The 2025 Skoda Superb is an anomaly. Not only is it the last remaining large passenger car under $70K you can buy new in Australia, but it holds the mantle for the entire Volkswagen Group, following the retirement of the Volkswagen Passat and Arteon. Its main competition now rests in pricier rivals like BMW 5 Series, along with smaller and more affordable ones like the Toyota Camry, and of course the plethora of SUVs available Down Under. But it doesn’t take long to be charmed by the new Skoda Superb, which makes a strong case against your average SUV.
The 2025 Skoda Superb is now offered in a single Sportline 195TSI variant, available in both sedan (liftback) and wagon form.
A price bump of around $2400 over the model it replaces sees the Superb Sportline now start from $67,990 (sedan) and $69,690 in wagon form, each before on-road costs.
Crucially, that keeps it below $70K, making it the sole offering in the large passenger car (under $70,000) segment.
From the outside, styling tweaks include a revised front fascia and slimmer headlights equipped with second-gen adaptive Matrix LEDs. Fog lights with cornering function also come fitted, as do taillights with dynamic indicators, and fresh 19-inch ‘Torcular’ alloy wheels.
Inside, there’s perforated black/grey leather upholstery and front seats with heating, ventilation and massage functions, along with a leather steering wheel (also heated), more heating for the outboard seats in the second row, wireless phone charging, head-up display, a 12-speaker Canton sound system, 10-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 13-inch central infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation and digital radio.
And while the familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol has been carried over – offered exclusively in an all-wheel-drive layout – it now comes mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, serving up maximum outputs of 195kW and 400Nm.
That’s an 11kW drop and a 50Nm increase compared to the last Superb 206TSI, but Skoda promises improved fuel consumption – down 0.3L/100km to 7.7L/100km – along with a slightly quicker 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.6 seconds (sedan).
Adaptive dampers are fitted standard, while progressive steering has also been added.
Safety has also had a boost, with the standard fitment of autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, predictive adaptive cruise control, lane assist with guidance, emergency steering assist, traffic-sign recognition, park assist, advanced driver fatigue detection, traffic-jam assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and 10 airbags.
Set aside $770 if you want metallic paint and if you’re after a panoramic sunroof in your Superb, it’s only available on the wagon and will cost you $1900.
Skoda covers the Superb with a generous seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Services are due every 12 months or 15,000km while a $3000 or $3700 service pack will see you through the first five or seven years of ownership, respectively.
The 2025 Skoda Superb is an attractive alternative to the family SUV, whether it’s the liftback sedan or wagon you choose.
Cabin space is generous and passengers across both rows of seating are treated not only to loads of room but an array of luxury appointments and creature comforts. Like the headrests for the rear outboard second-row seats, for example, which have airplane-style wings that fold down to keep your head still while you have a nap.
It feels special – unless you’re subject to the centre rear seat, where leg room is compromised by a chunky transmission tunnel – but also not quite as big as its 4.9m length (+40mm) and 1.85m width (a whisker narrower than before) would suggest, once you’re on the move.
It’s only a pinch longer than the outgoing Superb, but that hasn’t seemed to help the rump, where boot space is slightly down across both body styles compared to the last Superb.
You’ll hardly notice though, because even the sedan boasts a decent 589 litres of cargo space (previously 625L), while an even more useful 643L is offered in the wagon (previously 660L), the latter extending to 1920L with the rear seat folded.
It’s also back here where you’ll find some clever gadgets: an electrically retractable cargo cover (wagon only), cargo hooks and fasteners, a lidded storage cubby, and even a cosy blanket packaged neatly in a Skoda bag.
Speaking of packaging, Skoda has revamped some of its key controls in its latest Superb, moving the gear selector to a stalk behind the steering wheel to free up space in the centre console.
It’s also installed a trio of multi-function ‘smart dials’ – a good example of car-makers beginning to re-instate physical buttons and dials.
Behind the wheel, the Superb is predictably enjoyable to drive.
The familiar 2.0-litre turbo-four – offered across many Volkswagen Group products with various tunes – feels like a great fit, thanks to strong mid-range punch that transforms to offer relaxed, quiet cruising around town.
With precise steering and a ride that’s both balanced and composed, the Superb makes for a comfortable family hauler, traversing unforgiving rural roads just as confidently as smooth highways.
Push harder into corners and its size and mass becomes slightly more apparent, but even then, the Superb is surprisingly competent at shifting its weight around.
There are a few downers when it comes to the 2025 Skoda Superb’s driving experience.
The first is tyre noise. While sound deadening throughout the cabin is mostly good, our tester’s Goodyear rubber transmitted a fair bit of tyre roar into the cabin, exacerbated by coarser-chip roads in rural areas.
Second, is the seven-speed dual-clutch. It replaces the last car’s six-speed unit but seems to retain one of its most annoying features – a low-speed hesitation that is most noticeable when taking off.
Neither of these are deal breakers by any stretch, but worth noting nonetheless.
Meanwhile, our tester was slightly thirstier than Skoda’s claims of 7.7L/100km (sedan) and 7.8L/100km (wagon), sipping closer to 9.0L/100km by the end of our time with it on a mix of rural and urban roads.
Another not-so-good aspect – which is no fault of the Superb – is how few Aussies will realistically give it a chance.
There’s a reason it’s now the last remaining option in today’s ‘Large <70k’ segment: Aussies just aren’t buying big sedans or wagons like they used to, so car-makers have stopped bringing them to Australia (or, in some cases, building them at all).
Once the most popular segment thanks to the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon, the Skoda Superb is the last one standing. Czech mate.
When you put aside the obvious choices of SUVs or dual-cab utes, the Superb’s only real competition comes in the form of more expensive offerings like the BMW 5 Series (from $114,900) or more affordable ones like the Lexus ES (from $65,540).
All this, you might argue – as Skoda does when it says ‘decline is our opportunity’ – could work in its favour. We hope that’s the case.
For buyers willing to stray from the new norm of SUVs, the 2025 Skoda Superb’s lengthy list of standard equipment, roomy cabin, and enjoyable driving experience will make it very easy to live with.
It’s smart, sophisticated, and practical.
And it’s the latter that makes it such a compelling alternative to yet another SUV, particularly if you opt (as we would) for the oh-so-versatile wagon.
It might not be superb, but it’s not far off.
2025 Skoda Superb 195TSI Sportline at a glance:
Price: $67,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 195kW/400Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 7.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 175g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested