Skoda Superb vs Lexus ES250

What's the difference?

It’s safe to say the Skoda Superb is well… superb.

This car has consistently been one of my favourites, and that’s not something I say lightly. It's a fantastic package that combines all the best parts of comfort, practicality and driving dynamics.

All of those points stand out as key reasons why, despite the fact Australians are no longer buying passenger cars in substantial numbers, you should consider this over a similarly-sized SUV.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel and meals provided.

Since day one Lexus has aimed to prise buyers away from the limpet-like grip of traditional luxury car players. Conventional marketing wisdom says consumers buy brands, with the actual product a secondary consideration. 

The updated ES has the value, efficiency, safety, and driving refinement to again challenge the establishment. Amazingly, the ownership package, specifically the warranty, is starting to lag the market. 

But for open-minded premium buyers this product is worth a look before following a well-worn brand path. And if it was my money, the ES 300h Luxury with Enhancement Pack is the range sweet spot for value and performance.

On the outside of the new Skoda Superb its design is more of an evolution than revolution. This is no bad thing because I’ve always been a big fan of the Superb’s exterior design, even more so now because it’s the only one of its kind left.

From a lot of angles this new Superb gives major Holden ZB Commodore vibes, especially the wagon from the rear three-quarter.

While I like the sporty looks and glossy black highlights, I wish Skoda still offered a non-Sportline version of the Superb locally. Globally there are premium L&K versions available with chrome accents, and they look properly premium-pushing.

Inside, the Superb is a classic flagship Skoda through and through. It balances having beautifully high-end finishes with TARDIS-like practicality with ease.

Ahead of the driver there’s a sporty-looking perforated leather steering wheel which has Skoda script written out on the hub, rather than the classic winged arrow Skoda logo.

It’s an interesting look that forms as part of the new corporate design language. I imagine I’ll get used to it after a while, and it's all subjective, but I’m currently not a huge fan.

Looking around the cabin, the interior is dominated by the new 13-inch touchscreen multimedia system that’s high-resolution. It’s mounted high on the dashboard much like an iPad, which mightn’t be to everyone’s taste.

Flanking this new touchscreen is an interesting slotted air vent design that spans the entire dashboard. It’s a really cool look, though it’s finished in glossy black and will likely gather dust easily.

Speaking of black, a lot of the Superb’s interior is finished in black. I wish there were more pops of colour, whether that's with different finishes or textures to create some visual interest.

From shy wallflower to life of the party, the Lexus ES was given a comprehensive design makeover for its seventh generation.

A dramatic, angular exterior incorporates signature elements of the Lexus brand's distinctive design language including an unmissable ‘spindle grille’, but is still clearly recognisable as a conventional 'three-box’ sedan.

The jagged headlights now feature ‘tri-beam’ LEDs on F Sport and Sports Luxury grades, adding an extra air of purpose to an already bold face. And the grille on Luxury and Sports Luxury models is now made up of multiple L-shaped elements, mirrored across the top and bottom sections, then finished in gunmetal grey for a close to 3D effect.

The ES is offered in 10 colours - ‘Sonic Iridium’, ‘Sonic Chrome’, ‘Sonic Quartz’, ‘Onyx’, ‘Graphite Black’, ‘Titanium’, ‘Glacial Ecru’, ‘Radiata Green’, ‘Vermillion’ and ‘Deep Blue’ with two other shades reserved for the F Sport only - ‘White Nova’ and ‘Cobalt Mica.’

Inside, the dash is a mix of simple sweeping surfaces contrasted by a flurry of activity around the centre stack and instrument cluster.

Located roughly 10cm closer to the driver, the new multimedia screen is a 12.3-inch unit with touch functionality, a welcome alternative to the laggy and inaccurate Lexus ‘Remote Touch’ trackpad set-up. Remote Touch remains, but my advice is to ignore it and use the touchscreen.

The instruments sit in a deeply hooded binnacle with buttons and dials on and around it. Not the sleekest design in the segment and passable only from an ergonomic point-of-view, but the overall feel is suitably premium.

