaq for this sort of money? Back in 2019, to continue to justify its place in the range, this improved B8 Superb had to offer a more credible answer to that question; and, by and large, it did. This updated model should have gained the mild hybrid tech that by 2019 you could get in other VW Group models like the Audi A4. And the Superb 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. Yes, there are other quite compelling choices in the segment from this period if you don't want an SUV: a Vauxhall Insignia is better value; a Mazda6 is sharper to drive; and a Volkswagen Passat is a touch more polished. No other rival though, in our view at least, does a better job of combining all these virtues into one appealing package.