Superb vs Audi A6

[Blindek]

Te seats are Leatherette Alcantara and some other fabric mix, the Dashboard is also Leatherette or Artico... i don't really know nor i do care  It does look nice and the seats are Sporty and Comfortable!  Also not a fan of real leather, since i see no benefits compared to Alcantara, also why i drive a Sportline  

But some people do like dead cow on the seats... 

 

Im just saying the A6 is the better car and if money doesn't matter, then go for the A6, since the Superb does not offer that much more space and can be measured in centimeters  Get a VW Caravelle if you need a lot of space   

 

Don't get me wrong, the Superb is a really good car, that's why i got one, but it just cant keep up with the "Premium" cars. Also some People wont see the difference, since for them it does not matter if the car got Air Suspension or the other stuff, since even the Superb got to much gadgets they don't know how to use (just read this Forum a bit...). But i myself am not even 30 Years (close tho :P ) and such things do matter, but Money is not unlimited and if it were, wouldn't buy a A6 but a RS 6 or something :P 

Edited 14 July, 2017 by Blindek

[Coops]

Unless it's been corrected, the seating position in the A6 is offset. In that the steering wheel, seat and pedals are not totally aligned. My boss suffered terribly with back problems when he had an A6, and I also suffered the same when I had an A4.

 

[Superb170]

If we put all this in perspective, the fact that we are even comparing the Superb to the A6, E-Class etc says a lot about how good the Superb is as an overall package.  Remember it costs much less (with similarly spec), is technically also competing in the Mondeo/Insignia class and still provides much of what the premium models offer.  Okay, so there are some shortcomings when you get into the details but these are usually minor subtleties to most but of course can matter more to some buyers .  The point is we are not exactly comparing apples with apples and based on paying similar money we could even take the argument further where we could probably debate whether you buy a brand new Fabia or Octavia for example versus say an older 7-series or A8.  There are always trade-offs - brand new with a full warranty but maybe not quite a top end brand versus older and more prestige but you take your chances on repairs etc.  Where money is a limiting factor (i.e. for most of us ) and you still want a nice car, its about trying to find the optimal point with luxury, value etc and I think on balance the Superb, while not perfect, gets closer to that than most cars on the market.

[Nick_H]

No way would I pay extra for an A6...... However if someone wants to give me an RS6 ? Well that's a different story

[Hoverurb]

Next up, I've driven a 2016  520, nice to drive but nav was poor and missing a few other of the bits like memory seats and AFS lights, I'm getting fed up of the various dealers praising the badge whether it be Audi BMW or whatever. The BMW guy just rang me and said yes we now have digital speed display in 2017!!

I'm off to see a E Class next but they seem to depreciate at an alarming rate even worse than Audi or BMW.  

Both the BMW 520 and Audi A6 S Line were nice to drive but very basic and I'm not sure if they are worth the money, Of the cars I've driven so far an A6 SE Business was the best, it was a 2016  with 40k and exact same price as a 2017 Superb Style with 15k .

[penguin17]

1 hour ago, Nick_H said:

No way would I pay extra for an A6...... However if someone wants to give me an RS6 ? Well that's a different story

I'll take the RS7.  Sazuka grey with Dynamic pack, please. 

[Blindek]

6 hours ago, Hoverurb said:

Next up, I've driven a 2016  520, nice to drive but nav was poor and missing a few other of the bits like memory seats and AFS lights, I'm getting fed up of the various dealers praising the badge whether it be Audi BMW or whatever. The BMW guy just rang me and said yes we now have digital speed display in 2017!!

I'm off to see a E Class next but they seem to depreciate at an alarming rate even worse than Audi or BMW.  

Both the BMW 520 and Audi A6 S Line were nice to drive but very basic and I'm not sure if they are worth the money, Of the cars I've driven so far an A6 SE Business was the best, it was a 2016  with 40k and exact same price as a 2017 Superb Style with 15k .

 

Why drive basic cars? The new 5 series is something else and beyond the E class.  Don't drive old generation cars and say they are poor. Also if you drive a fully loaded Superb then drive a fully loaded BMW (or other car). Ofc you cant compare them in terms of price. In the E class you get LED lights with 84 modules that even dimm traffic signs, where on the Superb you get Xenons. And the new 5 series has a HUD that is huge (the biggest on the market at the 2017/2018 model), also wireless CarPlay, new Infotainment system etc.