This is where this car properly shines.

Up front there are deliciously comfortable leather seats that are electrically adjustable, heated, ventilated and have a massage function. The heating was well and truly cranked during our drive loop around chilly Canberra and it kept me nicely warm and toasty.

I also enjoy how adjustable the front seats are. No matter how tall or short you are, you’ll find a comfortable seating position.

As mentioned above there’s a leather steering wheel ahead of the driver which has perforations on it. This is handy if you get clammy hands out on the road. And I like how warm the steering wheel gets when the heating is turned on. In fact, it almost gets too hot.

The 10-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is classic Volkswagen Group in terms of layout and design. It offers what feels like limitless configurations, allowing you to tailor the information you want to see.

Moving across, this larger 13-inch touchscreen multimedia system is a breeze to use. It features new software compared to the previous-generation Superb that looks considerably fresher.

The home screen can be configured and there are easily accessible shortcut buttons on the screen for things like the vehicle settings menu, among others.

I’m a particular fan of the shortcut buttons at the top of the touchscreen that show your favourite settings in the vehicle menu. You’re able to toggle things like auto hold, engine idle start-stop and numerous other features.

Underneath the touchscreen is one my favourite parts of this car. There are three physical rotary dials that initially look like they’re just for adjusting the climate control functions, but can do so much more. They’re called ‘Smart Dials’ and also feature in the new Kodiaq.

The outer two dials are able to adjust things like the temperature, as well as the seat heating and ventilation, whereas the centre dial can change the fan speed, air direction, driving mode, sound system volume and zoom function on the sat-nav map.

They’re incredibly intuitive to use and have fantastic tactical clicks when interacted with. It’s fantastic to see a new car that puts such a big emphasis on still having physical hardware, instead of opting for the minimal look that requires you to use the touchscreen for everything.

Another big change with the Superb is the gear selector has been relocated from the centre console to the steering column. This has been happening to a range of Volkswagen Group vehicles of late.

As a result, the centre console has been redesigned with maximised storage in mind. There are now things like a display cleaner and many generous storage spaces.

Also if you want to securely store items, there are retractable covers on the centre console which also help give it a clean look.

Moving to the second row, it’s an amazing place to sit. There is so much space on offer that it puts every single similarly priced and sized SUV to shame. You can’t beat a large sedan or wagon in terms of practicality.

Second-row amenities include heated outboard seats, retractable sun-blinds, a fold-down armrest with cupholders and a tablet holder, as well as airplane-style head restraints that fold out from either side of the head rest.

Regardless of where you sit in the Superb, you’ll be in proper comfort.

Around the back is the showstopper. As standard there’s a hands-free power tailgate which is handy if you’ve got hands full and need to open the boot.

Once the tailgate opens there’s a generous amount of boot space on offer. Skoda claims the Superb liftback has a 589L capacity with the rear seats upright, expanding to 1795L with them folded.

With the wagon on the other hand, there’s 634L of boot space with the rear seats upright, expanding to a massive 1920L with the second row lowered.

‘Simply Clever’ touches include an electrically retractable luggage cover, a retractable luggage sling, moveable luggage separators, and a vast net system.

Under the boot floor there’s a space-saver spare wheel.

An overall length just under 5.0m long shows how much the ES and its competitors have crept up in size over recent generations. The Merc C-Class is more a mid-size car than the compact sedan it once was, and at nearly 1.9m wide and standing a bit over 1.4m tall the ES more than matches it for space.

There's plenty of room up front, the car feeling open and spacious from behind the wheel, thanks in part to the low sweep of the dash. And the rear is just as commodious.

Sitting behind the driver's seat set for my 183cm (6'0”) position I enjoyed good leg and toe room, with more than enough headroom, despite inclusion of a tilt and slide glass sunroof on all models.

Not only that, entry to and egress from the rear is a breeze thanks to a large aperture and wide opening doors. And while the back seat is best for two, three adults across is do-able without too much pain and suffering for short to medium journeys.

