I already have a Mk3 1.5TSI DSG SE (72 plate), which I've owned for a year and have really taken to. But it has one feature missing which would make it the complete car for me. Adaptive Cruise. I'd never tried a car with this feature before I bought mine, so thought I wouldn't miss it. However, I've subsequently driven another car which has it, and I really, really love the feature. I have investigated adding it aftermarket, and it's a no-go. So, I'm thinking about finding a Mk3 Superb with Adaptive Cruise in about a year's time, once I'm 2 years into my current PCP. I don't want a Mk4 - I want to stay this side of the 2024 driving aid safety nonsense.

But. I hate leather interiors, and I hate big wheels. I like the cloth and the 17" wheels on my SE, and looking at adverts for used cars in SE L, SE Technology, Sportline and L&K trims, they all have bigger wheels, and crucially leather interiors. I could live with the suede like material in the Sportline, but I don't like the 19" wheels, as I favour ride comfort over looks and handling. I could maybe live with 18" wheels, but would rather not (ride, looks, and less kerb-scraping possibilities).

Am I correct that I'll be unable to find a car equipped with Adaptive Cruise, but with cloth seats and 17" wheels? or is there some way of obtaining this magical combination I haven't discovered?

Thanks for any thoughts!

I have a 2016 1.6tdi SE Business estate with adaptive CC on 17" rims. It was originally a Southern Water company car so probably would have been spec'd by their fleet dept.

I've used it a couple of times but rarely bother anymore. Horses for courses I guess.

Ah, thanks. I should have clarified that I'll be after getting a 2023 or very early 2024 car from a main dealer, so 2016 is too old for me.

You could get one with ACC and swap the wheels for 17" rims. I guess you'd need to recalibrate the Speedo as part of it. I think this can be done with a VCDS.

Yes decent idea, I'd still be stuck with leather though - one of my family gets travel sickness triggered by the smell of leather. I think even the amount of leather in the Sportline Plus would do it, sadly.

At the lower end of the spec range I would think leather was an option. I'm sure there must be plenty of alcantara configured models out there.

I wouldn't necessarily say the leather around the periphery of the alcantara seat is actual "leather" and mine certainly doesn't smell.

Just get an L&K 😄

All the toys you want.

The Leather in the L&K is perforated so not sweaty and they are heated and cooled.

Has 18" wheels as standard and you also get DCC so you can set the ride to comfort if you want to.

Mine's a manual 2016 diesel "Business" estate, bought as an ex demo, and we'd had the car for a year before we even tried the CC.

Despite 90% of our journeys being on motorways, we only used it once, and didn't bother again.

The car is, in the sales jargon "fully loaded", and it was quite a while before we discovered all the bells and whistles.

Not had a soggy back problem with the leather seats, but the 18" wheels are are a pain on our potholed roads, so if/when one gets busted, it's a swap to 17" all round.

Nicephore

Edited 21 August, 202521 Aug by Nicephore

2 hours ago, logiclee said:

The Leather in the L&K is perforated so not sweaty and they are heated and cooled.

Just to clarify; not all L&K versions have ventilated front seats.

47 minutes ago, numskull said:

Just to clarify; not all L&K versions have ventilated front seats.

What year were they introduced?

Buy the car, change the wheels. Provided you're not looking at one of the faster models with big brakes, then 17s will fit and sets of genuine wheels will be dirt cheap on ebay.

Thinking on it further, I reckon all of the 'Business' model(s) would likely have ACC. It was aimed at the rep market who were doing motorway miles.

It might be worth considering having ACC retrofitted... Probably cheaper than changing car if it's the only thing you're missing.

@East_Yorkshire_Retrofits might be able to help.

My l&k does NOT have ventilated seats as standard. I can feel my sweat sizzling on the seat in the afternoon. I think you'll be mildly happy with a sportline on 18" wheels. They're okay on mine, not crashy. I wouldn't try 19"s, they're perfect like that.

Also, fairly sure the extra safety assists from mk4 onward can be toned down with vcds. I've seen at the very least that lane assist can be set to remember between ignitions or always be on at car start up. Hell, i have access to a good chunk of these with a £30 obd and £5 car scanner app

3 hours ago, langers2k said:

It might be worth considering having ACC retrofitted... Probably cheaper than changing car if it's the only thing you're missing.

@East_Yorkshire_Retrofits might be able to help.

ACC is certainly something we can help with 😎

13 hours ago, Athrx said:

My l&k does NOT have ventilated seats as standard.

Just found a December 2019 brochure and they were standard then so maybe a facelift addition?

OP would be looking at post 2022 so L&K of that era should be ventilated.

But maybe all academic as it looks like someone in OP's family has issues with leather smell.

Edited 22 August, 202522 Aug by logiclee

Dec 19 is early for facelift; but it could have been preemptive marketing. Do the pics have the roundel(pre-FL) or S K O D A (FL) across the boot?

4 minutes ago, travs said:

Dec 19 is early for facelift; but it could have been preemptive marketing. Do the pics have the roundel(pre-FL) or S K O D A (FL) across the boot?

https://www.roberteardley.co.uk/brochures/07-01-2020/superb.pdf

Effective from December 2019 on the brochure. Definitely facelift.

S K O D A and Matrix LED.

Oh that’s interesting. Wonder what engine it had. I think there could be some with Gen3 EA888s in facelift cars as I thought the Gen 4 wasn’t being used until some time in 2020.

I have a brochure from Sept 21 - almost identical but by then the L&K steering wheel is 2-spoke (same picture, looks photoshopped). Either way, may be facelift then that cooled seats became standard.

Thanks all for the replies. logiclee is correct in that it is the smell of leather which is a problem for me (well, one of my offspring) rather than the heat retaining properties (although that is a consideration - I don't really like it myself for that reason, ventilated seats would be a resolution but I would still prefer cloth overall - why oh why can't we have velour).

I shall drop East Yorkshire Retrofits a message - but I have had it direct from Skoda customer services that it can't be done. Would be interesting to hear that over ruled - it may just be a "computer says no" answer, so worth investigating. One issue is that I live a long way from East Yorkshire.

34 minutes ago, Alanovich said:

Thanks all for the replies. logiclee is correct in that it is the smell of leather which is a problem for me (well, one of my offspring) rather than the heat retaining properties (although that is a consideration - I don't really like it myself for that reason, ventilated seats would be a resolution but I would still prefer cloth overall - why oh why can't we have velour).

I shall drop East Yorkshire Retrofits a message - but I have had it direct from Skoda customer services that it can't be done. Would be interesting to hear that over ruled - it may just be a "computer says no" answer, so worth investigating. One issue is that I live a long way from East Yorkshire.

Skoda can’t do it - we can 😅

Thanks EYR - I'll drop you a line once the car's out of warranty.

3 hours ago, East_Yorkshire_Retrofits said:

Skoda can’t do it - we can

There's plenty Skoda can't, or won't, do

4 hours ago, Alanovich said:

"computer says no"

I suspect that's the case. Not just Skoda, it seems endemic.

On 21/08/2025 at 20:46, logiclee said:

What year were they introduced?

From the start, but they were a £425 option in 2016. I’ve just seen they became standard later in the MKIII L&K.

Edited 23 August, 202523 Aug by numskull

4 minutes ago, numskull said:

From the start, but they were a £425 option in 2016. AFAIK, they’ve never been standard on an L&K spec.

Yes they were standard on Facelift from 2020.