Skoda Superb wagon 2010 review

ANY car that lobs with a Superb badge on the boot had better be good.  Using a name like that is an invitation to failure, especially in Australia, or at least a severe ribbing if it doesn't come up to snuff.

Skoda has a right to the Superb badge because it's part of the company's history, but the Czech brand still has to make a serious impact in Australia and superb is a word that doesn't really fit.  But the Superb shows what Skoda can do and moves the Australian story on from the Octavia that has done most of the heavy lifting since it was added to the local Volkswagen Group family.

It's a lot like the Volkswagen Passat, at least in size and mechanical package, but the hard workers in the Czech Republic have managed to give it a unique look, a unique personality and unique value.  So the Superb is bigger inside than a Passat and that latest model, the Wagon, has pricing from $38,990.

"It's an excellent package and we've positioned it well on value. It will help to build the brand," says Matthew Wiesner, general manager of Skoda Australia.  "It's the right opportunity. We're taking advantage of the global model activity that we can plug into."

The Superb Wagon range is predictable and solid, with both petrol and diesel engines, front and all-wheel drive, and a range of specifications up to the popular Elegance pack that includes everything from electric leather seats and alloy wheels to seven airbags and ABS brakes across the range.

Value

Value is the foundation for the whole Skoda brand, which sits at the bottom of the Volkswagen Group in Australia below VW itself and then Audi.  The test car is a turbodiesel with Elegance, the second-top model - below the V6 all-wheel drive - with a pricetag of $49,990.

It comes massively loaded and yet still with a pricetag that undercuts its large-car rivals in Australia including the Commodore Sportwagon and a bunch of mid-range SUVs.  The 118 engine is the most popular of Volkswagen's diesels in Australia and it also gets an excellent DSG manu-matic gearbox, with everything inside from satnav to a really punchy sound system.

"Diesel is the most popular drivetrain in the Superb, and probably 80 per cent of sales. It's the Elegance specification that is most popular," says Wiesner.  "We're seeing growth month-on-month through that pricing. And a reasonable takeup of the four-wheel drive V6."

But, despite Xenon headlamps and the rest, the car is not available with a rear-view camera. There is parking sonar but it's a major failing.  "It's under development," says Wiesner, without promising an introduction date.

Technology

Skoda takes everything out of the Volkswagen parts bin, which means good stuff.  The engine has 125kW and 350 Nm, there are six gears in the DSG, fully-independent suspension, power steering and the other stuff you expect at this size and price.

The actual body is developed from the same platform used for a huge range of Volkwagen Group products from the Golf, but Skoda has managed to even trump the Passat with a huge cabin and a good looking shape that's also practical.  Skoda says the interior dimensions are similar to the Sportwagon and now-dead Falcon wagon, but with a much deeper load space in the rear.

Design

The Superb Wagon is a bulky car but its proportions are well disguised and it has an upmarket look and feel.  That means fake wood in the dash, lots of chrome on the nose, leather inside and soft-touch plastics in all the key areas.

The tail end is an absolute treat, with everything from a high-lift tailgate with a rubber pulldown strap to a range of plug-in dividers which sit in tracking in the luggage space. They seem familiar from the Audi Q7.

The seats are well shaped, the dash design is simple and effective - with green highlights, where VW uses blue - and there is huge space in the back seat. The fold-down luggage space is made bigger and flatter with a system which folds the back squab up and forward so the backrest can tuck right away.

It's a big surprise to find a fold-out umbrella inside the left-rear door - something we though was reserved for Rollls-Royce - and there is even a nifty pull-out torch inside the tail.  But the cupholders are crappy, too small and not enough of them.

Safety

The Superb ticks all the boxes, from seven airbags - including one for the driver's knee - to ESP and brake assist. It's a five-star effort.  It also has standard tyre pressure monitoring, three-point belts for all occupants, and an alarm with interior monitoring.  But it should come with a rear-view camera.

Driving

The Superb wagon is a very big car, ideal for family work and a serious alternative to a wide range of SUVs.  Basically, it's the car a lot of Australians need - not the one they want.

Even so, the cabin space is fantastically large and flexible, with giant legroom front and back, and that brilliant luggage space in the tail.
It's a very quiet car that gets along more than well enough with the turbodiesel engine and DSG gearbox. There is good push for overtaking and it's light on fuel.

At first the Superb feels a little soft and floppy. And the front suspension definitely wobbles and crashes through bumps a bit, but the tail is solidly planted and the brakes are great.

It's not a sport car but it's much more convincing and enjoyable than most SUVs, particularly when you have the family and a load on board.  It's one of the surprisingly memorable cars of 2010 and brilliant value. It makes the Passat look underdone and puts the Sportwagon into a slot for people who really want an SS sedan but have to have a wagon for family work.

SHE SAYS - Alison Ward

I barely know what a Skoda is when the Superb arrives but I'm immediately impressed.  We have the automatic 7-speed DSG (whatever that means) diesel full leather trim and a stylish interior. 

Being a part of the VW network obviously has its advantages.  You can see their contribution in the dash and the seamless gearchanges and handling. 

This car is a benchmark car for Aussie drivers, especially for traveling families.  Its base model includes a mile of extras others car brands want to charge for and the test car is brilliant value.  There is loads of room in the boot with plenty of tricky hooks, lights and restraints for your belongings.

The back seat has so much space we can wind the front seats all the way back and not worry about the youngster in the child seat. But I think the cupholder situation is a bit dire.  If there is a better family car in Australia for $50,000 then I haven't driven it.

Verdict

It's not quite superb, but the new Skoda flagship is very, very good and brilliant value.