Connectivity and power options are plentiful with twin USB ports and a 12-volt socket front and rear. And storage starts with two cupholders in the front centre console, and another pair in the fold-down rear centre armrest.

If the remote touch system was (deservedly) given the boot, there would be room for extra oddments space in the front console.

The front door pockets are adequate rather than large (smaller bottles only), the glove box is modest, but the storage box (with padded armrest lid) between the front seats is more generous.

There are adjustable air vents for rear passengers, which you'd expect in this category, but are always a plus none-the-less.

The rear door pockets are okay, except the opening is relatively slim so bottles are a struggle, but there are map pockets on the back of both front seats as another bottle option.

Important to note that while boot space is decent at 454 litres (VDA) the rear seat doesn't fold. At all. A lockable ski port door sits behind the rear armrest, but the lack of a split-folding back seat is a significant practicality compromise.

A reasonably high loading lip into the boot isn't great, either, but there are tie-down hooks to help secure loose loads.

The Lexus ES is a no-tow zone and a space-saver spare is your only flat tyre option.

The existing ES 300h (the ‘h’ denoting hybrid) is now joined by a non-hybrid model using the same petrol engine, tuned specifically to run without the support of an electric motor.

The pre-update, hybrid-only ES line-up spanned six model variations across a roughly $15K price spread from the ES 300h Luxury ($62,525) to the ES 300h Sports Luxury ($77,000).

Now there are five models with an ‘Enhancement Pack’ (EP) available on three of them, for an effective range of eight grades. Again, it's a $15K spread, stretching from the ES 250 Luxury ($61,620, before on-road costs) to the ES 300h Sports Luxury ($76,530).

Let's kick-off with the ES 250 Luxury. Aside from the safety and powertrain tech covered later in the review, the ‘entry-level’ grade is loaded with standard features including, 10-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control air, active cruise control, a new 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, satellite navigation (with voice control), keyless entry and start, 17-inch alloy wheels, a glass sunroof, auto rain-sensing wipers, plus 10-speaker audio with digital radio, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The steering wheel and gearshift are leather-trimmed, while the seat trim is synthetic leather.

An Enhancement Pack adds wireless phone charging, privacy glass, a colour head-up display, and $1500 to the price tag (total $63,120).

The next rung up the price ladder brings the hybrid powertrain into play, so the ES 300h Luxury ($63,550) retains all the features of the ES 250 Luxury EP and adds a rear spoiler and power adjustable steering column.

Opting for the ES 300h Luxury EP then adds a power boot lid (with kick sensor), leather-accented trim, 18-inch rims, panoramic view monitor (overhead and 360-degree), 14-way power driver's seat (with memory settings), ventilated front seats, side blinds and a power rear sunshade, as well as $8260 to the price (total $71,810).

Next, as the name implies, two ES F Sport models dial up the performance personality.

The ES 250 F Sport ($70,860) retains the features of the ES 300h Luxury EP (except side blinds) while adding LED headlights with adaptive high-beam, a ‘wire-mesh’ grille, sports body kit, 19-inch wheels, performance dampers, an 8.0-inch driver display, alloy interior accents and grippier F Sport seats.

Stump up for the ES 300h F Sport ($72,930) and you'll ride on an adaptive suspension system with two driver-selectable settings, Go one step further and select the ES 300h F Sport EP ($76,530) and you'll also be cranking up a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system and warming your hands on a heated steering wheel.

Then, the top-of-the ES pyramid, the 300h Sports Luxury ($78,180), puts it all on the table adding top-shelf semi-aniline leather-accented trim, power adjustable, reclining, and heated rear outboard seats, tri-zone climate control, as well as side door blinds and a power rear sunshade. The rear centre armrest also features controls for the sunshade, seat heating (and angle), as well as audio and climate settings.

That's a lot to take in, so here's a table to help clarify the model walk-up. But suffice it to say this ES maintains Lexus’ reputation for value, testing its competitors in the luxury sedan space.

The new-generation Skoda Superb is still powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder petrol engine, but it has been upgraded.

It produces 195kW of power, which is technically 9.0kW less than the previous-generation version, and 400Nm of torque, which is 50Nm more.