[Hoverurb]

1 minute ago, Blindek said:

 

Why drive basic cars? The new 5 series is something else and beyond the E class.  Don't drive old generation cars and say they are poor. Also if you drive a fully loaded Superb then drive a fully loaded BMW (or other car). Ofc you cant compare them in terms of price. In the E class you get LED lights with 84 modules that even dimm traffic signs, where on the Superb you get Xenons. And the new 5 series has a HUD that is huge (the biggest on the market at the 2017/2018 model), also wireless CarPlay, new Infotainment system etc.

I see what you mean but I'm not buying new cars and of course new they are in a different league.  I'm just comparing what I can get for the same money and the Audi Merc and BMW I drove were all 2015 cars which because of they're larger depreciation have brought them very close pricewise to a 2016 Superb. Believe it or not Brexit is having a large effect on the price of the so called executive cars over here as the market is getting flooded with UK cars. Anyway I have just come across a nice 190 DSG Style which may tick all the boxes.

[Blindek]

Ok that is a different story then  Im only looking at new cars and there, the new E class and 5 series is 1-2 classes above, as is the price. 

 

Here we don't feel anything of Brexit, rather that Skoda is doing so well that the Superb costs the same as the Passat, and the new Karoq is also getting really expensive for a small SUV Skoda...

[RoyF280]

Watch the driving position in the A6.  I had an A7 3.0 V6 (same underpinning chassis), which had an awful driving position.  I hadn't noticed at first, but after a while an old back injury would get worse every time I had a long drive in the A7.  Turns out the transmission tunnel has the exhaust running down the right-hand side, which really eats into the drivers footwell, meaning the pedals had to be offset to the right.  On LHD cars, it's not an issue, but for RHD's, Audi didn't switch the exhaust over and massively compromised the driving position.

 

Admittedly this may be different for the 4-pots, as opposed to the v6 I had, but the Superb has a much better driving position IMHO.  Pedals right in front of you, in the right place. ;-)

[Hoverurb]

20 hours ago, RoyF280 said:

Watch the driving position in the A6.  I had an A7 3.0 V6 (same underpinning chassis), which had an awful driving position.  I hadn't noticed at first, but after a while an old back injury would get worse every time I had a long drive in the A7.  Turns out the transmission tunnel has the exhaust running down the right-hand side, which really eats into the drivers footwell, meaning the pedals had to be offset to the right.  On LHD cars, it's not an issue, but for RHD's, Audi didn't switch the exhaust over and massively compromised the driving position.

 

Admittedly this may be different for the 4-pots, as opposed to the v6 I had, but the Superb has a much better driving position IMHO.  Pedals right in front of you, in the right place. ;-)

Back problems here too!  Was your A6 manual or auto?

[MaddicIrl]

I haven't driven a recent A6 but have clocked many miles in a new E220 AMG, beautiful car, smooth, comfortable and the interior reminds of a luxury yacht (not that I know what one looks like). This thing is though, for my taste its nearly too comfortable as it absorbs that feeling you get when you change down a gear and put the shoe in! The performance is there but it just doesn't feel like it!

[RoyF280]

27 minutes ago, Hoverurb said:

Back problems here too!  Was your A6 manual or auto?

 

My A7 was an Auto.

[Hoverurb]

13 minutes ago, RoyF280 said:

 

My A7 was an Auto.

I'm going to have another look at one and I'll check out the offset, Thanks for the info.  After that I'm off to see a 190 Superb.

 

[RoyF280]

Just take a look at how upright the passenger footwell side of the transmission tunnel is, compared to the driver's side.  In my v6, the passenger side was practically vertical and the driver's side about 20 to 30 degrees.  I felt I was always sitting slightly twisted to the right.

 

As I say, might be different in the 4-pots though.

[Mickey43]

In January I came out of an Audi A6 Avant S Line manual into a nearly new Skoda Superb Estate L&K DSG 190 TDi..... so feel fairly well qualified to comment!

 

As stated above by many, the big difference is price.  

 

The Audi I had was reasonably well specced (satnav and leather were standard) but for pretty much the same price I now have the following additional gadgets in the Skoda:  heated seats front and back, full electric seats, DAB radio (think this might be standard now on new A6), park assist, adaptive cruise (my favourite thing I think), lane control, blind spot light, interior ambient lighting, defrosting windscreen, cooled glovebox and central console,  a telly, and a far far better screen - that silly pop up thing on the A6 I never quite took to, and touchscreen is always better.  Also have 19" wheels on the Skoda compared to 18's on the Audi. Bigger boot and far more legroom in the rear.  Probably more additional things but I cant recall them all just now!

