Well, picked up my new Superb iV L&K estate in Business Grey this morning from Rainworth Skoda in Sheffield.  Very impressed so far. 

 

Got to say the journey home was not what I expected.  The wife and I drove to Sheffield from Manchester this morning, setting off just after 07:30, arriving at just gone 9am for a 10 am collection appointment,  We'd set off a little early due to the weather forecast.  Drove over the Snake Pass, no problems, could see a little light snow covering right on the tops, but it was dry and roads clear.  Set off home just before 11am, and headed back the way we'd come.  It was raining a little by now.  As we were passing the reservoir in the Derwent valley, the rain had changed to light snow.  As we climbed, it got heavier and was starting to cover the road.  We got to a set of temporary lights at some road works and could see cars turning around.  a guy in a Range Rover stopped and told us about several lorries now stuck ahead, so it was a quick and easy decision to turn around and head back to Sheffield, where we picked up the M1 heading North to the M62 back to Manchester.

 

So, the car got a longer run than intended, which I'm not complaining about.  Added about an extra 50-60 miles to the trip, so in hybrid mode returned just over 50mpg average from a 75% battery on set off.  Wife had the heated seat on most of the way home too!  and I did try the heated steering wheel out too.  As has been mentioned by others, I was a little disappointed that the removable torch has gone from the boot, but that's all I can complain about for now. 

 

It's now charging up overnight, and looking forward to the next drive.

Hi,

 

Hope you enjoy the car, mine is still great though have noticed that the range has dipped a bit with all the extra needs due to it being dark now for most journeys and it is cold.

 

John

Range seems to be improving after several charges, got my full commute to the office today, 18 miles, and still had a 5 mile range left when I got home 

Hi

 

I've had my superb Iv since Sept 20 Initial battery only range at best was 27 miles, and was hoping for better, however start of DEC it dropped down to 16 miles on 100% charge.

On another thread on here,  Ive noted my experience  - I complained to SKODA took it to SKODA dealer and they have done a SOFTWARE update for a known battery charge problem.

Now have much improved battery performance now up to 28 miles.

 

It would be good for us all to report our actual range on 100% battery so that can see what variations there are, and see if anyone gets near to the advertised 35 mile range at some time soon.

 

On 12/12/2020 at 18:44, ERIK99 said:

Hi

 

I've had my superb Iv since Sept 20 Initial battery only range at best was 27 miles, and was hoping for better, however start of DEC it dropped down to 16 miles on 100% charge.

On another thread on here,  Ive noted my experience  - I complained to SKODA took it to SKODA dealer and they have done a SOFTWARE update for a known battery charge problem.

Now have much improved battery performance now up to 28 miles.

 

It would be good for us all to report our actual range on 100% battery so that can see what variations there are, and see if anyone gets near to the advertised 35 mile range at some time soon.

 

That is very interesting...can you take a picture of the SW version you have under Settings-System information? Or that is maybe a different SW?

I've not been able to upload the picture. See below:

Device: 3v0035816B

Hardware: H22

Software: 0270   (I know that this is not the latest based on other posts I've seen) - no idea what it started out as in Sept/2020

Navigation: 20.7

 

On 04/12/2020 at 22:09, Adeyrob said:

I was a little disappointed that the removable torch has gone from the boot, but that's all I can complain about for now. 

 

Drop them an email and they might post you one out.  When I got my approved used from Bristol Street Motors the umbrellas and boot torch were missing but to my surprise they posted all three out free of charge. 

I picked my Superb iV up just before Christmas and whilst I’ve only done short runs, it seems a really nice car so far. One quick question - has anyone tried putting the protective ring on the charger yet to stop it freezing? We’re currently having snow / icy weather and so I tried it today, but I’m not sure it was fitted correctly as the picture in the instructions looked a little different and also the car wouldn’t attach to the charger. Anyone got it working? If so could you upload a picture please? Cheers. 

I tried to fit it and gave up - totally useless.

 

Mine has been plugged in over the recent cold weather, outside, and no problem so far, although I'm not happy with the general design of the plug surround which leave it far to open to rain which run straight off the bonnet onto to plug.

Erik99, thanks for the reply. I’m glad it’s not just me being daft. As you say, the whole surround doesn’t seem a very good design and with my sloping drive, it really collects rain water when charging. I assume it’s no issue, but just doesn’t seem right having ponded water next to high voltage connections. 

8 hours ago, ERIK99 said:

I've not been able to upload the picture. See below:

Device: 3v0035816B

Hardware: H22

Software: 0270   (I know that this is not the latest based on other posts I've seen) - no idea what it started out as in Sept/2020

Navigation: 20.7

 

Thank you Erik...mine is a different Device number but SW and HW number is the same...however my navigation is down to 19.11

Spoke to Skoda service today and they said that the navigation version does not matter as the MIB3 is pulling always the latest from the Internet...not sure this is the case tough

Internet - sure - its simple - every car just connects when it wants to find out where to go - I don't think so.

 

I'd like to know how this works. I've set my car to pick up my home broadband but its never done any updates in the 4 months I've had the car.