It’s worth noting this engine also features in the new Skoda Octavia RS, as well as the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Tiguan R-Line.

The engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with drive sent through an all-wheel drive system.

The ES 250 is powered by an all-alloy, 2.5-litre, naturally aspirated (A25A-FKS) four-cylinder engine featuring DVVT (Dual Variable Valve Timing) - electrically actuated on the intake side, and hydraulically on the exhaust side. It also uses a combination of direct and multi-point fuel-injection (D-4S).

Maximum power is a handy 152kW at 6600rpm and peak torque of 243Nm is available between 4000-5000rpm, with drive going to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The 300h features a modified (A25A-FXS) version of the same engine using the Atkinson combustion cycle which plays with valve timing to effectively shorten the intake stroke and lengthen the expansion stroke.

The down-side of this set-up is a loss of low-end power, while the up-side is improved fuel efficiency. Which makes it perfect for a hybrid application where an electric motor can make up for the low-end shortfall.

Here, the result is a combined output of 160kW, with the petrol engine producing its peak power (131kW) at 5700rpm.

The 300h's motor is a permanent magnet synchronous type producing 88kW/202Nm, and the battery is a 204-cell nickel-metal hydride type with a capacity of 244.8 volts.

Drive again goes to the front wheels, this time via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

While the new Superb is claimed to be faster, it’s also claimed to be more fuel efficient. In liftback guise claimed combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption is 7.7L/100km, while in wagon guise the official figure is 7.8L/100km.

The entire range comes with a 66-litre fuel tank and it requires a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded.

With this claimed fuel consumption you could theoretically travel up to 850km on a full tank of petrol. In our test cars however, they were displaying 900km of range when we started off the drive loop.

Unfortunately the Superb doesn't come with any form of electrification, whether that be a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain. Skoda Australia is currently evaluating and testing the Superb PHEV, but if it does launch locally, it won’t be until 2026 at the earliest.

Hyundai's official fuel economy figure for the ES 250, on the ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban cycle, is 6.6L/100km for the Luxury and 6.8L/100km for the F-Sport, the 2.5-litre four emitting 150 and 156g/km of C02 (respectively) in the process.

The official combined cycle fuel economy figure for the ES 350h, is just 4.8L/100km, the hybrid powertrain emitting only 109g/km of C02.

While the launch program didn't allow us to capture real-world (at the bowser) figures we did see a dash-indicated average of 5.5L/100km in the 300h, which is brilliant for a car in this class, weighing in at 1.7 tonnes.

You'll need 60 litres of 95RON premium unleaded to fill ES 250's tank and 50 litres to brim the ES 300h. Using Lexus figures that equates to a range of a little less than 900km in the 250 and just over 1000km in the 350h (900km using our dash-indicated number).

To further sweeten the fuel economy equation Lexus provides an Ampol/Caltex five-cents-per-litre discount as a permanent offer via the Lexus app. Nice.

Starting up the Skoda Superb Sportline you hear the familiar sound of this 2.0L engine, variations of which are used in numerous VW Group models. It’s fairly muted and smooth, which makes the cabin a serene place to be.

Setting off you use the column-mounted gear selector to change gears. It takes a little bit to get used to the new placement, but after a few uses it feels normal. This relocation has also allowed for so much more storage on the centre console.

Around town the Superb’s 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine barely makes itself known. The full 400Nm of torque comes on tap from as little as 1650rpm, making this car effortless to drive and almost turbo-diesel-like in practice.

Skoda claims the new Superb can do the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.6 seconds in liftback guise and 5.7 seconds in wagon guise. This is 0.3 seconds faster than the old version.

It barely requires any thought driving in the typical urban sprawl. The car does all the heavy lifting for you.

When it comes to parking, however, there’s no way around the fact this is a long car. You may find yourself needing to do three-point turns in order to navigate tighter urban car parks.

It doesn’t help that the surround-view camera system is surprisingly low-resolution, which is disappointing given the Superb is a flagship vehicle for Skoda. It’s more noticeable because the central touchscreen is incredibly high-resolution.

