Skoda has unveiled a new generation of its Superb liftback and wagon, but Australians won’t see the models in local showrooms until early 2025.
After a lengthy teaser campaign, Skoda has pulled the covers off to reveal largely evolutionary styling.
To bring it in line with Skoda’s latest design language, however, there are slimmer matrix LED headlights and LED tail lights
These crystalline lighting elements are claimed to provide 40 per cent more light output.
While the exterior styling isn’t dramatically different, Skoda references small changes such as a more raked windscreen and streamlined roofline as improving aerodynamics by 10 per cent on the liftback and up to 15 per cent on the wagon.
That has resulted in drag coefficients of 0.23 and 0.25, respectively.
The liftback is 43mm longer, 15mm narrower, and 12mm taller than the current version, while the wagon is 40mm longer, 5mm narrower, and 5mm taller.
Six new exterior paint colour options are available, and alloy wheels ranging from 16-inches to 19-inches will be offered.
Superb L&K
Skoda has also revealed the range-topping Superb Laurin & Klement (L&K) edition, which features exclusive dark chrome exterior detailing; additional interior leather choices, leatherette trim on the dash, doors, knee pads and upper instrument panel; bespoke L&K badging; and heated, ventilated and massaging front seats.
L&K customers will have their choice of any available powertrain.
Globally, the next-generation Superb will be offered with the choice of three petrol, two diesel, and one plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain.
However, Skoda Australia no longer sells diesel and has ruled out offering PHEVs as it pivots straight to electric vehicles.
The base engine is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol producing 110kW of power and features a 48V mild-hybrid system.
Above it sits two 2.0-litre turbo-petrols, one with 150kW and one with 195kW, and two 2.0-litre turbo-diesels, one with 110kW and one with 142kW.
The most powerful petrol and diesel options come standard with all-wheel drive. All powertrains meet the Euro 6d emissions standard.
In Europe, the 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder plug-in hybrid will offer more than 100km of electric range and come exclusively in the wagon.
All powertrains are mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission as standard, except for the PHEV which gets a six-speed transmission.
Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) Plus is available as an optional upgrade and is included as standard in the L&K edition, to provide a wider range of suspension settings.
New safety features in the Superb include turn assist, crossroad assist, exit warning, and emergency steering assist.
Passengers will also be protected by 10 airbags.
Skoda says it has significantly improved the active safety and driver assist features such as the lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, as well as the surround-view camera.
The Superb gains Turn Assist, Crossroad Assist, rear autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, emergency steering assist, and safe exit warning.
Improved automated parking now allows drivers to hand over to the Superb for end-on and parallel parking spaces thanks to steering and speed control as well as automatic braking when an obstacle is detected.
The previously revealed interior closely resembles that of the new Kodiaq, and features more user-friendly touches than some recent Volkswagen Group interiors.
The cabin retains tactile knobs and buttons featuring a small central display called ‘Smart Dials’, which combine haptic and digital controls for the climate, seat heating, volume, driving modes, air conditioning, and map zoom functions.
The interior is defined by a 10-inch virtual cockpit digital instrument cluster and head-up display paired with a 13-inch free-standing infotainment screen atop a minimalistic central stack.
Optional are ergonomic seats with adjustable lumbar support and a built-in pneumatic massage function using ten massage cushions.
All textiles in the interior, including the headliner, are made from 100 per cent recycled materials. The available leather upholstery is also tanned using waste water from olive processing.
Boot capacity has ‘grown considerably’ to 645 litres in the liftback and 690 litres in the wagon – up 20 and 30 litres, respectively – with additional headroom also added.
While the Kodiaq is due here in the fourth quarter of 2024, the Superb will take more than a year to get here.
Skoda Australia’s managing director Michael Irmer previously told CarExpert, “[The Superb will arrive] probably about six to eight months after Kodiaq, that has to do with engine availability”, meaning it is due in Australia in early 2025.
“The Superb we could get a bit earlier but we want to wait for the high-performance powertrain,” said Volkswagen Group Australia product and PR communications manager Daniel DeGasperi.
“The high-spec turbo-petrol is now the only spec you can get in Superb, the 162TSI… it was the more affordable option, but everyone just went to the 206TSI.”
With Volkswagen, Skoda’s sibling brand, opting not to bring the wagon-only next-gen Passat to Australia, the Superb will be the Volkswagen Group’s only offering in the medium-to-large mass-market passenger car segment.
The next-generation Superb is just one of several new and facelifted models expected from the Czech car maker in the coming years.
Updated versions of the Kamiq and Scala models are due here early next year, followed by the Enyaq – the brand’s first electric vehicle (EV).
MORE: Everything Skoda Superb
