Thoughts on a new MY21 Superb Sportline 280

[Skoda_]

I found these comments in a different thread...

  

On 04/10/2020 at 02:54, Shugmo said:

Anyone with an Estate with sunset glass care to confirm that the rear passenger windows are darker than the boot glass and quarters.

 

Mine definitely is, and very noticeable from inside.

 

Just wondered if this is normal.

 

On 04/10/2020 at 03:31, JBD1974 said:

Snap. The door and boot glass is made by Saint Gobain whereas AGC has the quarters so I can understand that difference (although I think it's poor form by skoda). 

The boot does look lighter, but on the Saint Gobain website the light transmission for tinted glass jumps from 15 to 35 and don't think the change is that much. 

 

[fencer]

On 06/07/2021 at 08:03, Skoda_ said:

 

 

 

 

A very informative post!

 

After reading your comments regarding the different engines (280 vs 272hp) and DSGs (6spd DQ250 vs 7spd ?DQ380), I'm trying to understand which combination would be the better option, performance-wise.  I've seen a bit of contradictory information regarding 0-100kph (0-62mph) times in official brochures, e.g.

• AU Jan 2021 - 280hp 6spd, 6.0s sedan / 6.1s wagon, 0-100kph
• NZ Apr 2021 - 280hp 7spd, 5.6s sedan / 5.7s wagon, 0-100kph
• UK Jul 2021 - 280hp 7spd, 5.2s hatch / 5.3s estate, 0-62mph (=99.82kph)
• UK May 2020 - 272hp 7spd, 5.6s hatch / 5.7s estate, 0-62mph

Note the NZ and UK 280hp 7spd combinations!  And differing 0-100 times!!

I wonder if the AU models are detuned.

 

Other websites (e.g. carsales) quote 5.8s, but real-world tests show as low as 5.1-5.3s (youtube using draggy, fastlaps).  And then 4.6s 0-100 (12.6s 1/4mi) with a tune and presumably supporting hardware, which is all pretty impressive out of a 1600kg car.

 

By your comments, I thought the non-conformance to Euro 6 regulations and absence of particulate filter might translate to better performance, but seemingly not.

I also thought the older 6spd would have been slower and less responsive but your impressions indicate otherwise (at least compared to your previous car).

 

 

The brochure mentions the following features:

• Performance Monitor (customisable) featuring Bar Pressure, G-Force, kW's, engine temperature and oil temperature
• Lap timer

Were your comments meaning that you don't have these on your MY21 car?

 

 

Are your front and rear windows standard (including the sunset privacy glass), or have you tinted them as well?

If the latter, what tint (e.g. T35, T20, etc.) did you have installed on the front and rear (including boot windows and rear windscreen)?

Yours looks to be fairly even tint front and rear, whereas, the sunset privacy tint on rear windows sometimes seems to be a fair bit darker than the front windows, but other times only slightly darker.

 

 

It seems like MIB III is a downgrade of sorts.

 

Interesting about the BMS Throttle Controller - it sounds like the throttle sensitivity in the Superb has been numbed.

 

 

Thanks again for your review - it's been very helpful.

Looking forward to your responses.

 

 

To try and answer your questions. The MY21 AUS Spec variants are not detuned. They are essentially the same engines as the MY18-19 sold worldwide and are therefore not Euro6 compliant (as AUS is not yet formally party to Euro6). Consequently, Skoda for whatever reason, has continued to mate those engines with the previous 6 Speed DQ250 DSG, as per the MY18-19 and probably noting that the Euro compliant engines with the PPF have to be paired with the newer 7 Speed DQ380 DSG. My understanding is that once the current stock of non-Euro6 engines and 6 Speed gearboxes runs out at the factory, AUS will receive the same Euro6 engines and 7 Speed DQ380 DSGs as everyone else. I think this is a one-off for MY21 for Australia only. 

