Group test in latest What Car? magazine

[runboy]

So who has read the group test out today in What Car? with the new Superb?

It came 3rd behind the Monedo and Passat. Now the Passat had the CR engine, the Superb the PD engine and the test was negative about the PD engine and sang the praises of the CR.

I feel it was a bit unfair. The magazine must be keen to do the test though as they normally wait for a UK spec car in their group tests (this one was a left hooker).

[Allams Skoda]

They are clearly wrong.

I would have thought it would gone Mundano, Superb, Passat.

Myself I hate the Mondeo but it would seem most automotive magazines love it. Having driven both all 3 of the cars the Superb is ahead of the Passat for sure, and the Mondeo isn't really in the same league. When driving the Mondeo you get this dreadful sense that you are just driving another Mondeo, where as in the Superb it feels like something quite special.

[RapidRonnie]

I feel it was a bit unfair. The magazine must be keen to do the test though as they normally wait for a UK spec car in their group tests (this one was a left hooker).

Yeah, I thought that was a bit unfair too. Especially as the Superb with the 170TDI-CR is actually closer in price to the Mondeo and Passat than the 140 that they tested.

[RapidRonnie]

They are clearly wrong.

I would have thought it would gone Mundano, Superb, Passat.

Myself I hate the Mondeo but it would seem most automotive magazines love it. Having driven both all 3 of the cars the Superb is ahead of the Passat for sure, and the Mondeo isn't really in the same league. When driving the Mondeo you get this dreadful sense that you are just driving another Mondeo, where as in the Superb it feels like something quite special.

I think most british car magazines seem to give any Ford a few bonus points for "being a Ford" I'm sure the Mondeo is a pretty good car, but the interior doesn't look that great and it is surely smaller inside and poorer specced than the Superb? Haven't read the whole review yet though.

The top spec Mondeo's look nice, but seen quite a few bog standard ones too which look very ordinary, especially the estate version.

[Guest wilkopilko]

I think most british car magazines seem to give any Ford a few bonus points for "being a Ford" I'm sure the Mondeo is a pretty good car, but the interior doesn't look that great and it is surely smaller inside and poorer specced than the Superb? Haven't read the whole review yet though.

I've noticed that the Mondeo & Jag XF both have 5 stars pretty much in every British mag, although having driven the new 2.2 TDCI Mondeo Titanium jobby I too would give it 5 stars. Agree about the interior of the Mondeo though - all that plastic Chrome effect....WTF! - & as you say it aint much to look at after you've seen a few dozen - maybe 4.5 stars then .

[runboy]

The review even said the Superb was closer to Audi quality in the interior than the Passat.

Another thing that gets my goat with What Car? is the Hyundai i10 - they give it 3 stars when 99% of other reviews give it a full 5/5. Autocar did a group test with the Panda/Twingo/Agila and the i10 was top. Are Autocar and What Car? not linked in some way?

[Bagpuss]

Just picked up my copy now, and was very surprised that the Superb comes in third.

Having driven the Mundano, Passat and Superb during my search for a new company car, I think the Superb is the best of the bunch. Certainly, it doesn't handle as well as Mondeo, but it's a darn sight better than the Passat. As an overall package, it just can't be beaten.

You get more kit for the money, more room, it uses better quality materials (than the Mundano and C5), and easily equals the Passat in this respect.

Personally, I think the should have been comparing 2.0TDI 170, where I think the result might have been a lot different.

Another thing that really annoyed me about the review is that the Mondeo shown clearly wasn't a Zetec, as it had the full colour display in the dash and also touchscreen satnav. Those two would add nearly £2000 to the price of the car. Admittedly, I don't think the Superb was an SE, but at least you do get a touchscreen stereo at that trim level.

Oh well. I'm happy with my choice, and I think a lot of other people will be too.

Bagpuss.

[Organist]

I thought the review was a bit stupid especially as one of the things they marked it down for was "The climate control dial obsures part of the readout". Oh dear!

[Bagpuss]

I thought the review was a bit stupid especially as one of the things they marked it down for was "The climate control dial obsures part of the readout". Oh dear!

Totally agree. It's complete twaddle, especially as the readout comes up on the touchscreen display. You'd have to be blind to miss it

Bagpuss.

[woodenspatulas]

what tosh!

the ford does handle well but sitting in the car it looks and feels like your driving a cheap matsui stereo on wheels, and my god who thought it was a good idea to fit the 6 disc changer right in the mouth of the already tiny opening for the saloon???? plus the rear passenger space isnt as good as the superb.

the passat isnt as good in the ride dept, nor trim level, or price, but its a vw so "has" to come above the skoda. but try and get into the back of one and you will see its shortfall.

testing a old pd engine against the other 2 was a stupid idea from the outset. of course its not going to do as well as the other newer engines, hence why skoda are using the cr version! it just seems like its not allowed to do well in these tests!

personally if i was buying that sort of car i would want my passengers to be impressed by it as much as me, and non of the competition get close to providing the comfort and finish that the superb has.

plus who can say no to that twin door boot lid

[cjb]

what tosh!

the ford does handle well but sitting in the car it looks and feels like your driving a cheap matsui stereo on wheels

That's something i hate in a lot of current cars- acres of cheap looking silver-effect plastic.

[Organist]

Totally agree. It's complete twaddle, especially as the readout comes up on the touchscreen display. You'd have to be blind to miss it

Bagpuss.

Perhaps they are - after all they couldn't even wait to get a R/H drive version!

........and to think that people sometimes even part with thousands of quid all on the strength of a car review like this!

[motr]

To be fair, the Superb did not get a bad review, far from it.

[skippy41]

Any person who buys the Superb will have the last laugh just check out the used values in 3 years time against the other 2

[woodenspatulas]

That's something i hate in a lot of current cars- acres of cheap looking silver-effect plastic.

just had our new superb in and took it round to be PDI'd. now im back in it away from the hype i find that its still more classy than any ford inside. granted its no rolls, but the plastics are good and solid, theres no cheap silver anywhere! bit of tasty chrome to highlight certaing aspects. the instrament binicle is so nice, but the most important thing about this one over the ones i tested at millbrooke?

the steering wheels on the right damn side of the car!!

[helix]

To be fair, the Superb did not get a bad review, far from it.

True, on the whole WhatCar had a lot of praise for the Superb. I think with a lot of these reviews, the key factor in where a car is placed in the comparison table is the importance the journalist attaches to some aspects of the car, not just how well it does in any given aspect. Most motoring journalists will weigh things with a "wow" factor like engine, performance, handling and perhaps appearance for example more than say room, comfort, quality, kit, reliability.

It was the same with the Fabia estate

[RapidRonnie]

Test here reckons the ride/handling of the 170TDI-CR version is better than the Mondeo: Skoda Superb | Road Tests, Auto Features