Skoda's largest model, the Superb, has always been particularly popular in cavernous estate guise. There's no reason to think that things will be any different when it comes to this fourth generation range. Jonathan Crouch drives this Czech load-lugger.

Ten Second Review

If you want a really big estate car that doesn't come with the kind of premium pricing you'd get with station wagons from the top German brands, then there's not much to touch Skoda's Superb. This fourth generation version is even larger than its predecessor, yet more efficient and better equipped. If you're looking in this segment, you'd probably like one.

Background

Skoda's Superb has always traded on being big. The standard hatch model's key showroom attribute has always been the astonishing levels of rear seat legroom it offers - plus its big boot. The car's always been the perfect starting point then, for the creation of a really huge estate model, something the Czech brand introduced with the second generation version, embellished with the MK3 and continues with here in this much improved MK4 model. This design uses the Volkswagen Group's new MQB EVO platform, which allows it to be bigger, yet still lighter than its predecessor. Sure enough, there's a big 645-litre boot with the seats up and nearly 2,000-litres of space with the rear bench folded down. We're almost into large MPV territory here. Al this from a smart executive-style estate with no frumpy People Carrying connotations. As before, it's priced at the level of a Volkswagen Passat-style 'D-segment' estate, yet offers even more room than you could expect from a much pricier large Executive class station wagon - say a BMW 5 Series Touring or an Audi A6 Avant. In other words, there's plenty to like here.

Driving Experience

As you'd expect, this MK4 Superb Estate has been fitted out with the latest suite of Volkswagen Group engines and these are all mated to DSG auto transmission. The mainstream powertrain options both develop 150PS and make 62mph in 9.2s en route to 139mph but are quite different. There's the mild hybrid 1.5 e-TEC petrol unit we tried, which has the VW Group's latest 48V mild hybrid tech; or, if you're more old school, the 2.0 TDI diesel, which in volume 150PS form has nearly 50% more pulling power (360Nm of it), hence a 2,200kg braked towing weight figure that's 300kgs more than the petrol model and will be of particular interest to many customers of the estate variant. This diesel can also be had in uprated 193PS form, in which guise it's mated to a 4WD system and for many, would in this guise make a more sensible alternative to a mid-sized SUV. Talking of sensible alternatives, probably the biggest news on the engine front is the massively improved PHEV drivetrain. The previous generation Superb iV PHEV generally got a thumbs-down from British buyers (understandably so, with a relatively small 13kWh battery yielding just 35 miles of rarely-achieved range). So Skoda's had another go, this time equipping the iV Plug-in Hybrid with a sizeable 25.7kWh battery pack which is supposed to be able to offer driving range of up to 84 miles. The engine that cuts in at the end of all that is broadly the same 1.5-litre TSI four cylinder unit we're trying today but with the PHEV, this 150PS powerplant is mated to six rather than seven-speed auto transmission and works in concert with a 118PS electric motor, contributing to a total system output of 204PS. Those rare folk who stretch right to 'Laurin & Klement' trim at the very top of the range get the option of the fastest available Superb engine, a 265PS 2.0 TSI petrol unit, which has to be had with 4WD and seems rather pointless given the sort of car this is.

Design and Build

At first glance, this fourth generation Superb Estate looks merely a mild evolution over its predecessor. Closer inspection though, reveals some significant changes. For a start, the new MQB Evo platform allows it to become an even bigger car, around 40mm longer and 10mm taller than before (though it's also 15mm narrower). You'll notice changes at the front too, where slimmer LED headlamps (which deliver 40% more light) flank an octagonal grille which dips in the centre to allow a larger Skoda badge to sit at the end of the more sharply creased long bonnet. There's also a shallower windscreen rake and slimmer tail lamps. Wheel sizes vary from 17 to 19-inches. Inside, the cabin redesign is much the same as the one featuring in the second generation Kodiaq SUV. Which means a large 12.9-inch centre screen and a 10-inch 'Virtual Cockpit' instrument display. Prominent at the base of the centre stack are three so-called 'Smart Dials' that control climate and can be programmed to work all kinds of other things, from audio volume to driving modes. All the cabin textiles are 100% recycled; and there are the usual Skoda 'Simply Clever' touches - like a cooling device built into the 'Phone Box' wireless charging pad, a USB port built into the rear view mirror and storage for high-viz vests in the doors. To provide more stowage space, the gear shifter has been moved to the steering column. The Superb has always been known for vast amounts of rear seat legroom and this MK4 model is just as good in that regard - and offers 6mm more headroom. Rear passengers now get a fold-down centre armrest that can extend and slide forwards - which is useful when using the integrated tablet holder. Boot space is rated at 690 litres in the Estate, 45-litres more than the hatchback version and 30-litres more than the previous generation model. That figure grows to 1,920-litres with everything folded. So yes, it's all very practical.

