Škoda Superb 1.8 TSI (118 kW) Ambition

While the new Škoda Superb looks like a perfectly normal sedan, it is not. This Superb and all of its production cousins ​​have five doors. The tailgate can be opened like in a classic limousine, but it can also be opened in a station wagon, that is, with a rear window.

The system, which at the moment - and probably will remain so - only for the Superb, is called TwinDoor by Škoda (in Slovenian it can be called a double door). Bi-folding doors eliminate the first problem owners of the current first generation Superb - a narrow trunk opening.

Even in the new Superb, it will be very difficult to put a baby stroller next to the open trunk of a limousine (impossible, otherwise it is sometimes possible), but pressing the lower right button (until you get used to its position, you nicely dust between the edge of the door and the rear bumper) you have to wait a few seconds for the technician to do what needs to be done (takes a long time - that the transfer is complete, we know when the third brake light stops flashing and the “equipment” stops “grinding”), solves all problems like (after pressing the middle button) a huge tailgate .

While the beautifully crafted and hooked luggage compartment visually shrinks, but in the base position it still “drinks” a pleasant 565 liters of luggage, which is, say, the same as the “storage” capacity of the Passat, except that the Czech the limousine has an advantage when it comes to loading and unloading its contents, since the opening is too big - for example, we will again use a stroller that can literally be thrown into the Superb.

However, the fact that the Superb is still a sedan in the shower can be clearly seen from the stairs and frame, which are created after the third folding rear seat backs are folded (folding is only possible from the cockpit). ... Unless you happen to notice the most obvious feature of a limousine: there is no third janitor.

In the trunk, we also praise good lighting, hooks for hanging and fastening, a set of coupe nets and a hole for transporting skis, and the like. By the way, did you know that the Superb Combi is coming soon? This will be a barrel to yell at! Why the TwinDoor was needed at all (after all, the price of a Superb with a classic station wagon could have been even lower) is a matter of controversy, but the fact is that a Superb without such a double door will fall. completely forgotten in history. And it's not my fault.

With the new Superb, it would be difficult to write about an identity crisis. This is no longer an inflated Octavia, many have seen a lot of the previous generation Passat (including visually), for example. The Superb is now a unique achievement of Mladá Boleslav, the front end is aggressive enough that you don't have any major crowd problems in the passing lane, but at the same time the typical Škoda mask remains typical of Škoda. The line connecting the front and rear lights is clearly visible from the side. Ass?

An unfinished story, a little hackneyed if we mean the image of the facade, but still recognizable. Especially at night, when the C-shaped headlights are on - then you will recognize the Superb (if you do not replace it with an Octavia of a similar design) from a distance of more than a hundred meters. The bumpers look solid, there's a ton of chrome for a touch of elegance, and Superb lettering on both front turn signals gives the impression that the designers have also paid attention to the accents.

Words are hard to find to describe the thoughts at first glance on the last Superb bench. Those 19 millimeters of addition to the knees, which are mentioned in official documents in comparison with the previous generation, are imperceptible, they are lost in the stream of space. The extra a little less than two inches could come to the fore in some Fabia here too. ... yes, do you notice drops in the sea?

If you want to compete with the Superb's (spatial) luxury on the back bench, bring the S. Lang to the backyard to understand each other. The rear passengers have an elbow support between the front seats, which is both a chest of drawers and a drink holder. In front of them is another small box (between the front seats) and an information screen with a clock and information about the outside air temperature. Ventilation under the front seats and slots in the B-pillars provide ventilation.

The slots can be closed like everything else on the dashboard. This one works cleanly, nothing shocking, the ergonomics are top notch, as all the buttons are backlit and in the right places. The steering wheel is great too, slightly thicker with well-adjusted power steering that pairs well with the precise six-speed gearbox and the rest of the good mechanics.

The clutch pedal (again!) Too long, the front seats will be easily adapted (good grip, comfort and lumbar adjustment), the look of the interior by replacing hard plastic with predominantly rubber and less leather (no seats) and with windows and mirrors very resembles the Passat.

Inside, the Superb is known to be newer as it is more prestigious than its cousin, which is also made possible by details reminiscent of the Passat CC: the control buttons for the two-zone air conditioner (the Comfort is equipped with a one-zone Climatic, the Ambition has a two-zone climatronic) and the Bolero car radio (from third equipment as standard, otherwise at extra cost) with a large touch screen, and these are just two very visible common elements. Well, Škoda has classic green lighting.

