Skoda Superb 2020-2023

Is the Superb still the best way to announce one's success or has the age of the SUV dulled the appeal of a once-sexy sedan?

The Skoda Superb has built up quite a loyal fan following and rightly so. It built on the success of the Octavia and Laura and took that a very aspirational step further, making quite the statement of success for the up and coming. But time has moved on for sedans in India and in a segment that once included rivals from Honda, Hyundai and Toyota, just the Camry remains on sale in the subcontinent. Can a new push see the big sedan succeed in the land of crossovers and SUVs?

More edges and curves gives this Superb a much more aggressive and sporty appearance, a complete u-turn for a car that used to be more elegant and dignified. The headlights are Matrix LED units and pair nicely with the matching sharp and angular taillamps. The new 17 inch alloys could have been larger to better fit the wheel arches but the smaller sizes do allow for some sensible tyre profiles that helps the Superb achieve its magical ride quality. 

To complement the sharp line is a lot of chrome detailing too, around the grill, on the bumper, around the windows, on the side skirting and running across the bootlid, joining the two tail lamps together. This gives the rather modern look of the Superb a touch of class as well.  

In terms of dimensions the Superb is now 8mm longer, 14 mm less tall and ground clearance has increased by 8mm too. So it’s longer and lower to look at while still maintaining good protection from our terrible roads.

NOTE: This review is based on the 2020 version of the Skoda Superb. The new car features adaptive LED headlamps, a new steering wheel, new infotainment system, wireless charging and the Virtual Cockpit as standard. Mechanically, the Superb remains the same, powered by a 2.0TSI turbo-petrol paired with a 7-speed DSG gearbox. Prices have also increased by Rs 2 lakh over this outgoing model.

There haven't been too many changes to the interiors of the Skoda Superb, with the notable difference being the new Sportline variant that gets the benefit of the Virtual Cockpit. And surprisingly the L&K variant, the signature variant of the lineup, gets a considerably more dated analogue display. 

In terms of features too there have been just a few new items added to the list. There’s a large sunroof, cooled seats, electronic adjustment for the driver and passenger seats with memory settings. And additional controls for the ‘boss seat’ passenger to push the front passenger seat forward to free up extra legroom as he takes a nap. Features like wireless charging and connected car tech have also been given a strange miss at this price point, however Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available. 

In terms of comfort there is a three zone climate control as well as cooled seats for the driver and the passenger. In the rear too the seats are nicely contoured and cushioned and there’s acres of leg room. Pop up the sunshades, drop down the little dog leg in the rear headrest that gives your head additional side support and the Superb is one of the most comfortable places to take an afternoon power nap. But the central transmission tunnel means that seating three in the rear bench will not be a comfortable affair.

It’s also a really practical car, a trait shared across the range. There's more than enough cubby holes for all your knick knacks, cup holders front and back, and even a cooled glovebox and cooled central armrest. The boot will swallow up 620 litres of luggage. Enough to fit all of our test luggage and then some, and the tailgate is electrically operated and even features remote lock and unlock functions. Then there are the other features like the umbrella in the door, a removable boot light that doubles as a small torch and other such practical touches that draw people to the brand.

In terms of safety the Superb comes with eight airbags, ABS, EBD, ESC, Mechanical brake assist, Multi Collision Brake, HBD, Hill Hold, Traction Control, TPM and a 360 degree camera.

The Superb is powered by the familiar 2.0TSI turbo petrol. Familiar because we have met this powertrain in cars like the Octavia, Passat and the Tiguan Allspace. It makes a very healthy 190PS and 320Nm. The engine is very powerful but also very smooth. The Superb likes to just surge forward but at the same time it’s delightfully smooth. And no matter what drive mode you choose the Superb always wafts along in a very stately manner and credit is due to the excellent tuning of the engine. Performance is still enough to propel the rather large sedan to 100kmph in 8.33 seconds and 20-80kmph takes just 5.01 seconds. This smoothness is also evident in the way the DSG works. It stays buttery at all times, be it pottering around in the city or having a blast down an empty road. And if you can drive the Superb gently the 2.0-litre motor can also be surprisingly frugal, returning 11.28kmpl in the city and 16.52kmpl in our highway tests.

Ride and Handling

The Superb is also superb at being comfortable. The suspension is tuned to glide over practically anything. At slower speeds the suspension is so good that you don't even hear most of the bumps. As speeds increase you do start to hear the suspension working but it still manages to prevent jolts from bumps being felt. The flip side to this is that the car does tend to take a little while to settle after hitting a bigger bump.

This comfortable setup was never going to condone spirited driving and so the Superb isn’t the most exciting to drive around a set of corners. Still, with an engine so smooth, a ride so comfortable and a cabin so quiet, you eventually tend to calm down your driving style to match too.

The Superb is currently available in two variants: the Sportline which retails at Rs 31.99 lakh and the Laurin & Klement which is priced at Rs 34.99 lakh.

The Superb may not have received too much of an update this time around but the next one promises to bring its basic tech and feature package up to date. At the moment though there’s not really much that you need that’s missing. It’s just that at the price the Superb is currently sitting at, there are other SUV options that can and do offer a lot more. Still, the Superb remains an all round premium sedan that looks sharp, is super comfortable and packs a healthy punch under the hood. 

The sedan’s days do seem numbered, and all across the board the focus of both buyers and manufacturers is on crossovers and SUVs. Thankfully, cars like the Superb and indeed its competition, the Camry, are weathering the storm. So if you are someone who needs to announce your arrival, and you don’t want to do it in a conventional way then picking the Superb is certainly going to allow you to stand out from the crowd.