I have noticed that the MY21 DQ250 has had a little change in tuning compared to my previous MY19 6 Speed. Most of the hesitation on initial application of throttle has been removed and it seems to hold 2nd and 3rd gears much longer (in D setting) than the previous DSG did. Overall, I like the changes there.

As for the 0-100 KMH times, Skoda (and Audi and VW) seem to choose figures almost at random. I have detected no fall-off in performance on the MY21 compared to my previous MY19. In fact in the back of the owner's manual for my MY21, that stats for the non Euro6 engine (ie. the one I have) indicate a 5.2 second time and also 400Nm of torque, even though the MY21 brochure continues to list 5.8 seconds. Who knows?! I've taken a photo from the manual, see below:

 

 

Some interesting figures there for Euro6 compliant vehicles. No sure what to make of that?

 

So, overall, no drop-off and when the JB1 is added, it feels very rapid indeed.

 

There is no Performance Monitor on my MY21 vehicle which has MIB III, unlike the previous MIB II I had on my MY19. The newer system also continues to be laggy and prone to freezing up. I never had a single problem with my previous MIB II.

 

The rear windows and rear screen come with factory dark tint privacy glass. The front windows I have had tinted to match the rears at around T20.

 

The throttle controller increases the sensitivity of the accelerator and removes the 'dead' travel on the accelerator that virtually all manufacturers engineer in as you push down on the accelerator. 

Hope this helps.

[Donweather]

Very interesting find in the manual there for the Aussie Spec but I wonder why the Aussie dealers haven’t picked up on this and advertising the fact it’s a more powerful/quicker car?  
 

doesn’t make remapping as attractive now either if it really is 400Nm from stock. 

[badgolfer123]

Hi guys very interested in buying the 280 petrol instead of a diesel would love to know what mpg your getting 

[fencer]

12 hours ago, badgolfer123 said:

Hi guys very interested in buying the 280 petrol instead of a diesel would love to know what mpg your getting 

I average around 9 litres/100 km or 32 mpg, but it’s almost exclusively city driving and I’m probably not the most economical on the throttle 😉. 

[badgolfer123]

Hey Fencer that’s the numbers I was hoping to hear I honestly thought town/city driving would be between 15 to 20 especially with a heavy foot I imagined it to be even worse and they arnt the sort of car you would find easy to cruise in 

[nicknorman]

I get nothing like 32 for town driving. More like low 20s. Climate might be a factor. 32 on a long run! The later 7speed versions are a bit more economical due to taller top gear.

Edited 20 January by nicknorman

[fencer]

2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I get nothing like 32 for town driving. More like low 20s. Climate might be a factor. 32 on a long run! The later 7speed versions are a bit more economical due to taller top gear.

Yep, my mistake. So correction:  it’s 11 litres/100km or 25 mpg. I thought it was set on long term average but it was set on most recent trip 🙄.

[badgolfer123]

Thank you 🙏 

[MartiniB]

3 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I get nothing like 32 for town driving. More like low 20s. Climate might be a factor. 32 on a long run!

and each passenger adds ~0.5l on 100km, TDI tractors are less sensitive on extra weight

 

mar. until dec. 2023. and avg

l/100km	MPG.uk
12,7	22,3
17,8	15,9
15,9	17,8
9,9	28,6
9,4	30,0
16,2	17,4
8,7	32,6
12,3	22,9
9,6	29,3
15,9	17,8
8,5	33,4
8,1	34,7
9,3	30,3
8,7	32,6
14,3	19,8
8,5	33,2
12,2	23,2
10,1	27,9
14,2	19,9
14,8	19,1
10,8	26,2
12,5	22,5
12,5	22,6
16,5	17,2
19,2	14,7
14,6	19,3
13,9	20,4
11,6	24,3

 

10200kms -

3/4 with 2 passengers, 80% town and daily ~15 min auxiliary heater at winter mornings

 

 

[badgolfer123]

Thank you MartiniB