2024 Skoda Superb revealed in full

The 2024 Skoda Superb has made its world debut in Europe overnight ahead of its Australian introduction sometime next year, revealing a modernised but restrained new aesthetic wrapped around the high-tech cabin we’ve already seen.

Bigger in every dimension than its predecessor save for width, the fourth-generation Skoda Superb will be the last traditional large passenger car left on the local market when it launches in Australia, following the retirement of the Kia Stinger earlier this year.

And Skoda’s new combustion-powered flagship will play a vital role for Volkswagen Group Australia in the absence of the VW Passat and Arteon passenger models, alongside the smaller Skoda Octavia.

Once again there is the option of a liftback sedan (marketed as a ‘hatch’) and a full-fat wagon, which will swallow 645 and 690 litres of cargo behind the rear seats respectively – increases of 20 and 30 litres.

As per the related Volkswagen Passat, which won’t be sold Down Under, the new Superb will be offered globally with a range of turbocharged four-cylinder petrol, diesel and electrified powertrains displacing between 1.5 and 2.0 litres.

The entry-level mill is a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit featuring mild-hybrid tech, developing 110kW of power and driving the front wheels only via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Above that are a pair of 2.0-litre engines good for 150kW and 195kW paired to the same 7DCT, however, the latter ups the ante with full-time all-wheel drive – one of just two powertrains to do so, the other being the 142kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.

Speaking of diesel, there’ll also be a front-drive 110kW version of the same engine available in Europe, plus a lone plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Based around the entry-level 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine but matched with a six-speed dual-clutch auto, the PHEV system is good for 150kW with the help of a solitary electric motor and 25.7kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which combine to deliver a claimed electric cruising range of up to 100km on the WLTP cycle.

However, the PHEV system will only be offered in the wagon body style and won’t be coming to Australia because Skoda’s local division is planning to skip PHEVs and instead release battery-electric vehicles as they become available.

Volkswagen Australia recently axed all its diesel offerings from the local market, save for the flagship Touareg SUV, and so it would be reasonable to assume the fourth-generation Superb will mirror the current line-up and be a petrol-only affair Down Under, probably including the 150kW and 195kW variants.

Supporting these new powertrains and bigger bodies is the VW Group’s new MQB Evo platform, which was specifically developed to be more accommodating to electrification measures as well as more sophisticated in the ride and handling department.

Adaptive dampers will be optionally available on most variants, while the flagships will score the tech as standard in tandem with their AWD systems.

All this newfound sophistication is no more apparent than in the cabin, where we find a totally new tech-centric design headlined by a multi-level dashboard, widescreen infotainment system (up to 13 inches), column-mounted gear selector, ‘smart dials’ and digital instrument cluster.

It’ll be a while before we get a variant-specific rundown of standard equipment highlights for Australia, but other headline gear in Europe includes a 15W wireless charging pad with integrated cooling, LED headlights, Ergo seats, electrically operated load cover (wagon), 17- to 19-inch alloy wheels and sustainably sourced cabin materials.

At this stage there’ll be three trim levels offered at a global level: Essence, Selection and Laurin & Klement. Local prices will almost certainly eclipse those of their outgoing equivalents, which currently start at $54,090, though the Australian line-up only comprises two grades (Style and Sportline).

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