There is plenty of storage space (not too much!), including a drawer under the armrest, space for cans by the handbrake lever (hello Czech Republic, how electric?), space to the left of the steering wheel, a drawer under the passenger seat (which customs officer will find? ), a box in front of the gear lever and a cooled and lighted box in front of the front passenger (on the center console next to his right foot), and many things can be stored in pockets on the backs of the front seats and doors. and the glasses are the space on the ceiling.

The sensors could be more transparent (at twenty you need to pay attention to these intermediate 50 km / h, 90 km / h ...), the on-board computer is informative, two-way, and can also show the current speed. Starting with other equipment, cruise control, which is commendable for its installation on the left steering wheel (not new to the Škoda range), comes as standard.

For safety reasons, it would be difficult to require more than 5 Euro NCAP stars, four airbags, two curtain airbags, a knee airbag and (disabled) ESP which is standard. Škoda's anti-scratch parking sensor system (rear sensors are standard from Ambition equipment onwards - we recommend buying due to the opaque rear), which clearly shows how close obstacles are on a screen with different colors. The interior is reasonably well lit too, and the only thing we missed was a multi-function steering wheel.

So far, these are surprises themselves, but we were first disappointed when we drove on a bad road, which showed that the chassis is not as comfortable as one would expect. How much the accessories (sports chassis) are to blame for this, we will find out in the next Superb test, which will hopefully do without this accessory, which is not too suitable for this large station wagon. The Superb is only meant to be enjoyed in the backseat, not to worry about the sporty jolt that introduces every hole in the pavement, with passengers (unsuccessfully) looking for a button to ride comfortably.

The Superb's positioning keeps up with the Passat, which means a reliable ride even when you're in a rush. Superior weight and size will not play a more prominent role. ESP interferes almost imperceptibly, its correction will be more or less noticeable only after turning on the light between the sensors.

The Superb is sold with several engines (three petrol and three diesel) and the test included a mid-range petrol engine, the 1-litre TSI, which impresses with its smooth running, reaching 8 Nm at 1.500 rpm. min. torque), and responds to acceleration with an almost racing sound and higher consumption (250 liters per 15 km is not fantastic). Because the engine pulls well from XNUMX, the TSI offers plenty of wiggle room to mess around with the gearbox.

In the test, the consumption was about ten liters per hundred kilometers. On Sunday, discovering the countryside, the Superb is also content with seven liters, and on the track, the on-board computer data at a speed of 130 kilometers is basically eight.

This configuration of the Superb (engine, equipment) is luck, the only problem that applies to all other largest Czech limousines is connected with existence. Why does it even exist? Image is very important in this size class. Hand on heart, Superb doesn't have it, so people will buy it for themselves, not to make their neighbors jealous.

Face to face. ...

Vinko Kernc: With this Superb, the previous generation of the same model feels "unfinished". Like he was spartan. Materials and design in the style of the lowest possible cost. Well, this time it's different: the Superb is a respectable car on the inside. The trunk lid trick is clever, but perhaps not necessarily necessary. It could just be the fifth door. But so be it.

Matevž Koroshec: Well, we are at the beginning again. The reason you won't buy Superb is because it doesn't have a real reputation. But trust me, it has a lot more sedan than many other, more established limousines in appearance and name. That I don't waste words on rear bench space and trunk usability. Can you imagine that you will have another rear bench with longitudinal movement?

Mitya Reven, photo :? Ales Pavletić

Škoda Superb 1.8 TSI (118 kW) Ambition

Basic data

Sales:	Porsche Slovenia
Base model price:	19.990 €
Test model cost:	27.963 €
Power:	118kW (160 KM)
Acceleration (0-100 km / h):	8,6 with
Maximum speed:	220 km / h
Mixed flow ECE:	7,6l / 100km
Guarantee:	2 years general warranty, unlimited mobile warranty, 3 years varnish warranty, 12 years rust warranty.
Systematic review	15000 km

Cost (up to 100.000 km or five years)

