Skoda recently launched the new Superb in India. We find out if it lives up to its legacy.
What is it?
One of India's most popular luxury cars, the Superb appeals to Indian car buyers as it is a full-sized luxury car that's relatively affordable. It has seen widespread acceptance as its strengths mesh perfectly with the needs of Indian luxury car buyers. The Superb is big and attractive, while the space and comfort inside are as good as cars costing more than twice its price.
Skoda offers the new Superb with two engines and transmissions options. The 1.8-litre petrol that outputs 177bhp, comes mated to either a manual six-speed gearbox or a seven-speed DSG auto. The 2.0-litre diesel engine comes with only a six-speed twin clutch automatic gearbox and develops 174bhp and a massive 36kgm of torque.
The Superb is available in five versions, with two basic trim levels – Style and Laurin & Klement.
The base 1.8 TSI manual starts at Rs 23.82 lakh. This version is quite loaded with features like bi-xenon headlamps, electronic stability control, eight airbags, a panoramic sunroof, 12-way electric adjust driver seat, a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with SmartLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto among a host of other features. The Style trim can also be had with the 7-speed auto for Rs 25.13 lakh, and with the diesel 6-speed automatic, it costs Rs 27.73 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi).
The higher trim level, Laurin & Klement comes with a premium Canton sound system, ambient interior lighting, driver fatigue detection system, remote opening and closing boot lid, 12-way electric adjust passenger seat and a three-zone climate control system among others. The model with the petrol auto box in this trim will cost Rs 28.25 lakh and the diesel auto will cost you Rs 30.85 lakh. Question is, how good is it? Does it take the entry luxury game forward, and by how much?
What’s it like on the inside?
Comfy. Yes, the Superb’s calling card has always been the seating comfort, specifically at the rear where the seats are large and offer good thigh support. But what’s really neat is the nicely angled footrest attached to the floor mats at the bottom. However, the only negative here is the middle seat, which is narrower, harder and higher up putting you closer to the roof, thus limiting headroom; there is also a large central tunnel to contend with. The rear AC vent unit is neatly done and has its own temperature control (but no blower control), which makes this the only Skoda with a three-zone climate control unit. The system also has a humidity sensor that prevents the interiors from fogging up.
With the Superb being based on VW's MQB platform, Skoda has borrowed many components from other cars on the inside, and this does tend to make it feel not so special in parts. There are too many components from the Octavia, and while these are not bad in themselves, you tend to expect more from the Superb.
Being a Skoda, there are a few clever touches in the cabin, like the bottle holder that can grip the botlle allowing you to open the cap. Another feature is the boot release – if the key is on you, you just need to kick your foot below the bumper sensor and the boot swings open. There is a system that prevents the tall hatch from fouling the ceiling (limits the opening height). The boot itself is a huge 625 litres that can be extended to 1,760 litres with the rear seat back folded down. It also holds fine details such as a side luggage box, loads of hooks, the option of cargo nets.
And of course, it’s a Superb, so like the old car this one gets the umbrella too, but this time around there's one on both front doors.
What's it like to drive?
The Superb comes with good stability and a fair amount of agility. As a result, it feels completely at ease at speed despite the suspension being quite pliant, helping you can stay relaxed behind the wheel. What also helps, especially on the way into corners, is that the brakes are nicely set up, so you can shave speed at will. The soft setup, however, means there is quite a bit of roll, some amount of float and it does pitch a bit as well. So while it does make its way around corners quite nicely, it isn’t a car in which you enjoy carving up corners in.
You do need an extra bit of steering lock into corners, but once you’ve turned in, it feels light on its feet and goes around quite willingly. The steering, however, lacks the heft and feel of the earlier car, though for accuracy it’s right up there with the best of them. The Superb also comes with a ‘smart’ differential for the front wheels, but because the setup is soft, you don’t really feel the benefit.
That aside, the ride is absolute dynamite. The raised-for-India suspension is pillow-soft, even over the roughest roads, and the long wheelbase and big tyres lend a helping hand too. What makes the ride even nicer is the fact that the suspension works silently, no knocks or whacks filtering in, and that is important for what will predominantly be a chauffeur-driven car.
Adding to the level of refinement is the smooth and slick petrol motor. An absolute delight both at low and high engine speeds, it is both extremely refined and very powerful at the same time. Idle is near silent, there’s a nice shot of torque when you take off, and what makes driving this car even more gratifying is that it always feels eager to deliver more performance. Incredibly, rev it past 2,500rpm, and it smoothens up even more, and as you spin it faster the punch is even more manic. The engine and gearbox work fabulously together, delivering a slingshot-like performance every time you mash your foot down. And the gearbox is quick, even when you want to come down the gears.
Should I buy one?
We can’t think of a big enough reason not to. Sure, the touchscreen is small at 6.5 inches (people have phones bigger than this today) and it misses the in-built navigation. The instrument dials are a bit plain-looking and the middle rear seat is not that comfortable, but look at these against the Superb's rock-solid build, entertaining engines, excellent ride, and the space and equipment that's far ahead of what other manufacturer's offer. It’s hard not to give this car a serious consideration. And if you are still sitting on the fence, Skoda has priced this car so competitively that making a case against it will be really quite difficult.
Fact File
Price Range (in lakhs)*
| Ex-showroom price | Rs 23.82 lakh to Rs 30.85 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
Engine
| Fuel | Petrol / Diesel |
| Installation | Front, transverse |
| Type | 4 cyl 1798cc turbo petrol / 4 cyl 1968cc turbo diesel |
| Power | 177bhp / 174.3 bhp |
| Torque | 32.63kgm (MT), 25.49kgm (AT) / 35.69kgm |
Transmission
| Type | Front-wheel drive |
| Gearbox | 6-speed manual, 7-speed DSG / 6-speed DSG |
Dimensions
| Length | 4861mm |
| Width | 1864mm |
| Height | 1483mm |
| Wheel base | 2841mm |
0 comments:
Post a Comment