I popped into my local dealer a couple of days ago and sat in the new Superb. It was an SE Business spec and it looked well specced..but the interior felt a bit cheap..I drive a Kia and would say my car had a better quality interior than that of the new Superb. Maybe it's just me but I got out of it thinking I prefer my Optima. It's a shame as I quite fancied a 2.0 tsi 280.

Hi Chris. Well the one I sat it was at least on par with my Scout. I wasn't disappointed in the materials and I did have a good feel around. Thought the carpet quality wasn't fantastic. Same as my Scout but I've thought that on the last 4 Skodas.

Sat in one yesterday I thought it was all very good. 

I have sat in several Superb III and have driven one over 170 miles in 24 hours, just over two weeks ago (instead of my usual 50 miles in that time) and must agree with the jurno's that the quality and fit is better plus a nicer use of soft touch materials. 

Edited 28 August, 201510 yr by Danny 57

Can't agree with the OP on this one, I've been really impressed. Sure, the Passat is slightly better but you have to go quite a way down the Superbs cabin to find the cheaper stuff. Better fit and finish than the octy also IMO. Looking forward to driving one now.

I have sat in several Superb III and have driven one over 170 miles in 24 hours, just over two weeks ago (instead of my usual 50 miles in that time) and must agree with the jurno's that the quality and fit is better plus a nicer use of soft touch materials. 

 

How did you find parking and manoeuvring the beast? I was thinking the rear visibility was not great in the hatch.

Just me then haha.

Just me then haha.

I'm sure there's others out there that may agree with you but I just look at the class contenders and take an impression mainly based on that. It destroys the likes of the Mondeo and isn't very far off the Pasat at all imo - the car I consider to be best in class for interior quality and general cabin fit and finish.

I have sat in several Superb III and have driven one over 170 miles in 24 hours, just over two weeks ago (instead of my usual 50 miles in that time) and must agree with the jurno's that the quality and fit is better plus a nicer use of soft touch materials. 

I'm sure that a decent test drive is the best way to judge a potential purchase.

 

I live in hope that I can find a cooperative local dealer! 

 

DC

Just me then haha.

Not quite.  I agree with you and I've commented (in my thread on the 120bhp test drive) on a few areas where I felt the quality has slipped.  Door cards, seats and headlining being examples of this.  I've been in a couple of them now.  I suppose I was just expecting everything to keep improving as each new model appeared but Skoda need to draw the line somewhere or the VAG branding just wouldn't work.

Not quite. I agree with you and I've commented (in my thread on the 120bhp test drive) on a few areas where I felt the quality has slipped. Door cards, seats and headlining being examples of this. I've been in a couple of them now. I suppose I was just expecting everything to keep improving as each new model appeared but Skoda need to draw the line somewhere or the VAG branding just wouldn't work.

If you don't mind me asking, what was the issue with the seats? Everything I have read suggests they are better.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you don't mind me asking, what was the issue with the seats? Everything I have read suggests they are better.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They just felt a little cheap and flimsy (cloth version) versus what was on offer at that spec previously.  Rear seats didn't feel as well put together either but it could just be me.

Not just you, I thought the Alcantara felt a bit thin

Not just you, I thought the Alcantara felt a bit thin

I've got alcantara in my Octy 3 Eleg and the quality is much better than the full leather was in my previous Superb 2 Eleg, not much sign of wear after 56k miles so far in the O3, whereas the S2 leather was hard, hot and plasticy! However, I sat in a new Superb 3 L&K last week and thought the leather was much better, but would still only go back to leather if it was also ventilated. I also thought the general S3 quality blows the O3 out of the water, my pet hate with the O3 is the cheap, hard door cards, S3 retains the soft touch from the S2 and O2, much better.

However, I sat in a new Superb 3 L&K last week and thought the leather was much better, but would still only go back to leather if it was also ventilated.

 

That is reassuring to know as that is what I have gone for.

 

I didn’t look too much at the Alcantara as it was never going to be an option for me (L&K) the biggest area where I thought it was a little thin was the centre armrest.

My take on the leather upholstery of the S3 is that its far better than the O2 and my current Yeti. Personally id want Alcantara anyway. Skoda usually seem to make the savings on the upholstery and carpets but I was pleasantly surprised with the S3 leather as said.

Had a look at an Alcantara interior on an SEL. Comparing it to our F11 BMW I was certainly impressed with the quality. As for the space, well the Superb blows the BMW out of the water!

Cheers

Rory

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/gallery/category/20-superb-mk-iii/ - pics here of the SE L Exec Estate Diesel 190 at Ridgeway Oxford.

 

Here are my observations, unfortunately it was raining a little and I didn't want to get the interior wet. I didn't drive it as I've ordered a manual.

