Why did I buy it? Had a similarly-specced Octavia, but got fed-up of the noise, vibration & fidgety ride which stems from the Octy’s ‘torture’ beam back axle. I wanted something quieter, more settled & grown-up.

 

What else did I look at? Passat (fine car, nicer inside, but the deal was a joke); Audi A4 (lovely, a decent deal and clear step-up, but even the Avant felt a touch too small); Kodiaq (surprisingly nice inside, but basically felt like a Superb on stilts); Karoq (ok, but small SUVs - why?).

 

So, I ended up back at Skoda testing a 1.4 TSi Sportline (the only 1.4 the dealer had) and found performance more than adequate, the ride surprisingly pliant even on low profiles. On that basis, I did the numbers with the dealer for an SE. They were poor, the dealer simply wasn’t trying, so I went on Carwow and got a load of offers substantially cheaper (including one from the dealer I’d visited!). Ended up going up to Hayselden in Doncaster, where the deal was good enough for me to add the electric tailgate.

 

Nine months on, the new car euphoria which tends to make you like everything about it has gone. So what are the lasting impressions?

 

The 148bhp 1.4 petrol engine is a remarkable all-rounder: quiet, decent mid-range muscle, comfortable at speed and capable of an average of 42-44mpg in the real-world. It’s done daily commutes and long motorway slogs without blinking. Mine’s mated to the 7-speed DSG auto and I just don’t notice it.

 

It is quieter and more comfortable than an Octavia. Mechanical refinement is good, and so it should be with independent suspension all-round and a higher price. It’s not perfect - Skoda’s position in the VW brand hierarchy means the insulation and mechanical finessing you get in a Passat and especially and A4 isn’t there. That’s most noticeable to me in road noise on coarse surfaces. But this is a very relaxing car to drive, which is what I was looking for most.

 

Space is phenomenal. More than anything else, this is why I walked away from the idea of an SUV. Yes, they’re all the fashion, but fashion and a sense of status is all they’ve got as far as I can see. In terms of space, refinement, economy, performance the Superb is better than a Kodiaq (discuss!).

 

Infotainment: yes, the touchscreen and its piano black surrounds get covered in paw-prints, but the system itself is above average - quicker and more intuitive than other marques costing a hell of a lot more. I’m an iPhone user and Carplay means I have access to the best nav systems available (Google and Waze), my own gruesome playlists on Spotify, and the ability to listen/respond to text and WhatsApp messages through hands-free voice (works surprisingly well most of the time).

 

 

Loves: overall smoothness, the hold brake in traffic, the cornering front foglights, the internal storage space, the electric boot release, a boot so vast you don’t need a top-box on holidays, the automatic emergency brake (has saved my bacon a couple of times).

 

Hates: the guidebook. For a car which has quite a bit of tech on board, a lot of it to do with safety, it is scandalously bad at explaining how stuff operates and what it can and can’t do. This tells its own story about the lessons car makers still have to learn about the brilliant intuitiveness of smartphones - hugely capable devices which just work the way you think they will. Why isn’t stuff like ACC etc the same?

 

Dislikes/disappointments: ACC - I’ve accidentally switched it on/off with my knee several times, there are too many inputs involving too many levers/switches. On my old V70, I turned it on or off with one switch, set or changed the speed with the other - and both next to each other within fingertip reach on the steering wheel. To me, ACC is so poorly designed I hardly ever use it. Interior aesthetics - decent materials, step up from the Octavia, but the dead hand of VW brand hierarchy is far too obvious.

This is the Superb’s only real downside: you sense that if it didn’t have to squeeze into a ‘better than you’d think/not as nice as you’d like’ VW Group niche it could be easily be a touch quieter, more refined, nicer to sit inside without being any more expensive.

 

I like the Superb because it’s noticeably better than the Octavia. And because its all-round ability suggests SUVs are pointless. But I know I’ll get hammered when my PCP ends, and this will probably be my last Skoda...unless VW lets the brand be better.

Really helpful write-up @MorrisOx.