Market and Model

Britain's the third biggest global market for the Superb and as before, over half of sales will be to fleets. At the time of our test in Spring 2025, Skoda was asking from around £37,000 for this fourth generation Superb Estate; that's for the base 1.5 TSI e-TEC 150PS version. It's around £1,500 more if you want the alternative 2.0 TDI 150PS diesel. This estate body style requires a £1,300 premium over the equivalent Superb hatch. This station wagon by the way, is the body shape you have to have if you want a Plug-in Hybrid drivetrain in your Superb, which as compiled this review, was priced from around £41,500 and uses a 6-speed auto. All other Superb models have the usual DSG 7-speed auto set-up. With the previous generation Superb, there was a reasonable uptake on the 4WD versions from people fed up with the idea of an equivalent SUV, so further up the range, Skoda's continued that option here. Either with a more powerful version of the 2.0 TDI diesel (with 193PS); or with a top 2.0 TSI petrol model, which offers 265PS, only comes with 4WD and which hardly anyone will buy. To be able to choose either of these 4x4 variants, you have to ignore base 'SE Technology'-spec and choose either mid-range 'SE L'-spec (which is what we tried), sporty 'Sportline' trim ora top plush 'Laurin & Klement' version - that name references Skoda's founders, in case you're wondering. Safety provision is a strongpoint. The improved autonomous emergency braking system can now detect cyclists. Plus there's a new 'Crossroad Assist' function that uses radar sensors in the bumper to monitor traffic at blind junctions and issue you a warning if you're about to pull out into the path of another vehicle. You can also now specify up to ten airbags in this car (including two side bags in the back).

Cost of Ownership

Like its Volkswagen Passat close cousin, the Superb suffers from the VW Group's rather baffling decision not to have developed a self-charging full-Hybrid engine. As we told you in our 'Driving' section, for customers of mainstream Superbs seeking some sort of electrification, there's only a choice of either the somewhat ineffectual 48V mild hybrid tech we tried; or the pricey option of the Superb iV Plug-in Hybrid. Which is why there's likely to continue to be a strong take-up for the powertrain that still probably suits this Skoda best, the 2.0 TDI 150PS diesel. This manages up to 58.0mpg on the combined cycle (usefully better than the 1.5 e-TEC 150PS model's 54.2mpg showing). But as usual, the diesel lets itself down a bit on CO2 emissions (a best of 128g/km, compared to the mild hybrid petrol's 119g/km best possible showing). For real frugality though, you've to turn to the iV Plug-in Hybrid model which, as we told you in our 'Driving' section, now has a much larger 25.7kWh battery pack which is supposed to be able to offer driving range of up to 84 miles. As usual with PHEVs, this skews the combined cycle fuel figure well into fantasy land (here, it's quoted at up to 784.3mpg); in reality, you probably wouldn't do much better than would be the case with a frugally-driven diesel variant (and with the PHEV, you'd have to put up with a smaller fuel tank 45-litres as opposed to the usual 66-litres). But the important thing is that the HMRC believes the iV model's quoted CO2 figure - up to 8g/km - so a low Benefit-in-Kind taxation rating is guaranteed. The PHEV battery now supports DC charging at up to 50kW - which is much faster than the old-shape Superb iV, which was limited to just 3.6kW AC charging. That means a 10 to 80% battery top up will take around 25 minutes, while the new 11kW on-board charger allows full home battery replenishment to take as little as 2 hours. A more typical 7.4kW garage wallbox would need around four hours.