 

Maybe if you pay silly money to use the Skoda SIM in your car it might use internet maps, otherwise we're stuck with Skoda Connect that is somewhat less than a success, and is to be paid for after the first year.  I've not yet found any way of updating my car with the internet, which is a great idea.

 

I know that my map is not the latest version but there is no way to make the car look for a new map.

 

The car has an option to do software updates bu mine has never said that there is anything to be updated, and I've no idea if it ever connects itself to my home broadband to even check what might be available.

On 12/12/2020 at 17:44, ERIK99 said:

Hi

 

I've had my superb Iv since Sept 20 Initial battery only range at best was 27 miles, and was hoping for better, however start of DEC it dropped down to 16 miles on 100% charge.

On another thread on here,  Ive noted my experience  - I complained to SKODA took it to SKODA dealer and they have done a SOFTWARE update for a known battery charge problem.

Now have much improved battery performance now up to 28 miles.

 

It would be good for us all to report our actual range on 100% battery so that can see what variations there are, and see if anyone gets near to the advertised 35 mile range at some time soon.

 

Hi, I picked my Superb IV Estate up just before Christmas and the most the battery range says once fully charged is 20 miles currently. Is this because the battery is new or would it benefit from the software update mentioned?  Looking on youtube this guy is claiming upwards of 35 miles in real city driving conditions: https://youtu.be/5Bh0OrkmAy0. Any light shed on this much appreciated? Thanks!

I've seen the youtube video.  In part, that's what prompted me to sort of complain to my dealer, and hence the software update.

You need to give the car a bit more time to get into a sort of pattern of use before being too concerned.

I've now done a lot of testing, sort of cause and effect stuff.

What I've found is that the variations in weather do not make much difference to what the car "thinks" the battery only range will be on 100% charge.

The biggest factor is how you drive, just the same as if on petrol only.

The 2nd factor is how you have RECENTLY driven the car. Sounds odd, but I think the car estimates the 100% battery range based on what has happened before, and therefore it will have a dramatic adverse effect on what it thinks you will get on you next drive.  This is easy to test if you really need to be sure.

You need to pick a specific route where you can control how you drive and drive it several time doing different speeds until the battery is fully used. I used a stretch of local dualled road.  Then note each time you charge what the car estimates you should get. Then drive again but more economically (lower average speed), high gears etc.  Best not to use the regenerative recharge option to avoid it distorting the results.  Ideally do it over a few days with the same sort of outs temp.  Note the temp each time you charge so that you can take it into consideration.

What you should find it that after you complete a few ECO runs, that the car will estimate that you can travel a bit further on the next run, and if you do the same ECO run again you will most probably achieve the higher range, maybe 25 miles.

If you then drive less ECO (higher speed, more hard acceleration etc) , the car will show a lower estimated range, just the same as it does for petrol only.

 

The other important factor is what else you are using in the car that uses the battery, such as heated seats, heating with a/c, heated mirrors, lights etc

when doing you test runs make sure that you are consistent with what you have switched on, ideally use as little as possible.

 

My car went from 16 miles range to 31 miles after the software update, but has now settled to about 24 miles range, which I'm still not happy with.

 

Regardless of the above, I would contact your local dealer and specifically tell them that you're concerned about poor battery performance and to ask about a software update.  They will almost certainly tell you that "it will get better" with use, and that it is "affected by cold weather" - both of which may be true, but not the difference between 20 miles and 35 miles range.

Wow, Erik, thanks very much fo the info above. I will keep an eye on it, not doing much driving at the minute given tier4 restrictions though. I’ll also mention it to the dealer. Interesting to note in the blurb around the new Octavia IV, using the same drivetrain,it claims closer to 40 miles pure electric range.  Maybe due to it being lighter but who knows. 

Thanks again!

Interesting that a slightly lighter car makes that much different on the Octavia, maybe that's the answer to our problem.

 

So, empty the petrol tank, let a very small, very light person drive, fold the wing mirrors in to reduce the drag, clean and polish the car to make it super slippy. You should then get at least 50 miles range - it's so obvious, and of course don't forget that you can only drive DOWNHILL on the battery, then add a bit of petrol to drive back up, then start again. 

 

Guys, I had a Passat GTE with 10kwh battery...and it very much depends on your driving style and temperature outside...way to work I could get 40km with a very very careful drive (with +10 degrees)...way back when I was in hurry (with +1 degrees) I could get 25km so it really depends...don't think a SW update would change anything, it's still the same capacity battery...don't look at the number the dashboard or the app is telling you. My GTE showed always 50km and could never get to that. Look at the real kms you could get purely on electric...my advice, prior your trip, start charging so battery will be heated, and first 3-5kks go on petrol so the engine will be warm and then switch to full electric...avoid kick downs and you will see a real number of the range

Hi

How old was the GTE. I'm not sure that your car can be used as a good comparison, but it's good to have real world experience of how the way you drive being a big influence on how far you can go. I don't see that your GTE could be using the same software if was always showing the same estimated distance after fully charged since the Superb varies the est range after every charge, I believe being based on previous driving style, as per for petrol est range.