 

 Interesting view on ACC - I love it,  but never had a similar system to compare it with. Agree entirely on the hierarchy at VAG holding Skoda back, but I don't see that changing any time soon.

I have a couple of colleagues who drive Audi A6 cars and they say my Skoda is so much quieter than their car.

I believe the ACC stalk is pulled back to turn it on, how do you do that with your knees? I think it's great, not perfect as it is reactive and not proactive. Motorway driving with ACC is just so relaxing. 

MorrisOx's review reflects largely what I am experiencing with my 1.4 SEL. Yes, considerably better than Octavia, but somehow compromised and you quickly realise that someone (VW) has put the halt on going the extra km to make it truly Superb.

 

For me, seats could be a lot better, though wife is happy. 

 

Internal ergonomics could be far better, screen too low, heater buttons etc too small, too low, tiny icons. Piano black not good. Steering wheel too low.

 

Wish I had a beige interior, black is too depressing.

 

ACC is a mixed bag.

 

Biggest single issue is road noise from P7 tyres.

 

Audi A4/A6 though are far too blingy internally and terrible value for money in comparison. (Outright purchase wise)

 

Didnt like the interior of the Passat at all.

Edited 22 December, 20187 yr by xman

2 hours ago, vfrvrs said:

I have a couple of colleagues who drive Audi A6 cars and they say my Skoda is so much quieter than their car.

I believe the ACC stalk is pulled back to turn it on, how do you do that with your knees? I think it's great, not perfect as it is reactive and not proactive. Motorway driving with ACC is just so relaxing. 

 

It’s me moving my left leg away from the footrest on long journeys and knocking the ACC stalk. For me, it’s too low, too complicated. Cruise should be on the steering wheel and completely intuitive to operate. This isn’t.

4 hours ago, MorrisOx said:

...Kodiaq (surprisingly nice inside, but basically felt like a Superb on stilts).

 

Space is phenomenal. More than anything else, this is why I walked away from the idea of an SUV. Yes, they’re all the fashion, but fashion and a sense of status is all they’ve got as far as I can see. In terms of space, refinement, economy, performance the Superb is better than a Kodiaq (discuss!).

 

I'll let you have economy, aerodynamic the Kodiaq is not, but the space inside a Kodiaq is all but identical to the Superb.

 

I'd have given you 'handling' too if you'd listed it, body roll a plenty in any SUV.

 

The Kodiaq weighs the same as the Superb so performance shouldn't differ much, we have the 1.4 TSI 150PS too, it's a sweet little engine. Glad I ordered one of the last ones before the dodgy 1.5 TSI arrived. As for refinement, aside from a little more tyre roar it should be similar too.

 

Before we bought the Kodiaq we looked at the Superb estate, for us the Kodiaq is as you describe, a Superb on stilts. We love sitting up high so it was an added bonus.

 

Seems slightly less rear seat leg room is made up for with a bigger boot... 

 

 

 

 

Edited 22 December, 20187 yr by silver1011

Each to their own, of course - the Kodiaq has won many plaudits for being one of the best of its type, and the interior look-feel was very impressive. But the drive didn’t do it for me, and I just couldn’t get what I was paying extra for.

Edited 22 December, 20187 yr by MorrisOx

Fashion, SUV's are the current 'must have', and that alone is enough for manufacturers to charge more.

 

I'm playing catch up watching The Grand Tour, last night I watched their SUV test (Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Audi Q5 and Range Rover Velar).

 

OK, so their focus was on performance which was a little unfair, but they did spend some time on the practicality's too, which they thought were fundamentally flawed.

 

They mentioned that people are buying SUV's as they're thought to be safer, especially if in a collision with the huge numbers of other SUV's on the road.

 

Interesting that you chose to add the electric tailgate, it's one of the options I wish our Kodiaq didn't have (standard on the spec we wanted). It impedes fast access to the boot. It's also only a matter of time before I open it into a bollard, a wall or car park roof.

