Driving the New Skoda Superb

I’ll admit I’m not the biggest car expert in the world, the most I learn about cars is from watching endless amounts of Top Gear!  However I do like to drive a nice car when I can and when funds permit I will be replacing my old trusty Citroen for something a little classier.

I was therefore really excited to be invited up to Scotland to test-drive the new Skoda Superb and how it would suit as a family car.

Set in a “superb” setting near Inverness and with the highlands enticing us all around, me and fellow adventurer Kate from Babyroutes set off from ‘Skodaville’ to find some walks and of course to test the car also.

But first, here’s a little bit about the Skoda Superb we were going to be driving that day…

Specifications

Model: Skoda Superb SE L Executive Hatch

Engine: 2.0 TDI 190PS

Transmission: 6 speed DSG

Performance

Combined mpg: 61.4mpg

CO2: 199g/km

Max Speed: 146mph

0-62mph: 7.7 secs

Recommended on the road price £28,720 (Skoda offer an enticing payment plan system also to help spread the costs)

Key Features:

• 7 airbags
• Cruise Control
• Infotainment including: Satnav, bluetooth, DAB Digital radio among many other things including the ability for people sitting in the rear to change the radio hands-free….not sure this is a feature a parent would consider handy…I can imagine the arguments!
• Dual zone climate control
• ISOFIX child seat fittings
• Front and rear parking sensors

I’ve just picked out some of the many key features the Skoda Superb has to offer, like with any car you are able to pay extra for those additional gadgets like:

• Virtual pedal – hands-free boot opening system, very handy when a parent and inevitably holding everything your child could not possibly hold themselves!
• Heated front and rear seats – Probably the only extra I would ever pay for, my next car is definitely having these!

Check out the Skoda website for more details on specs and the more techy stuff.

So what did I think to the Skoda Superb?

My initial first thoughts were that it looks like a business car, something you would be given as a company car.  Though this is not necessarily a bad thing as long as the car does what you want it to.

Inside the car is very spacious, comfortable and smart with its leather seats and leather steering wheel.  The rear seating feels generous and there’s ample leg room.

From a parent perspective I was pleased that the ISOFIX system which had a sturdy outer casing allowing you to guide the car seat into its correct position with ease.

The Skoda Superb is pretty long at 4.86m, however when driving the car it doesn’t feel awkward and when parking it didn’t cause any real problems, handily the parking sensors help you here anyway.

The Skoda Superb has an incredibly large boot at 625 litres and the ability to increase 1760 litres with the rear seats folded down plenty of room for it to house all our camping gear.

As for the drive itself, the Skoda Superb is surprisingly quiet even with a diesel engine.  The drive is pleasant and it handles really well.  There’s enough power to quickly nip past slow drivers without spending too much time in the outer lane and on the quieter single roads where I live I would be more confident to over-take the tractors safely.

Overall, I really liked the Skoda Superb and could happily see it working for us as a family, even more so if you have a younger family with added pushchairs then it becomes even more desirable especially with the boot size. Personally I would probably opt for the Estate version so it would comfortably seat the 2 dogs in the boot as well.  Even only driving for a short time, with its many added features and its compatibility I would put the Skoda Superb among my list of next cars I want to buy.