Technical information

engine:	4-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - turbo petrol - front mounted transversely - bore and stroke 82,5 × 84,2 mm - displacement 1.798 cm? – compression 9,6:1 – maximum power 118 kW (160 hp) at 5.000-6.200 rpm – average piston speed at maximum power 14 m/s – specific power 65,6 kW/l (89,3 hp / l) - maximum torque 250 Nm at 1.500 - 4.200 rpm - 2 camshafts in the head (timing belt) - 4 valves per cylinder - common rail fuel injection - exhaust gas turbocharger - charge air cooler
Energy transfer:	the engine drives the front wheels - 6-speed manual transmission - gear ratio I. 3,78; II. 2,06; III. 1,45; IV. 1,11; V. 0,88; VI. 0,73; – Differential 3,65 – Wheels 7J × 17 – Tires 225/45 R 17 W, rolling circumference 1,91 m.
Capacity:	top speed 220 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h in 8,6 s - fuel consumption (ECE) 10,4 / 6,0 / 7,6 l / 100 km.
Transportation and suspension:	limousine - 5 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front individual suspension, spring legs, three-spoke wishbones, stabilizer - rear multi-link axle, springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear disc brakes, ABS, mechanical brake rear wheel (lever between seats) - rack and pinion steering wheel, electric power steering, 3 turns between extreme points.
Mass:	empty vehicle 1.454 kg - permissible total weight 2.074 kg - permissible trailer weight with brake: 1.500 kg, without brake: 700 kg - permissible roof load: 100 kg.
External dimensions:	vehicle width 1.817 mm, front track 1.545 mm, rear track 1.518 mm, ground clearance 10,8 m.
Inner dimensions:	front width 1.470 mm, rear 1.450 mm - front seat length 490 mm, rear seat 480 mm - steering wheel diameter 375 mm - fuel tank 60 l.
Box:	measured with standard AM set of 5 Samsonite suitcases (278,5 L total): 5 seats: 1 air suitcase (36 L), 1 suitcase (85,5 L), 2 suitcases (68,5 L), 1 backpack (20 L) ).

Our measurements

T = 19 ° C / p = 1.020 mbar / rel. vl. = 61% / Tires: Pirelli P Zero Rosso 225/45 / R 17 W / Mileage status: 2.556 km
Acceleration 0-100km:	8,9s
402m from the city:	16,5 years ( 140 km / h)
1000m from the city:	29,8 years ( 179 km / h)
Flexibility 50-90km / h:	8,3 / 11,3s
Flexibility 80-120km / h:	10,8 / 14,2s
Maximum speed:	220km / h (V. and VI.)
Minimum consumption:	9,9l / 100km
Maximum consumption:	11,8l / 100km
test consumption:	10,7 l / 100km
Braking distance at 130 km / h:	65,4m
Braking distance at 100 km / h:	39,3m
AM table:	39m
Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear	56dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear	56dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear	54dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 6rd gear	53dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear	62dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear	60dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear	59dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 6rd gear	59dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear	64dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear	63dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 6rd gear	63dB
Idling noise:	36dB
Test errors:	unmistakable

Overall rating (347/420)

• The Superb doesn't bring the look of, say, four laps, but with quality workmanship, good tech, and a comfortable interior, it has a spaciousness that no one else can match at this price point.

• Exterior (12/15)

  The cartoonists started boldly, continued classically, and finished quickly.

• Interior (122/140)

  In terms of the quality of the materials used and the workmanship, it is one step ahead of the Passat. Export space.

• Engine, transmission (35
  
  
  / 40)

  Turbodiesel was more suitable for lower fuel consumption.

• Driving performance (82
  
  
  / 95)

  Excellent grip, only the chassis is a little harsh.

• Performance (22/35)

  Quite decent data on acceleration, flexibility and top speed.

• Security (34/45)

  Full package of airbags, ESP and 5 Euro NCAP stars.

• Economy

  Not the most economical, with a greater loss of value and a low cost of the base model. Only two years general warranty.

We praise and reproach

(exceptional rear) spaciousness

front view

workmanship

flexibility of opening the trunk

front seats

engine

Transmission

steering wheel, steering wheel

Alloy

safety

good price

cruise control (unobtrusive switch)

limited comfort (sport) chassis

there is no multifunction steering wheel in this configuration

no picture

long clutch pedal movement

only two years warranty

rear fog lights must be on to enable front

fuel consumption during acceleration

fuel tank size

no rear wiper

parking brake not electric (switch)

lowering the back bench creates a step