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Wednesday, 23 September 2009 10:18:38

The Skoda Superb, as excellent as its name suggests?

The time when the Czech manufacturer lower quality cars began to market is long gone, since 1991 the brand is part of the VAG group. The cars they produce today, as developed by VW-based technology but in a Skoda-jacket cast. The Superb stands on the platform of the Volkswagen Passat, although the extended variant. The car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show, so high time for an introduction!

The looks

The Superb has presence, that much is clear. Parked in a row the S-class is Superb only by the logo that adorned it, take it away and nobody would believe that it is a Skoda. The front view is very impressive, wide and low. The car has a tough look at the highway which one side is spontaneous. In profile is how the car is stretched, all four doors are very generous. That is something we can only applaud, they provide a perfect entry. Also how Skoda is not the trend to come along in coupe-like roof line, something the entry but the rear headroom is certainly positively influenced. Often heard is that the car is too narrow / looks in proportion to the length, mostly from the rear view. Personally I find the ass is successful, although there are many who think that what is missing pit. Marc Coucke, by contrast, probably the Skoda in the same perspective as we, in the foreground with a Bentley Continental Flying Spur, but found the Skoda welgevormder and promptly traded in his Bentley. He obviously took the economic downturn as the reason, but we know better. Skoda has also made good work out some details, so we headed "Superb" appear in the front headlight units and various chrome accents give the car a little more respect. A tip that might be improved, the roof antenna, it would today still be better removed, such rod on the roof does not look "classy" out. Of course it said that this is merely a detail.

Interior

If you take the front place in the Skoda, once you're in the right seats wonderful prince. They are hard enough, adjustable in all directions and provide a very good support, you will certainly turn you into. The design of the dashboard is not called immediately exciting, but everything looks good, feels good quality and all necessary information in one glance to read. The steering wheel is adjustable in all directions, from the multifunctional type, always handy your hands on the wheel to keep it now that one song from Kiss hard to sneak up. From the second equipment level (Ambiente) is a multifunctional monochrome display implanted between the counters that displays information about the average speed among others, consumption, institutions etc. The parameters of the car radio, the type of "Bolero", and works with a touchscreen proved extremely useful in practice. Advance what we were suspicious over the "touch" part but that bias disappeared like snow in the Sun The dreaded greasy fingers on the screen remained in the coating appears to capture this well. The dual zone air conditioning did its work efficiently and quietly. In the evening, when the sun descended and the night draws on the country, there are many atmospheric LED lights that cast a bright glow over the interior. Storage rooms are numerous front, you get your stuff definitely lost. Cup holders are also present.

Pull up a back door and you immediately notice what this car apart from all others in this segment, which one leg space, phenomenal! The comparison with an S-class is here already in place. The high roofline, the rear entrance also very generous, you definitely knock your head. The back seat is sturdy, but is comfortable. Between the front seats is an integrated screen that displays time and outdoor temperature, always useful to know whether you should raise your coat before you get out. Each also has a rear passenger in the integrated air zijstijl mouth that he may send and / or shutdown. The temperature control is not there, does your driver for your course. The left back is still a hidden umbrella, Rolls Royce chasing.
Skoda introduced a world first with the Superb, the Twin By system. It means that you can open the trunk of the Superb as a conventional sedan, the rear stays down and the load is relatively small openning. Press your other hand on another button first, then a few seconds after you open the trunk like a five, the cargo opening is very wide but the rear goes up along, the occupants are therefore exposed to the air. In practice, we often unwittingly exchanged between the two openings, the system seems very useful. The "four-mode" is also to open the remote, the trunk "pops" up as it were. BMW recently introduced with the 5-GT series a similar system. One drawback of the system when it is raining and you open the suitcase and five, then dares sometimes run some water in the trunk. The trunk is also very large, it remains remarkable how much space the car overall. Many leg room and a large suitcase, it remains a little-seen combination.