What I've found is that you can never get more miles than the est at the start of the journey, but you often cannot get the range originally estimated no matter how you drive.

This makes me think that there is something wrong with how much charge actually gets into the battery.

Really need to see what it's like in warm weather with much more battery running to see if it improves.

Whatever happens it will not restore my faith in Skoda as a brand for giving such mis-leading information, and that is after being a 25 year driver of Skodas.

Hey Erik, it was a 2016, but it did since the beginning...dashboard showing 50km and real range really depends. My point here was really about that we should not look at the SW but the real range. If yours showing 50km and mine 35 but we both can do 40 with similar driving style, then it does not really mater what is the SW version. I did 3 trips so far with my Sept 2020 built Superb iV and both I could do 32-33km "only"...still 10km better than my GTE under similar conditions so I don't think there is anything wrong with the SW

The official story from the Skoda engineer was that my car had a fault that was resolved ONLY by the software update, nothing physical. It had a failure where it appeared that the cable was no good since it had a red light and would not charge at all.  After the software upgrade it worked and the battery gave much better range, so I'm sure it did make the difference.  The engineer said that the pre-updated software had been restricting the battery from getting a full charge, hence only getting 16 miles range, so in my case, I am certain the software did the trick.

Hi,

 

I have had my iV since Mar and could easily get 20 miles on a charge with the gauge still showing 25% left and that is on EV only. However as the weather has got colder and the evenings/mornings dark I would say that the range has dipped sometimes down to about 16 miles as have used the screen defrost without having it plugged in on the way back from work. I will be interested to see if I can get a software update that may improve range. However as during the winter months there are many more calls on the battery power so you cannot expect the same range as during tepid months. I am very happy with mine so far, there are niggles, the obvious anomalies with the infotainment system and a manual that does not represent the car's configuration. I would love the charge system to work above 3.6Kw so as to charge quicker but doubt this can be changed. As this is the first year I have connect and so the eSIM is active which means the maps auto update (you do not seem to get any indication they are doing it other that looking at the SW page, they seem to do it once a month. 

 

John

On 01/01/2021 at 21:01, ERIK99 said:

The official story from the Skoda engineer was that my car had a fault that was resolved ONLY by the software update, nothing physical. It had a failure where it appeared that the cable was no good since it had a red light and would not charge at all.  After the software upgrade it worked and the battery gave much better range, so I'm sure it did make the difference.  The engineer said that the pre-updated software had been restricting the battery from getting a full charge, hence only getting 16 miles range, so in my case, I am certain the software did the trick.

ah understand...yes it might be the SW did the trick....I mean it`s a shame if they released a car with such a SW version and who knows how many other cars are running out there with that SW version. Did you get any other details from your dealer on what SW they had to upgrade and what version that was? Would be good to understand the make/year of your car so other users with similar MK and short e-range can go to their dealer as well.

Thank you!!

Hi

Covered this on another post somewhere.

Nothing specific about what bit of Software was updated, and I was refused the chance to get a copy of the official notes from the engineers report on what had been found.  My basic software ref after the update (may be the same as before since I did not know about it beforehand) is now 0270.

Hardware code is H22.

Nav database is 20.7.

Car was build in July 2020, being the latest version in the Uk I think.  L&K - Delivered Sept 2020

3 minutes ago, ERIK99 said:

Hi

Covered this on another post somewhere.

Nothing specific about what bit of Software was updated, and I was refused the chance to get a copy of the official notes from the engineers report on what had been found.  My basic software ref after the update (may be the same as before since I did not know about it beforehand) is now 0270.

Hardware code is H22.

Nav database is 20.7.

Car was build in July 2020, being the latest version in the Uk I think.  L&K - Delivered Sept 2020

Erik thanks...this is very useful...I am starting to worry as mine is also July 2020 :-) same SW, same HW...and the range I can do now is around 21miles...but it`s 3-4 degrees here, so might be it`s really temperature related...how is your range currently and what are the conditions?

It's been about 0 degrees here last week and I can an estimated range of 26 miles before using, which for me is as good as had got during Sept in warmer weather.

 

Actual range is a bit less due to the use of heating, lights, seats, steering wheel etc , but is great compared to pre- fix situation.

I know that actual use is affected by how I drive, hence my careful attention to the estimated range prior to use, which I think is a better guide since I know how I have been driving so I can account for that.

What makes it very difficult to compare though, is not knowing how the estimating works, and how many previous trips etc is used in the calculation.

I have a lot of experience in watching my previous NON-IV cars vary the range on a long journey so that you can tell that more eco driving changes the increases the est range dramatically, and the reverse being true if driving more quickly.

However, the range is never enough to see that on battery only, given max trip of about 26 miles.

My own range checking on a set route, does give evidence that an average speed of about 40mph, without much variation, will get me about the original range estimate at the start of the trip, and that a higher average speed of about 50mph gets me far less that the original range, and then the next full charge will est is  slightly lower range, being based on the faster average speed from the last trip.