As standard there’s a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission which has one more ratio than the previous-generation Superb. Though this isn’t necessarily obvious in everyday driving, the dual-clutch is still a classic Volkswagen Group unit, meaning it’s snappy and intuitive.

This car comes with a progressive ratio steering system which increases the amount the wheels physically turn as you feed on more lock with the steering wheel. It helps make the car feel more agile and sporty, while also requiring less effort.

With the updated adaptive dampers you can now configure the system in 15 different ways, which is wild. This spans all the way from beyond ‘Comfort’ through to ‘Sport’.

In ‘Normal’ mode the Superb still errs on the sportier side, which makes sense because the Sportline package is standard. This also brings a 15mm ride height reduction.

Despite feeling sporty as standard, the Superb is never uncomfortable. This is really surprising because there are sizeable 19-inch alloy wheels and low-profile tyres.

Dialling the car through to ‘Comfort’ mode makes the drive pretty much effortless. It’s incredibly comfortable and supple, ironing out virtually any road imperfection you can throw at it.

Unlike other Skoda vehicles with adaptive dampers, this Superb doesn’t get that bouncy cloud-like feeling in ‘Comfort’ mode. Instead, it still feels grounded.

There’s an ‘Eco’ drive mode which unsurprisingly prioritises fuel economy. It makes upshifts happen low down in the rev range, and also shifts the car into neutral when coasting.

Although the car is in ‘Eco’ mode, it doesn’t feel like you’re lacking any oomph. You’ll still be keeping up with urban traffic easily.

Slotting the Superb into ‘Sport’ mode immediately sharpens the throttle response and makes the car feel like it’s hunkering down, ready to attack. The suspension and adaptive dampers noticeably become stiffer, making you jiggle about in the driver’s seat more than in other drive modes.

It’s surprising how Sport makes this huge sedan and wagon feel much smaller than it is. This is likely credit to how dynamic the Volkswagen Group has made its 'MQB Evo' platform.

Thanks in part to the all-wheel drive system, this car is an absolute beast out in the twisties. You can take corners with a lot of heat and still feel incredibly in control.

Once again, the car does a lot of the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on what’s going on with the road ahead. It’s very smile-inducing.

While this car is dynamic and thrilling to drive, it’s worth noting it’s no full-fat RS model. You reach a ceiling with the turbo-petrol’s outputs when accelerating hard, but there’s still plenty to play with. Only proper performance car nerds will care about this.

Out on the open road, the Superb becomes a great long-distance tourer. It feels like I could drive from Melbourne to Adelaide in one hit without stopping.

At higher speeds, however, there is a bit of road and tyre noise. This is common in European vehicles, but still ruins the ambience of the cabin if you don’t like listening to music behind the wheel.

More concerning, though, is the virtually brand-new Superbs we sampled at this media launch were already starting to develop noticeable rattles in the door cards. Underwhelming in a circa $70K car.

The first thing you notice behind the wheel of this ES is how extraordinarily quiet it is. Sound absorption materials are stuffed all around the body. Even the engine cover has been designed to keep the decibels down.

And ‘Active Noise Control’ (ANC) uses the audio system to generate “noise-cancelling waves” to suppress mechanical clatter from the engine and transmission. The car is eerily EV-like in it's pin-drop interior tranquility.

We focused on the ES 300h for the launch drive, and Lexus claims 0-100km/h 8.9sec for this version of the car. It feels every bit that quick, but the engine ‘noise’ and exhaust note are like the humming of a distant bee hive. With thanks to Daryl Kerrigan, how's the serenity?

Around town the ES is composed and supple, absorbing pock-marked urban irregularities with ease, and on the freeway it feels like a hovercraft.

Lexus makes a lot of noise about the torsional stiffness of the ‘Global Architecture-K’ (GA-K) platform sitting under the ES, and it's clearly more than hot air. Through twisting B-roads it remains balanced and predictable.