Ride

Our test car was equipped with the famous two liters diesel pump nozzles which 140pk and delivers 320Nm. It is an engine that all areas have long spurs within the VAG group and is highly reliable. He is not as quiet as the common rail engines but never troublesome. Coupled with a 6-speed manual you're in 10.2 seconds at 100km / h and if you keep pushing you get a top speed of 207 km / h. Although those ten seconds seem slow on paper, in practice you've never felt a "slow" step on his car, and everywhere you can always count on the couple to give you the necessary gear.

Do you start with a classical key, still the best method in my opinion. Indifference of the diesel just to hear, but the sound damping is provided. On the highway it runs very stable, something you obviously expect with such wheelbase. Just caress the throttle in sixth gear and you're in no time at speeds on the Belgian road network are illegal. At higher speeds cause the large side mirrors some audible turbulence. The suspension effectively filters out any unevenness, roughness or just short on a very poor road surface they seem sometimes to jump. Cross Aden example, the rear springs sometimes bring their piece, they seem a little too hard in comparison to the springs. Is certainly not dramatic, but cobbles example, the difference is noticeable in a controlled suspension. Until the ground is good bijligt you glide serenely lovely road. Overall the car certainly inspires confidence, even in sticky situations the car remains very neutral steering and obey his faithful driver. If he can be very nimble in the corner, and also in the city he feels in his element.

The steering works flawlessly and with great feeling, you feel perfectly well what the front wheels do. Ratification is speed sensitive and feels unnatural to never, never too light or too heavy. Also of parasitic reactions due to the high torque diesel is there. Klasse!

Consumption

Skoda gives himself 5.0, 5.9 and 7.5 liters respectively outside the village, and average in urban areas. These figures are not far from the reality on the highway at 120km / h consumes about 5.0l indeed. In contrast, the city consumes come slightly more realistic minimum is 8.5 liters. On a test distance of 650km with an average speed of 49km / h, we signed an average consumption of 6.9 l, a value that remains very nicely given the size of the car and we drive profile that is not quite consistent with that of the eco-driver . With a tank of 60l get this so far about 860 km.

Conclusion and prices

Attaches no importance to your image and you want a rational, spacious car at a good price / quality ratio than the Superb is definitely a must. It is spacious, quiet and bring you much comfort from A to B and much more. 140pk version with two liters of diesel power you have sat and consumption is also good. The quality is also good, the VAG technology known as very reliable and robust. Want some more cargo space, then you have to wait until the estate to Belgium.

The Skoda Superb is available with petrol and 3 diesel engines 4. On one side there petrol 1.4T (125pk), 1.8T (160PK) and a 3.6V6 (260 hp). On one side there ecoversie diesel 1.9TDI (136g CO2 / km Green Line, 105pk), 2.0TDI (140pk) and the common rail engine 2.0TDI (170PK). The 1.9TDI is also available without the eco-label. In the standard V6, the 1.8T and the 2.0TDI two 's is a DSG gearbox and four-wheel drive available.

The cheapest petrol performance (1.4T Classic) is from € 23,120, the cheapest diesel (Classic 1.9TDI) is from € 22,689.99, all inclusive VAT. There are three trim levels: Classic, Ambiente and Elegance. The test car was a 2.0TDI Ambiente with a metallic options, free Ambiente Pack (cruise control, rear parking sensors, electric mirrors and chrome interior and carpets) and the "" Bolero "radio-CD player with MP3 support. This brought the price to 27,485 € VAT incl All arsenal of electronic driver assistance is standard on all versions, like airbags, front side airbags, head airbags and a knee airbag for the driver. Only one option is rear side airbags on all versions. For all the details of the various versions, prices and a complete list of options we refer you to visit the Skoda website.

+ Comfort
+ Space!
Price +
+ Simplicity

- Imago (still unfortunately)
- Water Walk hatchback mode
- Lak seemed vulnerable
- No rear wiper
(via http://www.groenlicht.be)