Summary

There are lots of SUVs and still a few MPVs to tempt family car buyers at the moment, but there's life in the traditional estate car yet. Skoda's Superb Estate might not be the trendiest option your family could choose but its luggage-carrying potential is vast and the rest of the package stacks up very well too. This fourth generation version offers useful steps forward in technology, efficiency and style and for most family customers really would make a more sensible alternative to a much smaller but similarly-priced mid-sized SUV. So there you have it. If you've £30,000 to £40,000 to spend on something spacious but not too frumpy, you'd probably quite like one of these. Your Czech mate? Quite possibly.

Body Glass

Windscreen wipers with rain sensor

Privacy glass

Acoustic side windows and interior noise suppression

Rear windscreen wiper

Brakes

Hill hold assist

Electronic parking brake

ESC including ABS, EBV, MSR, ASR, EDS, HBA, DSR, RBS, CBC, multi-collision brake (MKB) and Auto hold

Communication

Bluetooth system

CareConnect and Emergency Call

Voice control system

4x USB-C ports (2x in front centre console and 2x in rear) (45W)

Driver Aids

Front assist with extended predictive pedestrian protection

Front cross traffic assist

Turn assist with evasive assistance

Adaptive cruise control with speed assist,lane assist plus and traffic tram assist

Traffic sign recognition

Blind spot detection with door exit warning

Power assisted steering

Driver Convenience

Washer for rear camera

Wireless charging for one smartphone (15W) with cooling function

Stop/start engine system

Quick start all heating software functionality

13" touchscreen display with satellite navigation

Driver Information

ChatGPT functionality

Wireless smartlink apple carplay, SmartLink+ android auto

Driver fatigue sensor

Virtual Cockpit - 10.25" digital display

Driving Mirrors

Frameless auto-dimming rear view mirror with USB-C

Electrically adjustable, heated, folding and driver side auto-dimming door mirrors with integrated indicators and logo projection

Body coloured door mirrors

Embellishment Trims

Decorative front door sills

Entertainment

FM radio connection

Web radio connection

DAB Digital radio

Display cleaner

8 Speakers

Exterior Body Features

Body colour door handles

Unique dark chrome design logo on alloy wheels

Chrome roof rails

Rear roof spoiler

Ice scraper in fuel tank cap

Rear side wing doors

Chrome window surround

Dark chrome grille surround

Exterior Lights

Light assistant (coming/leaving home/tunnel light)

LED 3rd brake light

Light assist with High beam control

Backdrop lighting

Rear fog light (x1)

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Tri zone climate control

Interior Features

12V socket 1x centre console 1x boot

Skoda lettering on steering wheel

4x foldable bag hooks in boot

Cup holder in front with easy open mat

Bottle holders in the front doors 1.5 litre bottle and rear 1.5 litre bottle

Storage compartment with cover

2x cargo elements in boot

Front armrest with storage box

Ticket holder on A Pillar

Umbrella in driver's door

Interior Lights

Illuminated glovebox

2x light in boot

LED front and rear reading lights

Interior lights with control switches

Safety

Crew protect assist

3 rear seatbelts

Driver and passenger seatbelts with warning light

8 Airbags - Front driver and passenger,front side driver and passenger,centre,curtain front and rear,drivers knee

Power operated child lock in rear doors

Seats

Height adjustable front passenger seat

Heated front seats

Single front passenger seat

Front comfort seats

Massage function for front seats

3 seat bench in 2nd row

Storage pockets on back of front seats

Height adjustable front and rear head restraints

Isofix child seat fittings in outer rear and front passenger seats

Height adjustable driver and front passenger seats with 2-way electric tilt, 4-way pneumatic lumbar support, and extendable thigh support