 

Edited 22 December, 20187 yr by silver1011

My personal views are different. I drove the Passat 1.4 and the Superb and prefer the Superb. I think it is far nicer than the Passat inside (apart from the digital cockpit of the Passat which is beautiful), materials used are very similar, but the sportline seats are much nicer than the Passat r line seats. I use ACC all the time and, whilst not faultless, it is extremely useful as a relaxing aid to driving. Only negative for me is poor fuel consumption and it can get a bit noise on rough surfaces, but no more so than the Passat which I found to be a noisier car than the superb.

3 hours ago, Flipfly said:

My personal views are different. I drove the Passat 1.4 and the Superb and prefer the Superb. I think it is far nicer than the Passat inside (apart from the digital cockpit of the Passat which is beautiful), materials used are very similar, but the sportline seats are much nicer than the Passat r line seats. I use ACC all the time and, whilst not faultless, it is extremely useful as a relaxing aid to driving. Only negative for me is poor fuel consumption and it can get a bit noise on rough surfaces, but no more so than the Passat which I found to be a noisier car than the superb.

 

I thought the Passat *just* shaded the Superb when I drove it (unfortunately a Bluemotion TDi, so not a direct comparison). But the dealer...’You’re probably going to be a bit disappointed with the trade-in offer, but I have to be honest with you - VW buyers just won’t look at Skoda’. Disappointed didn’t come close - the deal he came up with for a Passat 1.4 TSi was higher than the deal I’d been offered on an A4! Work that one out...

Classic salesman tactic. It's highly unlikely your Skoda would end up anywhere near his VW-filled forecourt. Almost all franchised dealers these days have the ability to pass on part exchange vehicles through the many avenues available to them, including other dealers, auctions and the same online car buying and car selling sites the general public use.

On 23/12/2018 at 11:08, silver1011 said:

Classic salesman tactic. It's highly unlikely your Skoda would end up anywhere near his VW-filled forecourt. Almost all franchised dealers these days have the ability to pass on part exchange vehicles through the many avenues available to them, including other dealers, auctions and the same online car buying and car selling sites the general public use.

 

Definitely, and it’s not the first time I’ve come across VW dealers trying it on. I do think VW is generally a cut above Skoda, but MORE than an A4?! That, plus the utterley dismissive attitude to my trade-in was taking the you-know-what.

 

I really struggle with the whole VW brand hierarchy thing. The longer I drive Skoda, the more obvious it is that these cars have been held back, de-contented, whatever you want to call it, in the name of squeezing into a brand portfolio which is struggling to stack up. Look at Seat - genuine flair on the outside, dull as ditchwater on the inside.

My current superb is the only car I had with ACC. I think it works brilliantly! Agree that refinement if one area Vw cut back on so road noise could be better insulated. However, the stock pirellis is noisy anyway if the tyre label is to be believed.

 

The Lexus GS I tested was much better in the isolation department but then it's a Lexus.  Got the superb in the end as the practically of the boot is just on another level. Superb has got ACC , Android auto that the the Lexus I seen didn't have. 

You could say the Superb is a little too big in the back? I would have liked an extra couple of inches in the front foot well.

I see a few comments on the 1.5, what is wrong with it? A couple of work colleagues have the 1.5 Arteon DSG. One has mentioned a knocking gearbox sound when in Sport mode. I drive mine in the standard D all the time, old man in a cruising car, chill out....

I had trouble with my seating position at first in the front until I realised the wheel column adjuster is right there!

 

I got it all the way out so I can put the front seats back more. 

14 hours ago, vfrvrs said:

You could say the Superb is a little too big in the back? I would have liked an extra couple of inches in the front foot well.

I see a few comments on the 1.5, what is wrong with it? A couple of work colleagues have the 1.5 Arteon DSG. One has mentioned a knocking gearbox sound when in Sport mode. I drive mine in the standard D all the time, old man in a cruising car, chill out....

 

From the road tests I’ve seen, the complaints about the 1.5 stem from low-end performance which is weaker than the 1.4. Guessing that is the result of VW’s attempts to get all its emissions squeaky clean.

