Ten Point Test

Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 86%

The Skoda Superb Estate. If anything about it is hopeless, journalists across the world can have a field day with that name. But guess what, there are no puns and no one is laughing – because this is one great car.

1. Looks 8/10

As is often the case with big cars, we think the estate looks better than the hatchback. Everything behind the back doors is new, and the simple tailgate design, subtle rear spoiler and shark-fin aerial give the Superb the elegant looks Skoda were after. Viewed from the front, the grille and headlights achieve a sophisticated, no-nonsense look.

2. Looks inside 9/10

Sit in the driver’s seat and two things hit you. The first is the understated quality of the dashboard. Then, you look back over your shoulder and the space inside the car makes your jaw drop. Rear passengers enjoy incredible legroom, and the boot is vast too. Quality is on a par with Audi, from the fascia to the touch-screen multimedia system and controls. If Skoda employs cost-cutting techniques, they aren’t evident in the cabin.

3. Practicality 10/10

With significantly more space than any of its competitors, the Superb Estate is fully deserving of ten points here. Its 633-litre boot makes a Mondeo Estate’s 542-litres seem small. Fold the rear seats down and 1,865-litres of your property can hit the road with you. That’s more than most estates in the class above can manage, and the vast Mercedes E-Class Estate only just pips it.

An electrically-opening tailgate and retracting boot cover is available as an optional extra. Without this gadget, the boot is still light work to open and close, while the loading lip is low and wide. There’s also minimal wheel arch intrusion into the load space. Sliding partitions, tethers and hooks all help secure cargo and an optional sliding false floor moves out over the rear bumper to make loading even easier.

Other features worth a mention include an LED torch which can be unclipped from its charger in the boot and carried with you, or magnetically attached to the car, an umbrella holder concealed in the left-hand rear door and an optional park assist system which literally parks the car for you.

4. Ride and Handling 8/10

You’d forgive the Superb for being average to drive, because it’s just so practical. The fact it’s so accomplished out on the road, is what turns the Superb Estate from a good car into a great one. It doesn’t feel as big as you’d expect from the driver’s seat, and the fact it handles so well simply adds to your confidence. Its well-balanced and composed chassis shrugs off all roads and conditions with ease.

We drove cars fitted with a manual six-speed gearbox and semi-automatic DSG transmission. The manual is smooth and has well-chosen ratios for economical cruising, while the DSG is effortless to use, especially in stop-start traffic.

5. Performance 7/10

Only the 1.9 TDI with its 105bhp feels slightly sluggish, accelerating the Superb from 0-62mph in 12.6 seconds. The rest of the line-up feel plenty quick enough and can get you to 62mph in ten seconds or less.

The 1.4 and 1.8-litre TSI petrol engines employ turbocharging to give them the power of a bigger engine, with better economy and have 125bhp and 160bhp respectively. A seven-speed DSG is available with the 1.8.

There’s a 2-litre diesel in 140bhp or170bhp guises, and both are available with a manual or DSG transmission.

By far the quickest Superb Estate is fitted with a DSG-only 3.6-litre V6 petrol producing 260bhp, giving it a 0-62mph time of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 154mph.

The 1.8 TSI, 3.6 V6 and 170bhp diesel are available with four-wheel drive, instead of the standard front-wheel drive setup.

6. Running Costs 8/10

While it might be a really big car, Skoda is good at keeping running costs low. The petrol engines manage a best of 40.9mpg and 159g/km in the 1.4 TSI, while the front-wheel drive 1.8 TSI achieves 38.7mpg while emitting around 170g/km of CO2.

The 2-litre TDI manual is the most economical diesel, managing 51.4mpg while emitting 145g/km of CO2.

Insurance groups range from a reasonable 13 for the low-powered diesel, to group 30 for the big petrol V6.

7. Reliability 9/10

Launched in 2008, there have been few reported problems with the Skoda Superb hatch. Any minor problems should have been ironed out for the Estate launch. The engines are tried and tested across the Volkswagen group, and the build quality of the Superb feels particularly good. Skoda routinely scores in the top three for owner satisfaction.

8. Safety 9/10

The Skoda Superb Estate has already achieved a five-star EuroNCAP crash test rating. It’s fitted with seven airbags as standard, and can be equipped with nine. All models have ESP as standard, including ABS and traction control. Adaptive front lights (AFS) (standard on Elegance spec) adjust their beam depending on speed, cornering and road conditions.

9. Equipment 8/10

The Superb Estate is available in S, SE and Elegance trims, and even the entry-level S is extremely well equipped.

It has 16-inch alloy wheels and features including the detachable LED boot-torch, front fog lights, remote central locking, CD stereo and trip computer.

The SE has 17-inch wheels, touch-screen 6CD autochanger, leather steering wheel, rear parking sensors, Alcantara upholstery, aluminium boot floor plates, chrome roof rails, cruise control, dual-zone air conditioning and an umbrella in the rear door.

Elegance adds 18-inch wheels, steering-wheel radio and telephone controls, Bi-Xenon headlights with AFS, touch-screen sat nav, folding door mirrors, leather upholstery, heated front seats, Bluetooth, rain sensors, rear sunblind and tyre pressure monitor.

10. X-Factor 10/10

When you sit in and drive the Superb Estate, and then look at its price tag, you can’t believe how much car you are getting for the money. Do we want a luxury near-limousine for the price of a hot hatchback? Yes please.

Key Facts

Model tested: Skoda Superb Estate 2.0TDI Manual SE
On the road price: £22,315
Price range: £22,315 – £26,070,
Date tested: February, 2010
Road tester: Andy Goodwin