Skoda Superb Ambition 2.0 TSI Review : Where Practicality has a Superb middle name!

Singapore - Skoda’s flagship sedan, the Superb, received a midlife freshening-up a while ago. The Czech D Segment sedan is known to be generous not only with passenger leg space, but its cavernous boot could almost rival a same-class estate car… then again, the only estate car left in this segment is the Mazda 6.

Differences between the current Superb, and the pre-facelifted car are subtle, with some tweaks made to the front bumper, while the rear gets a silver accent which extends into the tail lights. Keeping constant with current Skoda cars, the rear end loses the ‘Winged Arrow’ badge, and in-place, ‘ŠKODA’ is now spelled out across the bootlid.

Skoda Superb Ambition 2.0 TSI - inside

For Singapore, the Superb is available in just two trims. The range-topping Laurin & Klement variant gets all the bells and whistles, including a larger 9.2-inch and more expensive ‘Columbus’ infotainment system with SatNav, and a digitised Virtual Cockpit. It is also equipped with the superb (pun intended) Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), which irons out a good portion of Singapore’s road irregularities, and you also get auto parking hardware.

The car we drove here is a simpler affair. The Superb in Ambition trim, makes do with a smaller 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a set of regular analogue gauges. What is crucially missing though, is a wireless mobile device charger, which comes standard in the Octavia.

But also with the smaller Octavia’s launch, the larger Superb’s interior is beginning to show its age. It retains much of the switchgear it came with when it was launched. This also includes that mechanical “stick-in-custard” gear shift lever.

It is certainly less attractive than maybe… the Toyota Camry’s Lexus-aping Y-shaped dashboard, but once you get past this, the Superb is… I shall say it again… SUPERB in passenger accommodation. From seats which would give you comfort probably similar to that armchair in the corner of grandpa’s home, minus the musty smell, to leg space which could rival larger luxury vehicles.

It is also practical when it comes to storage, with three small bottle holders within the centre console, massive door pockets, and even an umbrella holder hidden within the door. The 625 litre boot, complete with its own stowable cargo organisers and fold-away hooks, is another great place for you to sleep in, if the couch at home is still too near an angry wife.

Skoda Superb Ambition 2.0 TSI - the drive

The Superb is powered by a 2.0 TSI engine, producing a healthy 190hp and 320Nm. The latter is available throughout a vast portion of the car’s rev-range, ensuring that you would hardly be out of puff. The 2.0 is mated to a quick-shifting 7-speed DSG, reducing power loss, and helping the Superb to manage 100km/h in 7.7 seconds. 

The suspension is tuned to be on the softer side. This, coupled with what is the longest-in-class wheelbase, ensures seriously good ride comfort. While cruising on the highway, it simply buffers away any uneven surfaces with ease, though this comes at the expense of some accuracy when pitching the car into a series of bends. That is where the Czech sedan will become rather untidy. But overall, it does a superb... I mean fantastic job for what it is intended for.

Skoda claims that the Superb is able to do a combined 6.3L/100km, but we got somewhere closer to 7.5L/100km, still… not too bad given the amount of metal you are lugging around (compared to even its sister car, the Volkswagen Passat).

I have sampled the higher-spec car with the DCC engaged in Sport driving mode, and I have to say that it is quite remarkable. Yes, it is an expensive option, but between the two available cars, it is way superior, and somehow the Superb comes together in a very good way here. Aside from the added creature spoils in the Laurin & Klement car, you will also get the best of both worlds in terms of improved handling, and an even plusher ride than what our already pillowy test car can deliver.

PHOTOS Clifford Chow

Skoda Superb Ambition 2.0 TSI
Engine 1984cc, TSI
Power/rpm 190hp/4,180-6,000rpm
Torque/rpm 320 Nm/1,500-4,180rpm
Transmission 7-speed DSG
0-100 km/h 7.7 seconds
Top Speed 239km/h
Fuel Consumption 6.3L/100 km
CO2 144g/km