2.0 TSi Two Years On...

[Superbly]

Not a forum regular but I found this forum very helpful prior to getting my 2016 Superb mk III 2.0 TSi DSG SEL Executive, Petrol Blue, and thought I'd share my thoughts 30,000 miles and 2 years on, for anyone interested.....

 

Trim: SEL Executive has all the toys you could want. Positives: radar cruise control is very clever; the infotainment is faultless and the shortcut buttons are appreciated (though I believe have now disappeared); heated seats are effective Negatives: great to have leather but it may as well be fake leather (in fact it might be?) because it has no aroma and even feels plasticky when cleaned and doesn't seem to age or develop any patina; not sure why it has rear parking sensors but no front ones.

Colour: Petrol Blue is the signature colour, though few go for it, and when polished looks awesome but my God, it's a pain to keep clean! I wanted a striking colour and the choice was limited. Wish I'd gone for red.

Practicality: No surprises here: stunning legroom and boot space; space is a true luxury and this has it in spades. One negative: the glovebox appears to struggle to store very much at all!

Driving: Amazing to have a limo and a sporty saloon at the same time. the engine is the most impressive I've come across in many, many years of driving lots of quick cars. I still cant get over how quick it is, what a great rorty sound it makes (I have humiliated so many Audi drivers, I can't count- they always start it!) and yet if I just want to waft, in silence, it does so with ease. Generally the ride is serene and it's a very soothing car for long journeys. However the handling is all over the place. It can't deliver the drive that the engine promises, so fast drives on twisting roads are a no-go. And on standard tyres, anything other than a sedate set-off leads to tyre scrabble-aargh!

Build Quality: Mmm, initially very impressive but over time has proven slightly disappointing. Small things like a wonky glovebox and more serious issues like window chrome trim coming away after a car wash, more disturbing. Part of the problem is the car looks so impressive so you expect exceptional build quality. I guess it's a little churlish to complain when the vehicle is so affordable (relatively speaking.)

OVERALL: Overall a winner. Despite the best efforts of VW to churn out different versions of a Golf, the Superb mk III has something that marks out my favourite cars- character. I love the fact I drive a striking yet understated, genuinely quick Q car, which delivers on family space needs and attracts many an admiring glance and comment. I will struggle to find a replacement, as I must, next November. It's a car I will place in my top 5 out of over 40 owned in 30 years  (a list which includes Alfas, Lancias, Audis and much more) and I know I shall remember it fondly.

 

 

[dunc69]

Interesting & balanced write-up, thanks.  

 

Seriously considering a Superb next - one of two likely options for me. 

 

Is yours the 220PS car?

 

PS love the petrol blue! 

 

Edited 27 December, 2018 by dunc69

[inaaris]

+1 to your writeup.

Although not the same engine and trim, but I think in general Your writeup summs up the Superb MK III excactly how it is.

Enjoy the time left!!!

[drewellis]

Good summary I have the 220 in L&K and whilst it is more of a motorway wafter the DCC in Sport mode does provide some better feel and handling on the twistys, so maybe on normal suspension it stays a bit too soft. 

I also have Michelin PilotSport 4S tyres which make a huge difference with handling and “launch” lol

[Superbly]

On 27/12/2018 at 09:47, dunc69 said:

Interesting & balanced write-up, thanks.  

 

Seriously considering a Superb next - one of two likely options for me. 

 

Is yours the 220PS car?

 

PS love the petrol blue! 

 

Lovely response from all of you guys. dunc69 yes, its a 220 bhp model and it's a beast! I was struggling with colour choice and the dealer was the one who inspired me to choose Petrol Blue. Although it's Skoda's signature colour, he said most people don't choose it, going for grey and others instead. But when it's clean and polished- wow, I do thank him under my breath every time! Don't hesitate to go for the mk III. It's a classy choice - different from the herd yet entirely reliable and solid like the best mainstreams. Good Luck!

[rtj70]

Thanks for sharing your views and opinion.

 

When I had the SE L Executive with the 220PS engine and DSG as a demo car (had it for a week) I found like many it has a reluctance to accelerate unless in sport mode. I was getting it as a 1.4TSI if I got it anyway.

 

My previous car was a 1.4TFSI S-Tronic A3 Saloon so I knew how that drove. And even in ECO mode it was more willing to accelerate than the 2.0TSI Superb in any mode other than sport (or you really floored it). I could hope from A3 to Superb to compare how it seems because of the lengthy demo. And then when I got the Superb with the 1.4TSI 150PS engine I thought it accelerated fine and not feeling it was holding back.... I still think the 2.0TSI is meeting emissions standards by restricting power.

 

I too thought a car as well equipped as the SE L Executive should have front and rear sensors (it does now) and I wanted those but being so wide I wanted the side sensors too so when for Park Pilot (and it works well when used to park too). I also upgraded to Dynamic Chassis Control (had it on a Passat CC), and then wanted blind spot monitor/cross traffic alert and a few other options. Think I added about £5k to the list price!

 

I'd order again providing the face lift does not ruin the looks like the updated Octavia had done. And I'd likely consider the PHEV variant - nearly got a Passat GTE in 2017 but the Superb was more practical, more room to get in the back for a relative etc.

[MorrisOx]

Really useful review of what it’s like to live with a Superb over time rather than revel in its newness.