 

The Audi was a lovely car to drive, once I got used to the horrible offset position of the clutch.  It never quite felt as luxurious as i wanted it to be though, given the "premium" tag the brand is supposed to have.  The Skoda to me drives just as well if not better (esp on motorway), and the various modes give a good bit of variety when you want.

 

In the Audi, the brake pad sensors failed after 70k miles as did the water pump and coolant pipe.  Not great from a so-called top end car.  

 

When I priced up an A6 with all the bits and bobs the Skoda has, the price was eye-watering.  

 

So far I am delighted with my choice and would certainly go for one again.

[Mickey43]

On 7/14/2017 at 11:20, Coops said:

Unless it's been corrected, the seating position in the A6 is offset. In that the steering wheel, seat and pedals are not totally aligned. My boss suffered terribly with back problems when he had an A6, and I also suffered the same when I had an A4.

 

Yep, manual A6 gave me back problems initially but they went away.  Think my skeleton must have twisted to suit the hideous pedal layout.

[RoyF280]

I had the water pump go on the A7 as well.  Has been a common on issue on the v6's for years apparently.

 

Water pump was replaced due to a coolant loss issue and then a dealer experience I'd rather forget.  So here we are :-)

[Mickey43]

19 hours ago, Mickey43 said:

In January I came out of an Audi A6 Avant S Line manual into a nearly new Skoda Superb Estate L&K DSG 190 TDi..... so feel fairly well qualified to comment!

 

As stated above by many, the big difference is price.  

 

The Audi I had was reasonably well specced (satnav and leather were standard) but for pretty much the same price I now have the following additional gadgets in the Skoda:  heated seats front and back, full electric seats, DAB radio (think this might be standard now on new A6), park assist, adaptive cruise (my favourite thing I think), lane control, blind spot light, interior ambient lighting, defrosting windscreen, cooled glovebox and central console,  a telly, and a far far better screen - that silly pop up thing on the A6 I never quite took to, and touchscreen is always better.  Also have 19" wheels on the Skoda compared to 18's on the Audi. Bigger boot and far more legroom in the rear.  Probably more additional things but I cant recall them all just now!

 

The Audi was a lovely car to drive, once I got used to the horrible offset position of the clutch.  It never quite felt as luxurious as i wanted it to be though, given the "premium" tag the brand is supposed to have.  The Skoda to me drives just as well if not better (esp on motorway), and the various modes give a good bit of variety when you want.

 

In the Audi, the brake pad sensors failed after 70k miles as did the water pump and coolant pipe.  Not great from a so-called top end car.  

 

When I priced up an A6 with all the bits and bobs the Skoda has, the price was eye-watering.  

 

So far I am delighted with my choice and would certainly go for one again.

Forgot Canton sound system, which is far far better than the basic system I had in the Audi.

 

Also the boot opening with one's foot, electric boot closer, folding mirrors, interior led lights, cornering xenons..... I could go on and on!

[Patr]

Yeah the canton sound system is unbelievable. Great with 80s stuff. 

[MorrisOx]

On 14/07/2017 at 20:45, Blindek said:

Ok that is a different story then  Im only looking at new cars and there, the new E class and 5 series is 1-2 classes above, as is the price. 

 

Here we don't feel anything of Brexit, rather that Skoda is doing so well that the Superb costs the same as the Passat, and the new Karoq is also getting really expensive for a small SUV Skoda...

 

Ultimately Blindek is right on this: A Skoda just isn’t an Audi, BMW or Merc and is never going to be, no matter how many extras you add. They won’t make up for the basic difference in engineering & technology sophistication. Driving an Octavia, I can see a clear difference between that and, say, a Passat because of the Octy’s cheap rear suspension. It is one of the reasons I’ve just ordered a Superb - which has the Passat’s multi-link suspension. I’m sure the Superb will drive well, but it won’t have an Audi’s flair.

 

Even so, there are signs that Skoda is challenging some of its sister brands more than it is meant to. Reuters reported back in October that senior management and unions at VW felt Skoda should be paying more for its components because it was posing too much of a threat.

 

The point to bear in mind with Skoda is that VW makes very good money on them - Skoda sold £12bn worth of cars last year and made an operating return of 8.7%, which is very impressive.