60:40 Split folding rear seats

Security

Keyless start/stop

Third key

Remote central locking with SAFE system

Electronic engine immobiliser

Backrest remote release from trunk

Alarm with interior monitoring tilt sensor and back up horn

Vanity Mirrors

Sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors

Emissions - ICE

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

Noise Level dB(A): 90

NOx: 0.014

HC+NOx: N

Particles: 0.0001

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 122

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low - TEL: 165

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Low - TEH: 175

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium - TEL: 119

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Medium - TEH: 129

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High - TEL: 103

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - High - TEH: 111

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High - TEL: 124

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Extra High - TEH: 131

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 130

WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL: 122

Engine and Drive Train

Cylinders - Bore (mm): 74.5

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 85.9

CC: 1498

Cylinders: 4

Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE

Number of Valves: 16

Camshaft: DOHC

Fuel Delivery: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION

Catalytic Convertor: No

Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE

Compression Ratio: 12.0:1

Transmission: SEMI-AUTO

Gears: 7 SPEED

Fuel Consumption - ICE

WLTP - MPG - Comb: 52.8

WLTP - MPG - Low - TEL: 39

WLTP - MPG - Low - TEH: 36.7

WLTP - MPG - Medium - TEL: 54.2

WLTP - MPG - Medium - TEH: 49.9

WLTP - MPG - High - TEL: 62.2

WLTP - MPG - High - TEH: 57.7

WLTP - MPG - Extra High - TEL: 52.1

WLTP - MPG - Extra High - TEH: 48.9

WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEL: 52.8

WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEH: 49.4

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 5.4

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low - TEL: 7.2

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Low - TEH: 7.7

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - TEL: 5.2

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Medium - TEH: 5.7

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High - TEL: 4.5

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - High - TEH: 4.9

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High - TEL: 5.4

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Extra High - TEH: 5.8

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEL: 5.4

WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEH: 5.7

General

Coin Series: SE Technology

Coin Description: TSI e-TEC

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 60000

Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 2

Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 23E

Service Interval Mileage: 18600

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 24

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 93

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 87

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 82

NCAP Safety Assist %: 80

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 5

Badge Power: 150

Badge Engine CC: 1.5

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Generation Mark: 4

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Performance

0 to 62 mph (secs): 9.3

Top Speed: 137

Engine Power - BHP: 150

Engine Power - PS: No

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Power - KW: 110

Engine Power - RPM: 5000

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 184

Engine Torque - NM: 250

Engine Torque - RPM: 1500

Engine Torque - MKG: 25.5

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: RDE 2

Tyres

Tyre Size Front: 215/55 R17

Tyre Size Rear: 215/55 R17

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Type: 17" ALLOY

Wheel Style: MINTAKA

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 4902

Width: 1849

Wheelbase: 2841

Width (including mirrors): 2090

Height: N

Height (including roof rails): 1482

Weight and Capacities

Minimum Kerbweight: 1501

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2121

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 66

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1900

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Max. Loading Weight: 620

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 690

No. of Seats: 5

Max. Roof Load: 100

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1920

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.1

Exterior Body Features

Special paint

Electrically adjustable tilt/slide panoramic glass sunroof

Metallic paint

Interior Features

Variable boot floor

Boot net partition

Packs

Light and view package - Superb

Parking package - Superb

Winter package - Superb

Transport package - Superb Estate

Simply clever family package - Superb Estate

Lounge design selection package - Superb

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Carmine red

Metallic - Ice tea yellow

Metallic - Pebble silver

Metallic - Midnight black

Metallic - Graphite grey

Metallic - Cobalt blue

Paint - Solid

Solid - Energy blue

Paint - Special

Special paint - Pure white

Safety

Active tyre pressure monitoring system

Service/Warranty

Service plan (Your first two services)

Extended warranty (5 years or 100000 miles)

Extended warranty (4 years or 100000 miles)

Extended warranty (4 years or 80000 miles)

Towing

Electric tow bar with trailer assist

Electric tow bar with adaptor

Trim - Cloth

Loft design selection pack - Fabric - Grey with grey stitching

Trim - Part Leather

Lounge design selection pack - leather/microsuede cloth - Grey with mustard stitching

Wheels - Alloy

18" Bosona aero silver alloy wheels with super-low rolling resistance and anti-theft wheel bolts

17" Alrakis aero polished black aero alloy wheels with super-low rolling resistance and anti-theft wheel bolts

Wheels - Spare

18" Steel space saving spare wheel