 

I tend towards the view that with value-driven brands like Skoda, the simpler spec levels will usually be about as good as it gets - I’d never spec low profile tyres on a Skoda (having experienced what they do for the cheaply-suspended Octavia on a test drive), and while I’d love a bit more power I don’t think the Superb is set up to deliver real performance.

 

Superbs really are decent cars, better than average, but not great. That’s Skoda I guess.

[Superb170]

Good to get a balanced view of long term ownership .  Definitely agree with you on petrol/lava blue - its certainly the most striking colour!

[drewellis]

On 29/12/2018 at 17:58, rtj70 said:

Thanks for sharing your views and opinion.

 

When I had the SE L Executive with the 220PS engine and DSG as a demo car (had it for a week) I found like many it has a reluctance to accelerate unless in sport mode. I was getting it as a 1.4TSI if I got it anyway.

 

My previous car was a 1.4TFSI S-Tronic A3 Saloon so I knew how that drove. And even in ECO mode it was more willing to accelerate than the 2.0TSI Superb in any mode other than sport (or you really floored it). I could hope from A3 to Superb to compare how it seems because of the lengthy demo. And then when I got the Superb with the 1.4TSI 150PS engine I thought it accelerated fine and not feeling it was holding back.... I still think the 2.0TSI is meeting emissions standards by restricting power.

 

I too thought a car as well equipped as the SE L Executive should have front and rear sensors (it does now) and I wanted those but being so wide I wanted the side sensors too so when for Park Pilot (and it works well when used to park too). I also upgraded to Dynamic Chassis Control (had it on a Passat CC), and then wanted blind spot monitor/cross traffic alert and a few other options. Think I added about £5k to the list price!

 

I'd order again providing the face lift does not ruin the looks like the updated Octavia had done. And I'd likely consider the PHEV variant - nearly got a Passat GTE in 2017 but the Superb was more practical, more room to get in the back for a relative etc.

Surely it would have been cheaper to upgrade to L&K? 

[Cjhill]

My car is the same as yours (2016 2.0 DSG) but Pacific Blue which also looks good. Your account mirrors my experience almost exactly. The glovebox is far too small and indeed has begun not to close fully, while I too have suffered a chrome strip coming away (to be fixed under guarantee). The other irritation is that there is no continuous odometer reading - only on start-up. Otherwise this is an excellent car and very good value. It has lugged us full of gear to Italy for two three month stays and has averaged 41mpg fully loaded and often at 80 mph on the French autoroutes. Even mixed driving returns about 35 mpg. The Sport function on the gearbox makes a big difference on twisty roads.

 

My major concern is the fact that the dealer won't even acknowledge that there have been tensioner and thus engine failures on the 2.0 TSI just out of warranty. Has this problem been solved by redesign in recent years? Is it too early to know on these cars?

[Bud]

15 hours ago, Superb170 said:

Good to get a balanced view of long term ownership .  Definitely agree with you on petrol/lava blue - its certainly the most striking colour!

Aye 

[rtj70]

Quote

• Surely it would have been cheaper to upgrade to L&K? 

 

Not as a company car because of BIK being based on emissions. Overall cost per month for an L&K would be more because I'd have had to have had a 2.0TSI. I did not want a diesel.

[drewellis]

11 hours ago, rtj70 said:

 

Not as a company car because of BIK being based on emissions. Overall cost per month for an L&K would be more because I'd have had to have had a 2.0TSI. I did not want a diesel.

Ah I get it, so the 220 was the smallest petrol engine available in L&K? Didn’t know that 

[drewellis]

12 hours ago, Cjhill said:

The other irritation is that there is no continuous odometer reading - only on start-up.

You can see it whilst on the move or after start, if you push the cruise control stalk away from you into the “off” position 

[Matchman55]

On 29/12/2018 at 17:58, rtj70 said:

 

 

When I had the SE L Executive with the 220PS engine and DSG as a demo car (had it for a week) I found like many it has a reluctance to accelerate unless in sport mode. I was getting it as a 1.4TSI if I got it anyway.

 

My previous car was a 1.4TFSI S-Tronic A3 Saloon so I knew how that drove. And even in ECO mode it was more willing to accelerate than the 2.0TSI Superb in any mode other than sport (or you really floored it). I could hope from A3 to Superb to compare how it seems because of the lengthy demo. And then when I got the Superb with the 1.4TSI 150PS engine I thought it accelerated fine and not feeling it was holding back.... I still think the 2.0TSI is meeting emissions standards by restricting power.

 

 

3

I also found the throttle control very all or nothing when I 1st drove my 220 DSG. But this was completely eliminated when I fitted my DTUK pedal box. I can assure you the power is not restricted in any way. The pedal box transforms the throttle response and luckily for me, I bolted it on directly off my previous car an Audi A3 1.8 TFSI which was compatible so cost me nothing.  I'd recommend all owners to consider one.  I wouldn't drive mine without it. 

Edited 3 January, 2019 by Matchman55

[rtj70]

I think it's deliberate to restrict the engine using the throttle as it is on the 220PS engine. On the 1.4TSI 150PS engine the throttle is fine without any changes. I would wager it's to make it easier to pass emission tests with lower recorded CO2 figures.

[DBT85]

You only got front beeps as an option unless you buy the posho car IIRC. 

 

You're right though, Petrol Blue is THE correct colour