About the Skoda Superb
James S purchased this Skoda Superb new with additional options for $57,000 (including all on-road costs). James S would buy this car again because: “Skoda’s motto has always been Simply Clever, and for a brand that is still relatively new in Australia, having a catchy phrase like that and actually delivering on what it means is a good starting point and what attracted me to the brand. But what retained me to actually go through with the sale is the sheer value for money of this Superb.
I walked into the dealership looking for an Octavia RS, but when you factor in the Premium Pack which, should have most of the those options as standard (and is standard on a Superb), the value for money proposition really starts to show. Though it does help that the Superb is coming to the end of its product life cycle and the Octavia is only just beginning. “
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
The car is relatively new. So far I have only put 1000km on the car which came with an additional 6000km being a former dealer boss/demo car. So it’s a bit too early for me to comment in depth here. However, I would say that because the car is old in its product life cycle, everything is from the VW parts bin, which was used on the Mark 7.5 Golf R, or the Passat Range (either the 132TSI or the 206TSI variants).
And we know how well they were received so it should be safe to assume that the parts are tried and tested so to speak.
That is not to say that the Skoda is flawless, let’s face there will always be niggles and like Skoda’s Octavia infotainment system where it glitches far too much, this older version which isn’t that old (MIB III unit) did suffer a few camera issues, such as turning off whilst still trying to park. Clearly under warranty and fixed with a software patch though.
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
Positive. There are phrases out there like “Skoda is the Thinking man’s car” or “the cheaper option to an Audi”.
When you mention those two brands in relation to ownership costs, typically you start to feel your wallet hurt as servicing a Volkswagen or Audi is not as cheap as those would like.
If you want cheap you look at Toyota or Hyundai… but you would be wrong, as was I when I was about to leave the dealership without a car. The salesman was not pushy at all, and when he approached me before I left, he asked why I was leaving.
I explained it was the servicing costs that are frightful being a European car. So he told me to wait whilst he got a service cost sheet. I was not only surprised but shocked!
Yes, individually some service costs for a single visit would make you choose between eating for a month or service your car. But Skoda do offer Service Packages that save hundreds of dollars over the years. The offering of a three-, four-, five-, or seven-year service works out to be roughly the same cost as servicing a Mazda CX-5. Well worth it and something I recommend anyone to get if they consider a Skoda.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
Purchasing a new/demo car is always daunting. It’s a new car, your baby, and you want to make sure it is perfect and that you are treated as a person who just lost a kidney (or the cost of having one replaced), and not treated as another number.
Skoda, being a smaller brand, is not being pushy to get volume in and out the door which means that they look after you before, during, and post car pick-up. One dealership in Sydney is highly recommended as there was constant communication throughout the entire process.
Even after the mishap with the faulty camera they were ready for me, had a spare car ready to go and kept me in the loop at all times.
I cannot speak too much on this topic due to the car being new-ish to me also so I cannot refer to years of experience with this Skoda yet. Hence only a nine.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
Yes, 100 per cent Let me explain why.
Look around on CarExpert’s news page, scroll through all the articles about car prices going up, have a look at the story summarises all the cars on the market today losing features. Now, look at this Skoda Superb…
As I mentioned previously, this car is coming to the end of its lifecycle, so it does miss out on some features that have only been more mainstream in the past three to five years (for example, heads up display, where is it on a Skoda vehicle before the Octavia). But if the only features that are missing on a Superb are Matrix LED lights (on the lesser Style variant), or Canton Speaker system (on this Sportline), then I would say count your lucky stars!
Let’s look at what it does have for a car of this price point. Adaptive cruise control? Check. Smart keyless entry and start (on all doors)? Check. Hands free tailgate? Customisable digital instrument cluster? Tri-zone air-con with heated seats front and rear? Check, check and check. And the biggest one, all the safety features such as lane-keep assist and blind-spot monitoring, things that many brands are now pulling out (including lesser Skoda models), yes, the Superb has it all.
If we are to step away from the creature comforts, what about space? Does this big car have enough space that you would expect? How about 625L of storage in the boot, and enough rear legroom that rivals most business class seats on a Qantas flight?
Now let’s compare that to a Mazda CX-5, or a Toyota’s number one passenger car, the RAV4? Why would growing families opt for a SUV when a Skoda Superb can carry more?
Let me ask you, what else would you like aside from a head-up display and a boot big enough to fit a Yaris Cross?
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
Okay, let’s be realistic here and somewhat factual. The Skoda Superb 206 Sportline is a Mk7.5 Golf R in drag.
It shares the same engine, same Haldex drivetrain, similar adaptive dampers, and drive modes. Sure, it isn’t a speed demon (4.8sec for the Golf vs 5.8sec for Skoda), but that is where the drag comes into my analogy. Skoda is not designed to be a corner carver doing 0-100km/h in less than 5.0 seconds. If you want that, you go the Golf R (or a Hyundai i30 N).
The Superb is bigger beast, more suited to highways rather than back roads of the Blue Mountains. It is designed to get you there without breaking a sweat (you or the car), and does it in style. The Skoda is a big family car with sleeper looks. It can comfortably race most things off the line if you need to, and who knows, maybe you might just scare a Golf GTI driver when he thinks he has you.
Economy is entirely up to you here and how you drive, Skoda claims 8.0L/100km for the Sportline, currently with my daily commutes to work in the Sydney Metro area I am sitting around 9.8L/100km. Pretty good I would say, though that number will rise depending on how many unsuspecting cars you beat off the line.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
I mentioned previously about bang for buck, even the entry-level 162 Style is well equipped if you cannot stretch for a Sportline.
Digital displays are standard for every Skoda (Kamiq through to Kodiaq), keyless entry and electric tailgates are also available across the brand. Adjustable ambient lighting/colours is a nice touch, tri-zone air-conditioning is fantastic, albeit a bit weak for a big car. But the biggest selling point is the customisable digital display.
Lifted straight from the VW parts bin found in a Passat, Tiguan, Touareg, Polo, Golf and T-Roc. It is a very customisable display, which some may view as gimmick – I personally enjoy the options you can do with it.
Hell, if it was good enough for Audi in 2015, it is great for a Skoda today. But word of warning, Skoda do tweak theirs and you may not get all the fun little things like “Welcome (driver)” upon entry.
As I mentioned earlier, a head-up display would be nice. If a Mazda 2 can have one, why cannot a flagship model from Skoda?
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
Lets put this into two segments here, comfort first…
It’s an executive car in its home region over in Europe, so it is designed to be comfortable and does a great job at it.
Adaptive dampers with settings for Comfort, Normal, or Sport are available (don’t bother with Eco mode). And if none of those suit your style, then you can always customise your own in Individual mode. So yes, comfort rating would be four/five. Why only 4? Go over a few speed humps in Comfort mode and you will feel like a captain on the Manly Ferry, a bit too buoyant. But that is just me, who has the suspension set to firm.
Handling, well even with the suspension mode set to Sport it is still soft and supple. So, trying to go around corners with a grin won’t give you the satisfaction you are after. But like I said previously, this is not a corner carver car. It’s a tourer, and a decent one at that.
It does what it needs without exerting itself. The 4×4 mode kicks in only when it needs to (aka when you plant it) or when you slip out massively. So handling, whilst capable, it isn’t engaging, hence a 3.5/five
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
For a car for young family, this has it all. A sedan that opens like a hatch and almost every feature you could ask for, why would you wait three-plus months for a Skoda Octavia RS and pay the same price as you would for a ready to go Skoda Superb – a car that is bigger in size, bigger in engine, and better equipped?
If you can overlook its model age, then this is smart mans choice when considering any Volkswagen Group car.