Skoda Superb Wagon 2010 Review

Skoda Superb Wagon

What we liked
>> Refined ride and handling
>> Intuitive interior functions
>> Interior space

About our ratings

Squeeze the throttle, turn the wheel, flick the indicators and it's evident from the outset that Volkswagen Group's reputation for quality has not been diluted in this Skoda. It just feels good.

Sure, it's got bells and whistles louder and shinier than many of its rivals, but even technology aside the Superb Wagon is a very refined vehicle. Skoda expects its new wagon will find more favour than the sedan in Australia, as it has done in Europe. After having a drive of the car on local roads, we agree.

The Superb name itself will be a talking point for many, particularly those who have not read up Skoda's offerings. To label the car is a gutsy (perhaps even arrogant) move, and one that so many would like to shoot down in flames. But the fact of the matter is that this particular family hauler lives up to its name.

Boasting the kind of standard features you'd expect in a high-end German estate, the Skoda Superb Wagon was making waves in Australia before it had even arrived on local shores. Sight unseen, local Skoda dealers sold up a [Ed: comparative] storm...

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- Ticking all the right boxes
With two trim levels and three engine choices, Skoda has kept the Superb Wagon line-up simple but feature packed.

Commanding a $2000 price premium over the Superb sedan, the wagon range starts with the Ambition 118TSI for $40,990. This 'entry-level' car is still well equipped. It comes with dual-zone climate control, nine airbags, stability control, rear parking sensors, hill-hold control, rain sensing wipers, an eight-speaker, six-stack CD stereo with touch screen interface, heated front seats and alloy wheels.

Some of the other neat features on the Superb Wagon include a detachable LED torch/flashlight in the boot and telescopic luggage divider (a la Audi's Avants), plus anodized roof rails that can take 100kg loads.

Interestingly, the LED light has a two-hour lifespan (more than enough time to change a tyre in the dark) and is about the size of two AA batteries. It features a magnet so you can just clip it to the side of the car and when placed back in its nacelle in the boot it automatically recharges, which is a nice touch.

All models in the Superb Wagon range also come with an automated parallel parking system, Park Assist, which is a first for the class. It requires some driver input (throttle and brake) but the system controls the steering wheel and neatly backs the car into a spare parallel space.

The Ambition trim level is also available with a 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, the 125TDI, which asks $43,990.

The top of the range Elegance model is available with the above two engines (four-cylinder petrol 118TSI -- $46,990; and diesel 125TDI -- $49,990), and also an all-wheel-drive V6 petrol. The range topper just sneaks over the Luxury car Tax threshold and is priced from $57,990.

The Elegance gets everything from the Ambition variants but adds a higher quality 10-speaker stereo along with a touch-screen satellite navigation system, leather seats with electric adjustment, 17-inch alloy wheels (18-inch for the V6) and bi-xenon headlights with AFS, which helps illuminate around corners.

It's impressive how much standard equipment Skoda has crammed into its Superb Wagon. Even more impressive is the space -- the boot of this vehicle has to be seen to be believed!

MECHANICAL

Matched to a six-speed automatic DSG, the engine rarely hunts for gears and like all dual-clutch options in the Skoda range there's a tiptronic mode should drivers require more control.

Carbon dioxide emissions of 175 grams per kilometre for the 125TDI are under the 200g/km mark which is good to see, and claimed fuel consumption of 6.6L/100km sits well with us. We managed an average of 5.9L/100km on the launch drive.

The 118TSI engine, a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol unit, is more affordable than the diesel but not quite as frugal nor as torquey. It develops 118kW at 5000rpm and 250Nm at 1500-4500rpm, and uses a claimed 7.5L/100km while emitting CO2 of 173g/km. We managed 6.7L/100km on our relatively sedate drive with the 16-valve engine.

Skoda's entry-level turbo petrol powerplant is mated to a seven-speed automatic DSG, but because this cog swapper can only handle low levels of torque (up to 250Nm) the more robust six-speed DSG is used on the diesel and V6 models.

Speaking of which, the big daddy of the group is the 3.6-litre V6, which comes standard with an all-wheel-drive system and outputs a very healthy 191kW at 6000rpm and 350Nm of torque at 2500-5000rpm.

Though not as frugal or clean as its four-pot siblings (10.4L/100km and 242g/km) the narrow angle V6 delivers far more oomph and combines with 18-inch alloy wheels and quad exhaust pipes for a sportier image.

All models are rated to safely tow 1500kg braked trailers.

Suspending the front end are MacPherson struts while a 'multi-element' rear axle with one longitudinal and three transverse links keeps the rear off the ground. The steering system is rack and pinion with electro-mechanical power assistance.

PACKAGING

On top of its roomy interior, almost everything is in the Superb Wagon is automated or electrical, which falls into line with Skoda Australia's doctrine of equipping its cars handsomely. The only thing you really have to exert a bit of energy with is yanking on the handbrake.

Woodgrain trim accents provide the interior with a touch of class, but the vehicle doesn't really require such highlights. The soft-touch dash plastics, the high quality centre stack system with colour LCD touch-screen, easy-to-read instruments and even the well-cushioned seats impart a premium feel to the interior, almost negating the need for overt finery.