 

For me, the 1.4 TSi has been very impressive - bit of a racket if you ever floor the throttle, but I don’t see the need & would have gone for a 2.0 TSi if I was looking for some real grunt. I do wonder whether VW would have covered all bases with a 1.8.

 

As for space in the back, I’ve got two teenagers & they love it - enough room to sit with legs crossed. Don’t feel I’m short of space in the front & no matter how much mess I throw at it there’s always somewhere to hide it!

10 hours ago, KeteCantek said:

I had trouble with my seating position at first in the front until I realised the wheel column adjuster is right there!

 

I got it all the way out so I can put the front seats back more. 

Yes, I have my column all the way out but the dash is too far away.

Just a little bit more footwell/pedal distance from the dash would have been nice. It's a long way to the Columbus menu button....

3 minutes ago, MorrisOx said:

 

From the road tests I’ve seen, the complaints about the 1.5 stem from low-end performance which is weaker than the 1.4. Guessing that is the result of VW’s attempts to get all its emissions squeaky clean.

 

For me, the 1.4 TSi has been very impressive - bit of a racket if you ever floor the throttle, but I don’t see the need & would have gone for a 2.0 TSi if I was looking for some real grunt. I do wonder whether VW would have covered all bases with a 1.8.

 

As for space in the back, I’ve got two teenagers & they love it - enough room to sit with legs crossed. Don’t feel I’m short of space in the front & no matter how much mess I throw at it there’s always somewhere to hide it!

Ha, ha, my two also like the back (16 year old is 5'10") and the Wife. They all aim for the back seats when we go out. I sometimes feel like the Chauffeur 

They do now complain about not having heated seats in the back, I couldn't quite stretch the budget after choosing the options I wanted, heated screen and cooling seats etc. 

3 minutes ago, vfrvrs said:

Ha, ha, my two also like the back (16 year old is 5'10") and the Wife. They all aim for the back seats when we go out. I sometimes feel like the Chauffeur 

They do now complain about not having heated seats in the back, I couldn't quite stretch the budget after choosing the options I wanted, heated screen and cooling seats etc. 

 

Ah yes, the chauffeur feeling...I’ve occasionally found it hard to hear what they’re saying in the back. Works wonders...

33 minutes ago, vfrvrs said:

Yes, I have my column all the way out but the dash is too far away.

Just a little bit more footwell/pedal distance from the dash would have been nice. It's a long way to the Columbus menu button....

 

 

If they could have moved the footrest a bit further away, it would have helped. I sometimes put my left foot between the footrest and the brake pedal, although there isn’t really anything to support your foot. 

23 hours ago, MorrisOx said:

 

Ah yes, the chauffeur feeling...I’ve occasionally found it hard to hear what they’re saying in the back. Works wonders...

 

You avoid that by making sure that only the driver's seat has all the gewgaws.

9 minutes ago, Ferdinand2000 said:

 

You avoid that by making sure that only the driver's seat has all the gewgaws.

 

Twin smartphone socket in the back = easy long journeys.

26 minutes ago, Ferdinand2000 said:

 

You avoid that by making sure that only the driver's seat has all the gewgaws.

 

I’ve just had to google “gewgaws”! 

1 minute ago, daveo138 said:

 

I’ve just had to google “gewgaws”! 

 

A useful word - I picked it up originally from Isaac Asimov in, I think, the Foundation Series somewhere. I love slightly obscure words, used slightly ironically. 

 

Could be paraphrased "bling".

 

F

Smile; it confuses people.

Not many gewgaws on mine - took a conscious decision not to go for an SEL, partly because it has lower profile tyres (and a smoother ride was a big thing for me after the noisy, jiggly Octavia) but also because I tend to think Skoda’s are at their best value in the lower trim levels.

 

Total respect for people who’ve gone for a Sportline or an L&K, but the pricier Skoda’s are the higher the depreciation and the poorer the value. Hence me looking at a Passat or an A4 SE as the alternatives.

 

Which is a long way of saying gewgaws don’t suit Skodas.