The junior Beests and I were out on our own yesterday in the general area of Reading, and we called in at Parkview Skoda to see if they had a Superb we could clamber over. Turned out they had several, and we had a good poke around, much of it encouraging.
Space
Presumably what most people, including us if we get that far, buy a Superb for, and now I know why. I'm a broad-shouldered 6'5", remember, but there was plenty of room in the driver's seat for all of me, including space either side of the three pedals for my size 47s to rest when not required. This is by no means a given in modern large manuals, which are often designed first as automatics, so the Superb is off to a good start. I could also pull out the steering wheel to a comfortable distance, which again not always the case.
Then I got in the back, behind the seat I'd just set for myself, and was amazed. I knew the Superb was roomy - that's how our Avant had got me interested in the thing, but it's HUGE! I'm generally impressed if I can get in behind myself at all, but here I had not just leg room but leg-waggling room. The hatchback model in the showroom was a touch short of headroom, but the estate outside, with its slightly higher roofline, hit the spot there too.
Under the tailgate in either version is room for three cricket bags side by side. The two-way tailgate is child's play to operate, although I'd probably have to ask him to explain it to me. Probably won't be necessary; Humph will be pleased to know the estate is much the more appealing package, with a fantastically deep, well-shaped load space.
Interior
Both cars we tried had black leather interiors and seemed generally unfussily designed and well put together, without quite matching up to my Volvo yardstick for clarity of purpose. The seats seem generally good - certainly much better than the flat, hard things in our old Fabia - but I'd need an extended drive to cure my slight misgivings about the firm side bolsters on the squabs, which might dig in to my thighs.
It also gets marked down slightly for plastic parts that look OK from a distance but show sharp edges in places, and for speedo and tacho dials that look too similar (why 10-20-30 for rpm when 1-2-3 is so much clearer?) and have gimmicky radiating numerals that are a silly piece of styling over ergonomics.
But remember, I started considering the Superb after being horrified by the cheesy interior of a Mondeo Titanium. This is much, much nicer than that.
Next steps
Well, when the nice man asked if I'd like to drive one, I could hardly say no, could I? We're going back in a couple of weeks and I'll report some more after that.
One question for the experts in the meantime: how does a car with the same basic plan and overall dimensions as a Volvo V70 fit in so much more space? It's not even that the V70 has to leave room for big-engine and AWD options, because the Superb has those too, in the improbable 3.6 V6 4WD model. Any ideas?
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Woo hoo! 100 reads and no replies! Where do I go to collect my medal?
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It's such a comprehensive write-up WDB I didn't think a one-line reply would do it justice ;)
EDIT: An old friend still in the taxi game has a 59 Superb hatchback, he says it's the best thing since sliced bread. Skoda build quality and reliability*, luxury and so much space.
*Who'd have thought that would be said in a positive way 20 years ago??
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Mon 3 Oct 11 at 19:46
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I read the static bits some days ago, I'm waiting for the driving impressions, it's on my shortlist when my Saab 9-5 estate finally lets go.
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I drove an estate a couple of years ago. Wouldn't have minded one at all (4x4 diesel with leather etc). The dealer messed it up unfortunately - made me a PX offer then reduced it by £2000, and I lost interest.
The headroom in the back of the hatch is compromised, as you say; but the boot is big and the twin hatch fairly clever (bit some big hinges if I recall correctly).
I should probably have bought one. I haven't come to like the Outlander in the way I expected.
I think you'll find the drive OK.
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Similar dimensions to WdB - sat behind a 6'3" passenger, with room for a small rucksack between my legs and the back of the front seat.
Impressive room for under 20 grand is an understatement. Didn't notice the headroom issue myself but it was only a 15 minute taxi ride.
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...t was only a 15 minute taxi ride...
And therein lies a problem - for some.
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If you mean it has that whiff of airport taxi, Iffy, then I take your point, at least for the hatch; the estate is altogether more elegant and, for me, holds its own in looks against its VW and Audi stablemates.
But then, what's wrong with being an airport taxi? It's a vehicle that has to deliver occupants and luggage cool and unflustered after a longish high-speed journey. It needs to be quiet, comfortable, spacious, reliable and reasonably fuel-efficient. That's most of what I want from a car, and probably why the Volvo S80 is also on my list.
