2016 Skoda Superb First Look Review

When Skoda showed off the 2016 Superb for the first time at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, the carmaker called it the “best Skoda ever” and if you ask us, that is a big statement to make. However, one look at the tech specs of this new model is all it takes to digest Skoda’s bold statement. The 2016 Superb, in fact, is not only bigger and more luxurious than the outgoing model, it is also considerably lighter and expectedly, more efficient as well.

Based on Volkswagen’s highly flexible MQB architecture, the new Superb is 4861mm long, 1468mm tall and 1864mm wide – numbers that make this new model both longer and wider than the old car. Additionally, Skoda has also increased the wheelbase by 80mm for improved rear comfort, not that the Superb ever felt short of legroom at the back. In fact, the car has truly earned its nameplate for the class-leading amount of legroom at the rear. Raising the overall practicality quotient is the improved boot space which is now rated at 625-litres.

As for the equipment list, the new Superb gets three-zone air conditioning, an optional electric panoramic glass roof, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, a touchscreen infotainment system and lots more. Meanwhile, the Superb’s trademark feature, which is an umbrella housed in the rear left door, continues to be offered, only this time Skoda is offering an umbrella in each of the two front doors instead of one umbrella in the rear left-hand door. Rounding off the equipment list, the new Superb also comes with an electric tailgate, the new generation of Skoda’s Park Assist and a rear-view camera for the first time. Given that Skoda India sells the Superb via the CKD route, one can expect to see all of these features on India-bound cars.

On the outside, the 2016 Superb retains the limo-like appearance of the old model albeit with modern design cues taken from the Skoda Vision C concept. As a result, the 2016 model features relatively sharper detailing for the headlights and the taillights and also looks a lot sleeker overall. Inside, however, it’s a different story because the dashboard is nowhere near as striking as the exterior. The dash even mimics that of the smaller and less expensive Octavia.

Globally, the 2016 Superb comes with direct-injection turbocharged engines based on MQB technology (five TSI petrol and three TDI diesel engines on offer). The petrol engines produce between 125bhp and 280bhp while the diesel range puts out between 120bhp and 190bhp. For the Indian market, Skoda India is likely to opt for the proven 1.8-litre TSI petrol and the 2-litre TDI diesel engine options with both manual and dual-clutch automatic gearbox units. Overall, what’s completely new for the 2016 Superb is the fact that it’s the first Skoda model to offer Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) which essentially means that the driver can choose between different driving modes depending on the conditions. Though it is highly unlikely for the latter feature to come with the India-spec cars. 

The 2016 Superb, then, is bigger, more luxurious and efficient than the outgoing model and is headed for the Indian market either later this year or in early 2016. Considering the number of upgrades, we expect this new model to cost slightly more, with prices ranging between Rs 22 lakh and Rs 28 lakh.