Even in non-F-Sport variants the car points nicely and will steer accurately on the throttle through constant radius corners, with only modest body roll. The ES doesn't feel like a front-wheel drive car, with neutral handling up to an impressively high limit.

Luxury and Sports Luxury grades are offered with three drive modes - ‘Normal’, ‘Eco’ and ‘Sport’, tweaking engine and transmission settings for economy or a more spirited drive.

ES 300h F Sport variants add three more modes - ‘Sport S’, ‘Sport S+’ and ‘Custom’, further revising engine, steering, suspension and transmission characteristics.

Despite all the tuning options, road feel is not the ES's strongest suit. Dialing in sportier modes will add steering weight but no matter what the setting, the connection between the front wheels and the driver's hands is less than intimate.

The CVT auto suffers some of that disconnect between road speed and revs, the engine moving up and down the rev range in search of the power/efficiency sweet spot. But wheel-mounted paddles allow for manual shifting through pre-set ‘ratio’ points, and that option works nicely if you prefer to take the reins.

And when it comes to slowing down the ‘Auto Glide Control’ (ACG) system smooths out regenerative braking when you're coasting to a stop.

The conventional brakes are ventilated (305mm) discs at the front and a solid (281mm) rotor set-up at the rear. Pedal feel is progressive and outright stopping power is strong.

Random notes: The front seats are great. Super-comfortable yet neatly bolstered for secure location. The F Sport's chairs, even more so. The new multimedia touchscreen is a winner. It looks good and menu navigation is agreeably straight forward. And the digital instrument cluster is similarly clean and clear.

The Lexus ES scores a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, the car first assessed in 2018, with updates in 2019 and September 2021.

It received high ratings against all four key criteria (adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection, and safety assist systems).

Active crash-avoidance technology on all ES models includes, a pre-collision safety system (Lexus-speak for AEB) active from 10-180km/h, with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, dynamic radar cruise control, road sign assist, lane tracing assist, fatigue detection and reminder, tyre pressure monitoring, a reversing camera, as well as rear cross-traffic alert and parking support brake (including an intelligent clearance sonar).

Other features like blind-spot monitoring, adaptive high-beam and a panoramic view monitor are included on F Sport and Sport Luxury grades.

If a crash is unavoidable there are 10 airbags on-board - dual front, driver and front passenger knee, front and rear side airbags and side curtain airbags covering both rows.

There's also an active bonnet to minimise pedestrian impact injuries, and ‘Lexus Connected Services’ includes an SOS call (driver-activated and/or automatic), and stolen vehicle tracking.

For child seats there are top tethers for all three rear positions with ISOFIX anchors on the outer two.

The new Superb, like all other current Skoda models, is covered by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

This warranty length is slowly but certainly becoming the standard in Australia.

At this stage Skoda hasn’t detailed service intervals or service pricing. It has said it’ll offer pre-paid service packages, however.

From the time it arrived in the Australian market just over 30 years ago Lexus has made the ownership experience a key differentiator for the brand.

Its focus on post-purchase benefits and ease of servicing shook the established luxury players out of their button-backed leather lounge slumber and into a new aftersales mindset.

That said, the Lexus standard four-year/100,000km warranty is some way off luxury newcomer, Genesis, as well as traditional heavyweights Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, all at five years/unlimited km.

Yes, Audi, BMW and others are at three years/unlimited km, but the game has moved on for them, too. Plus, the mainstream market standard is now five years/unlimited km, with some at seven, even 10 years.

On the other hand, the ‘Lexus Encore Privileges’ program provides 24-hour roadside assistance for the duration of the warranty, as well as, “dining, hotel partnership and luxury lifestyle experience offers exclusive to owners of new Lexus vehicles.”

The Lexus Enform smartphone app also offers access to everything from real-time advice on events and the weather to nav destinations (restaurants, businesses, etc), and more.

Service is scheduled every 12 months/15,000km (whichever comes first), and the first three (capped price) services for the ES are $495 each.

A Lexus loan car is provided while your pride and joy is in the workshop, or a pick-up and return option (from home or office) is available. You'll also receive a complimentary wash and interior vacuum.