Ergonomically speaking, the Skoda Superb Wagon impresses. From the softy cushioned seats to the sensible control layout (a VW Group staple it seems), new owners will rarely need consult the instruction manual.

The interior packaging for the five occupants is almost identical to the Superb sedan, in that it's very roomy thanks to a long 4838mm overall length. But one of the few criticisms of this impressively designed interior is that at 1817mm wide, the Superb Wagon is relatively narrow and getting three adults sitting on the rear bench is easier said than done. Three kids will have no such problems however.

The luggage area in this wagon is massive, and festooned with useful tie down grommets and cargo partitions -- all of which are easy to manipulate thanks to spring-loaded catches.

The boot offers a very handy 633 litres of space, and this can be extended to a cavernous 1865 litres with the rear seats folded down.

Some other small (but very practical) features found in the boot space include a 12V socket -- which is in addition to another two 12V sockets in the centre console -- and fold out shopping bag hooks. The lighting has also been well thought out, as the lights inside the tailgate illuminate the ground around the boot. No more lost cans of fava beans...

There are several options available to improve the boot's already impressive levels of functionality, such as a extendable 'false floor' ($370) to hide belongings and an auto sliding cargo cover ($140) that retracts when you open the tailgate.

Criticisms? Only a few. There's just two cupholders for the driver and front passenger and incidental storage is limited. There is a storage tub under the front passenger seat, but this is deleted on Elegance models or if electric seats are optioned on entry-level Ambition models. There are no bottle holders in the door compartments either.

On the upside the 2010 Skoda Superb Wagon features an umbrella holder in the left rear passenger door (and an umbrella is included!).

The vehicle also has a more aesthetically pleasing external design than the sedan, with a more attractive rump that seems to make the rest of the car's styling less awkward.

Family buyers will also appreciate that all four electrically powered windows feature an auto-reversing device to avoid snagging fingers, and another standard feature is an electronic engine immobiliser.

Top-shelf Elegance variants get an alarm system which includes an interior monitoring system and a tilt sensor to improve security, plus xenon lights with AFS (Adaptive Frontlight System) that curves the swivels the headlight beams around corners. The Skoda Superb sedan scored a five star safety rating from Euro NCAP, but the wagon has not yet been tested.

COMPETITORS

Though it sounds strange to be targeting vehicles from such different ends of the market, having spent time driving the car, the Superb Wagon is indeed capable of appealing to all and sundry. It has middle-class family buyer appeal with its entry-level pricing, while the well-heeled set who may want a punchy V6 with four-wheel drive and all the trimmings will also find a reason to take a closer look.

The Volvo V70 is also being touted as a potential competitor, and Skoda's marketing machine also made mention that SUV buyers looking to reduce their fuel bill (and carbon footprint) would be interested in the large European wagon.

ON THE ROAD

On top of the excellent electro-mechanical power steering the car has a composed chassis, able to cruise around town or country absorbing all but the worst of road ructions. Indeed, the 2010 Skoda Superb Wagon's ride quality is potentially class leading, a combination of expertly measured spring and damping levels that deliver a calm, smooth and assured driving experience.

Yet at the same token, we had the opportunity to manhandle the Skoda Superb Wagon through some challenging twists and turn in the road and it handled the up tempo driving with aplomb. It doesn't feel as firmly sprung as some premium European models and the body will pitch and roll if pressed hard into a corner, but overall it tracks keenly through bends and feels remarkably balanced for a wagon.

If you want to go sporty you can option sports suspension on the V6 Elegance 4x4 models ($490). There is also a special sports pack which includes 18-inch alloy wheels and the stiffer suspension for four-cylinder Elegance models ($1990).

Throttle response is impressive with all three engine types, whether you're overtaking a large truck out in the country or just ploughing between one set of traffic lights and the next. This smooth but brisk engine response is as much due to the very clever twin-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) as it is the way the fuel is delivered into the cylinders.

My personal pick of the three engines is the 2.0-litre turbodiesel. The engine has a smooth power delivery with a beefy bottom end that seems to suit the cars character very nicely, and it's also the most frugal of the bunch.

The 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine is also a very good little unit, and more affordable than the turbodiesel. Unlike the V6 and turbodiesel models, the 1.8 also gets a newer seven-speed DSG, yet its lower torque output is sometimes felt travelling uphill, with more revs and more downchanges required by the gearbox and engine respectively.

The range-topping V6 comes standard with all-wheel drive and will appeal to those want a sportier mode of transport. It's the quickest of the bunch, rides on larger 18-inch wheels shod with more rubber and with the AWD system it has excellent road holding to boot.

But it's rather heavy (1777kg) compared to its petrol and diesel four-cylinder siblings (1583 and 1627kg). The V6 Skoda Superb Wagon also commands an $8000 premium over the similarly equipped Elegance turbodiesel model, which makes us wonder if it is money well spent.

By and large, the Skoda Superb Wagon is hard to fault. There's virtually nothing to complain about here; NVH levels are low, the powertrains are universally refined (and flexible), while comfort levels are class-leading. And that boot is a work of automotive art...

The new Skoda Superb Wagon probably won't get the attention it rightly deserves in this country, as the brand is still in its infancy. Nonetheless, what we have here is one of the best wagon's we've ever driven on Australian roads. Impressive and then some.

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