 

• It's a lot tighter put together internally in the lower floor carpet to plastics. For example where I could easily bend plastics away from carpet in the Mk II around the centre console front and rear, this wasn't the case. I couldn't therefore route cables easily to the rear 12v socket.
• Headlining was as good as Mk II - and in some cases better, for example the lowest part of the headlining adjacent to the boot opening struts was actually solid plastic well made, which is less likely to get marked than a cloth covered equivalent.
• Glasses holder in the roof is HUGE now and although it may not suit the largest glasses was perfectly capable of holding an iphone 5s in a case.
• The line of the bonnet to the front wings was not as precise as I was expecting but then it's not even precise on the press photographs, so not worried about it. (In most of my pics the bonnet was unlatched ready to be opened.
• Door panels inside were soft touch, and as nice as Mk II if not better. Carpet in the door wells is fab - no more rattles!
• Touchscreen of the Columbus unit was VERY responsive - the whole infotainment system and integration with the car was excellent.
• Maxi DOT was b/w only - but it's quite a bit wider, and now has a full size digital speedo available in MPH, not just the small line of km/h as in Mk II.
• Exterior door handles were flimsier than I expected. 
• Interior black shiny plastics are going to attract a lot of finger prints, but then hopefully easier to get rid of dust that the mottled surfaces of the Mk II
• Bonnet struts and opening levers inside and outside are much improved.
• Alcantara rear seats felt just a little less "plump" than in a MkII pre-facelift that had the same materials.
• Took me ages to work out what the three milk bottles were in the maxi dot - then realised after these were other seats where seatbelts weren't being worn!
• Instrument panel was clear and uncluttered.
• There are a couple more switches on the steering wheel - see manual.
• Too many blank switches either side of the gear selector!
• Sensor that detects your hand approaching the screen is a nice touch.
• Aircon controls more discrete and out of the way.
• Rear & Driver's Seats were very comfortable.
• Sound system without canton was perfectly OK on DAB radio - but I expect Canton will add a lot to it.
• Exterior mouldings in plastic at the base of each door - these are quite prominent and might be a love it or hate it feature of the design. Good that they would be more easily replaceable if damaged.

Summary: nothing made me doubt my sight unseen order of an L&K MkIII with lots of extras. This car didn't have most of the extras so I didn't spend a lot of time playing plus it was raining and the family were waiting for me. It felt really well put together and really rather different - much more of a change in style than I was expecting. Hard to pin that down - it's certainly much more in line with much more expensive cars from a design point of view. Was it "flimsier" overall? No - but it was leaner and less "heavy" than the Mk II and felt more precise in construction.

 

This car left me very excited about taking delivery of a well loaded L&K model :-)

 

Ridgeway are expecting another car during the week gearing up towards their launch evening and I'll go and take a look at that one and try for some more pictures, hopefully in better weather and of a different car. 

Great write up. Cheers !

Cheers makes me excited for my l&k hatch as well

a few areas where I felt the quality has slipped.  Door cards, seats and headlining being examples of this.  I've been in a couple of them now.  

 

Looked in another one today and the headlining looked equally as good as the MKII I had (which granted is not as good as the MKI headlining)

Again I stand by my thoughts about the alcantara, it is certainly less plush than what we had in the TT, the pile seems shorter, not sure what they have used on the armrest but I wasn’t impressed with the material.

 

 

• Sensor that detects your hand approaching the screen is a nice touch.

 

Can you elaborate on this please. 

Can you elaborate on this please. 

The RNS510 used a resistive touch screen. You have to physically touch the screen so one layer of the screen is pushed onto another.

You may have encountered slow or no response with this type of screen. It is also restricted to detecting only one point of contact.

 

The new Discover Nav Pro uses a projected capacitive screen, same as most tablets and smartphones, so it can detect your finger before it physically touches the screen.

It displays whatever you've selected, for example the map, full screen with no menu taking up display real estate.

As soon as it detects the proximity of your finger it pops up the menu - before physical contact is made with the screen.

Because projected capacitive screens can detect more than one point of contact it means you can use two fingers to pinch and zoom and/or rotate.

Addendum to my above. Whilst that information is correct, there is also a sensor running along the lower edge of the device, just below the screen, that detects proximity movement. It looks like a piano black strip.

Answers, in my own mind, how it reacts so quick, as a projected capacitive screen alone usually only responds with 1 cm.

And if you don't like it, you can switch the sensor off. Then it will respond as described above.

Addendum to my above. Whilst that information is correct, there is also a sensor running along the lower edge of the device, just below the screen, that detects proximity movement. It looks like a piano black strip.

Answers, in my own mind, how it reacts so quick, as a projected capacitive screen alone usually only responds with 1 cm.

And if you don't like it, you can switch the sensor off. Then it will respond as described above.

 

Thanks for the elaboration!

With reference to Alcantara seating material, I had a Vauxhall Omega  a few years ago and despite the fact the  driver's seat could be moved in every way possible, I could never get comfortable in the  blessed thing. I realised why eventually, the material used  was some form of  velvet or something similar  and which gripped  the trousers so one moved around inside the trousers, which got a tad uncomfortable  at times. So I have gone for leather ever since, but which can be  rather cold at times, and I might add,  rather thin, so much so it was vulnerable to being split, certainly on the backs of the seats. So who has had experience of Alcantara seats and were they stuck to the seats?.