 

 

Edited 1 January, 2018 by MorrisOx

[Bud]

2 hours ago, MorrisOx said:

Ultimately Blindek is right on this: A Skoda just isn’t an Audi, BMW or Merc and is never going to be, no matter how many extras you add. They won’t make up for the basic difference in engineering & technology sophistication. Driving an Octavia, I can see a clear difference between that and, say, a Passat because of the Octy’s cheap rear suspension. It is one of the reasons I’ve just ordered a Superb - which has the Passat’s multi-link suspension. I’m sure the Superb will drive well, but it won’t have an Audi’s flair.

 

Even so, there are signs that Skoda is challenging some of its sister brands more than it is meant to. Reuters reported back in October that senior management and unions at VW felt Skoda should be paying more for its components because it was posing too much of a threat.

 

The point to bear in mind with Skoda is that VW makes very good money on them - Skoda sold £12bn worth of cars last year and made an operating return of 8.7%, which is very impressive.

But then Heinz or even Morrison's tomato ketchup are not Harrod's .  Interestingly you can pay a £1 per gram for steak in Harrod's does that make it any nicer/better quality./better tasting than the steak in Lidl or even better the local butcher with whom you have a relationship and he looks after you with good cuts and good prices?

 

I know what my car is and what's its not because I still have a large wedge of cash in the bank and a car I am absolutely content with.  

 

If people want to pay the earth for something because it has an apparent "prestige" (more like the Emporer's new clothes) then fine crack on but to talk about flair in a motor car, really 

 

Out of interest what was the operating return of the other German marques?   Either before or after diesel gate but make it clear that they are on the same terms.

[MorrisOx]

I get where you’re coming from, Bud, but the Harrods comparison doesn’t quite work; Harrods would make no sense outside Knightsbridge and the national/international audience which is willing to pay top dollar to shop there - they’re buying Brand X because it’s sold at Harrods, not because it’s Brand X.

 

I think you're on the right lines when you wonder whether something posh is really so much better than something that’s value for money - I know the Superb I’m buying isn’t as sophisticated as an A6, but that doesn’t matter to me. It’s as good as I need it to be. 

 

I don’t know about the return on Merc or BMW (should be a couple of digits up on mass-market Skoda) but for Porsche it was 17.4%. That’s the margins of the world’s most profitable car maker for you.

 

The point is that Skoda is meant to be VW’s Group’s sensible brand and, therefore, not alowed to wander too far into the world of flourish and flair. I’m happy with sensible.

 

[xman]

During my latest purchase on scrappage and under pressure tp meet those 2017 end deadlines (probably will be extended anyway),  I initially thought an Octavia estate would be the safe, cheap to run, bet. However I tried to look further afield, particularly as I feel my local dealer is not up to snuff and tried to put my preconceptions and bias out of the way. Petrol only.

 

Soon discounted most non vag brands as either not interested or too expensive to buy, too expensive to run or both. I keep my cars at least 10 years and want to diy service after warranty so dont want Mercedes or Bmw bills.

 

So looked at Seat - they dont seem to have anything of the right size and function, and seemed way too expensive for what I regard a budget brand.

 

Audi - really determined to give this gin palace dealer a chance. Thought A4 estate should be an real alternative, but it turns out its a really small car. Tiny boot. So sat in an A6 and was immediately overwhelmed with the bling. A car fit only for chavs and travellers. Horrible, it made me feel sick. And they only do diesel according to the salesman. Pass.

 

Volkswagen Passat next because I was tempted by the incredibly low price offered on carwow and other online brokers - which turned out to be creative lying, no scrappage at those prices mate.... Saloon waste of time, who wants a boot with a letterbox as the opening? Passat estate, the trim looked no better than an Octavia, the boot looked particularly nasty. The dash console was well....cheap looking, due to use of light plastic surrounds, dated design fail. Who wants a tiny analogue clock anyway, is this 1989?

 

So back to Skoda, by this time the Octavia was looking OK but frankly a bit plain. I then stepped into a Superb SEL and it immediately felt right. And surprised that the price difference from an Octavia wasn't that much considering included equipment level. However I blew it a bit with the option list.

 

Things I still cant yet decide. Standard black leather or beige alcantara? Another visit tomorrow I think.

 

No doubt Octavia would have been the sensible choice, maybe I will regret the choice and the size.

Edited 1 January, 2018 by xman

[MorrisOx]

The Octavia and the Superb are different animals, Xman. Unless you go for a higher powered version, the Octavia comes with torsion beam rear suspension, which is noticeably harsher than the multi-link set up on the Superb. Doesn’t bother some people but worth bearing in mind.

Edited 1 January, 2018 by MorrisOx