Skoda Superb Wagon 162TSI 2018 review

The Superb wagon is beautifully designed. Curved lines at the front and an elongated body make for a sleek family ride. There is definitely no boxiness with this car, as you'd get with some SUVs. It's for those people who still want a sportier look and don't want a giant vehicle just to do the daily grind.

Inside is just as stylish. I'm not even in the top of the range but everything is fairly high end. You know that feeling you get when you're surrounded by quality? It comes over you like a cool drink of water on a hot summer's day and makes you feel fantastic. That's the feeling you get in a Skoda Superb.

The seats are leather - a nice leather. In the front they're heated and cooling and you can also heat them in the back. The steering wheel is leather and feels good under the hands, which I think always makes for a more pleasurable driving experience.

The dash and the centre console have been cleverly and clearly designed, everything is well set out and looks upmarket and stylish without being over the top.

Let's talk about the real reason we're all here: boot space. Because we all know how important boot space is when you have a family.

The Skoda Superb doesn't disappoint with a whopping 660 litres of boot space which is actually more than you'll get in most mid-size to large SUVs. It's really big. Sure, it's not as high as an SUV, and if you're looking for height you're in the wrong place, but size wise, it matches up.

I can fit my daughters' bikes in there (sideways, yes), plus loads of groceries and if you put the second row seats down, the space expands to 1950 litres. Again, it's big.

The second row is spacious, there is plenty of room for my two children aged four and six, and also for me at 161cm and my husband at 185cm. The front, too, is nice and breezy with loads of headspace and legroom. My family was extremely comfortable for the whole week we had this car.

The second row is spacious, there is plenty of room for my two children aged four and six.

So the biggest thing you'll notice if you're used to SUVs is that you have to bend down to do the kids car seats up. It really depends how old your children are as to whether this is an issue or not. Mine are starting to do their own seatbelts (at least one of them is) so this wasn't as big a deal as I thought it was going to be. Yes, an SUV is easier because they are higher, but if you really don't want a bulky car, the wagon is still a great option.

There are two cupholders in the front but they are designed for small cups, it only just held my KeepCup. Same with the two cupholders in the back. This is not a deal-breaker though, it still works.

You know that feeling you get when you're surrounded by quality? That's the feeling you get in a Skoda Superb.

There are bottle holders in each door, a centre storage bin that actually has a cooling air fan (good for your sandwiches on long road trips), and the sizeable glove box has this feature too.

Tri-zone climate control keeps the front and back passengers happy. And there is my favourite feature of all time - the boot that opens when you swing your leg underneath it. This one actually works (some are a bit tricky to get the hang of) and is a godsend for parents who know what it's like to be overloaded with children and shopping bags and have no hands free. That would be all of us then.

There is an 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen which is easy to figure out, and it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (side note, I've just discovered CarPlay will read your text messages out to you while you're driving! I've never done that before). It basically means you can plug in and be instantly connected to your usual phone apps like Spotify and maps, and is the easiest technology you'll use in a car today.

There are also things like park assist which means if you don't feel like reverse parking the car (or you're just not particularly good at it), you can press a button and the car will park itself. The first time you do this is weird, no doubt about it. Watching the steering wheel expertly manoeuvre the car into a reverse park all on it's own is like peering into the future. But it works. And it's easy to learn - a quick glance at the manual and the car will be parking itself in no time.

The Skoda Superb 162TSI I drove came in at $48,790, including the options of the 'Comfort Pack', 'Tech Pack' and metallic paint.

Skoda claims a fuel efficiency of 6.4litres/100km, which is better than you'll get in most mid-large SUVs. There's a five year/unlimited km warranty, and service is required every 12 months/15,000km (whichever comes first).