The New Skoda Superb: The New Benchmark Model in Its Class
Not much time has passed since the departure of the sedan body of the Volkswagen Passat. While the Passat, which is the benchmark model in its class, will continue its existence only with the station wagon body type, its sibling, the Skoda Superb, has not abandoned the sedan body type. The Skoda Superb will strive to maintain its presence in a class that many of its rivals have abandoned, especially in countries like Turkey where there are still enthusiasts for sedans. We will see what kind of success the Skoda Superb will achieve. Let’s take a closer look at the Skoda Superb, which comes with more technology, greater comfort, and a larger size than its predecessor.
The New Superb, with its simplified design, has increased by 4 cm despite the unchanged wheelbase. It has narrowed by 1.5 cm, increased headroom, and added more spaciousness to the interior, including an expanded luggage compartment. Although Skoda labels it as a hatchback, it is actually a liftback, known by the Turkish public as a “sedan.” The luggage compartment volume has increased by 20 liters to 645 liters, and in the less favored Combi model in our country, it has grown by 30 liters to reach 690 liters. The Superb, already having one of the largest volumes in its class, cannot distance itself from Volkswagen’s classic “slightly change, present as new” approach in the exterior, but it stands out from this pattern in the interior.
The New Superb, equipped with extended and refined LED Matrix headlights consisting of 34 components on its front, manages to achieve a both sporty and dignified appearance with its classic vertical grilles and the unified design of the lower grille. The chrome strip below the grille, sharply curving upwards at the edges, along with the firm upward triangles and muscular hood lines, enhances the sporty look. Simplicity and abundant use of chrome also remind onlookers that the Superb is an elegant vehicle.
The New Superb, with a front bumper designed at a more horizontal angle after the grille, gives the appearance of longer headlights in the side view compared to the old Superb. The front bumper, designed with a more horizontal angle after the grille than the old Superb, gives the appearance of longer headlights in the side view. The vehicle has reduced the coefficient of friction to 0.23 Cd in the liftback body type and 0.25 Cd in the Combi body type. All these subtle details are for aerodynamic efficiency, as the New Superb will come with hybrid units. The fixed attachment of the side mirrors to the door makes the car look more premium compared to its predecessor. I can clearly say that the side silhouette retains the classic Superb profile.
The New Superb, with slimmer taillights compared to the old generation, features a design that does not include the brand logo at the rear. While it may bear some resemblance to the Toyota Corolla Sedan from the rear, the LED taillights, separately spelled brand name, and straight lines make the vehicle look much more dignified from a rear cross-angle. Skoda designers, not incorporating exhaust outlets into the bumper and avoiding fake exhaust exits, have enhanced the vehicle’s simple design with a narrow unpainted area at the bottom of the bumper and a chrome strip placed on top of it.
The Superb captures minimalism in the front cockpit with a 2-spoke steering wheel, a gear selector placed behind the steering wheel, large physical climate controls integrated into the dashboard, a high-mounted massive touchscreen, and beautifully integrated air vents. With details like the vertical striped panel on the center console, leather trims, and ambient lighting, the Superb has reached the level of premium-class cars. The slim door handles and the color choices on the doors have also been very successful.
In the largest of its class, a car should offer a legroom that befits the largest in its class. The Superb provides a legroom that could even surpass cars in a higher class. The model features a more gradually rising window line, making the interior feel more spacious. The continuation of the front door design to the rear, the inclusion of an armrest, and the presence of ventilation vents are all nice details in the Superb.
With a 645-liter luggage compartment, which is 20 liters larger than the old Superb and 60 liters larger than the Passat, the Superb stands out, especially considering it also includes a spare tire in this spacious trunk. Following the motto “Simply Clever,” Skoda has not forgotten to provide details such as hooks, hook counterparts, electric tailgate, umbrella compartment in the front doors, and a lens-equipped snow scraper. Deserving to be the benchmark in its class as a vehicle that is both practical and elegant with luxurious features? Absolutely, yes.
The Superb, available in its Combi hybrid version, will offer a range of over 100 kilometers. It will be offered with 1.5 eTSI, 2.0 TSI, 2.0 TDI, and PHEV power units. The PHEV version will be exclusively available in the Combi body type. Skoda, not abandoning diesel, will also offer all-wheel-drive systems for its 2.0-liter diesel versions. Skoda engineers, enhancing both driving comfort and road handling with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), ensure that these power units transfer their power to the wheels with a 6-speed DSG in the PHEV version and a 7-speed DSG in other versions. How do you find the New Skoda Superb?