Colour is important if you want to avoid people with wheelie bags climbing in the back at the traffic lights. Silver is a no-no, and the honey-coloured interior is preferable to the black for the acceptable face of fare dodging. Skoda has a couple of nice blue-greys, while the S80 looks best in greyish Barents Blue. Skoda's brochure says the strange dried-blood Rosso Brunello is being discontinued, which is a pity because it's at least unusual. The estate would look great in very dark green, but no-one at Skoda has thought of that.
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...If you mean it has that whiff of airport taxi, Iffy, then I take your point...
If I liked the car I would buy one.
I looked at an Octavia before I bought the CC3.
Very smart Skoda showroom in Northumberland, but there were several large cardboard displays aimed at taxi drivers.
Perhaps I'm shallow, but the notion of hard work and long hours spoilt the looking at shiny new cars experience a little bit for me.
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> but the notion of hard work and long hours spoilt the looking
>> at shiny new cars experience a little bit for me.
>>
>>
How so?
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>> altogether more elegant and, for me, holds its own in looks against its VW and Audi stablemates
I haven't seen many taxi-plated new-shape Superbs, but have seen quite a few Superbs and current-shape Octavias in private hands. They don't seem to shout "taxicab" as loud as the MkI Superb did, especially when it was painted silver. More "service engineer's company car" if anything :/
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Mon 3 Oct 11 at 21:46
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Or rapid response ambulance!
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I thought you'd like it, WDB! I agree the estate looks much better than the slightly ungainly hatch; on the other hand if you're buying secondhand the hatch will be quite a bit cheaper as it's less sought after.
Any choice of car involves a compromise: I suppose the attraction of Skodas for me is that there are fewer compromises because they score highly in most areas (performance, costs, reliabiliity, comfort, space, holding value etc.)
A Superb makes a great taxi: I wonder if the 1.4 petrol will find favour with taxi-drivers who won't want problems with a DPF when their old 1.9 TDI finally gives up at 300,000 miles. There should be fewer problems with DPFs in the common-rail engines, but typical taxis do a lot of town driving.
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I saw something else in that showroom, Avant: an Octavia VRS in Race Blue. I fitted in that too, with room for someone behind, if not for me. Useful boot as well - plenty big enough for a family weekend away. Part of me quite fancies driving one of those to work, while putting off the family bus decision until it's time to replace the Verso.
Much less taxi-like, that one. Silly wing on the boot. Tempting idea, all the same.
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Both my Octavias have been vRSs (both estates so no silly tea-tray on the boot) - the first a diesel manual in Race Blue, the current one a white petrol with DSG.
I'd still have the first one if Jewsons of Oxford hadn't offered me a deal for a new one costing me £80 a month less than I was paying.
Could be a worthy successor to your S60, although it's worth sitting in the Elegance (or L & K if you can find one) version as the seats are different from the vRS, and Volvo seats are a hard act to follow.
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>>
>> A Superb makes a great taxi: I wonder if the 1.4 petrol will find favour
>> with taxi-drivers who won't want problems with a DPF when their old 1.9 TDI finally
>> gives up at 300,000 miles. There should be fewer problems with DPFs in the common-rail
>> engines, but typical taxis do a lot of town driving.
>>
I think they do, someone on here had a local taxi firm that had bought loads of mk1 octavias 1.4 petrol. Skoda ran them side by side with the mk2 for a bit, narrow range just 1.9 pd and 1.4 petrol.
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As I've said before and will again, taxi drivers absolutely love the Octavias and, indeed, the Superb. Many of them buy from a specialist taxi supplying company in Glasgow. At least 80 per cent of the many taxis in my town are Octavias.
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>> taxi drivers absolutely love the Octavias and, indeed, the Superb
That's mostly because of the 2-year (extendable to 3 at extra cost I think) unlimited mileage warranty. None of the other manufacturers with generous warranties are generous enough to offer them on cars used for taxi / private hire work.
My only warranty claim was for an indicator relay at 205,000 miles :)
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Mon 3 Oct 11 at 23:44
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Skoda Superb - first, static impressions - WillDeBeest
