The Superb has been one of Skoda’s most successful product in the Indian market. Back when the Superb was first launched in 2004, it really caught the eyes of the Indian buyers. It suited the Indian premium sedan buyers perfectly. The Superb clearly shattered its competitors like the Toyota Camry and Nissan Tiana back then. But a lot has changed since. The position that was enjoyed by the sedans has now swiftly been taken over by the SUVs. The consumers now prefer big and hunky SUVs over lengthy and boring sedans. This happened in India too. Now when you look at the full sized sedan segment of the Indian car market, the Skoda Superb is second to none since its the only car available in the segment. That puts the Superb against competitors like the big and strong Toyota Fortuner, MG Gloster and the Ford Endeavour. Does that mean its all over for the Superb? Let’s find out.
Skoda has tried hard to keep the Superb relevant and it has achieved some success too. While all the competitors in this segment gave up, Skoda still kept trying and this year they have came up with the facelifted Skoda Superb.
The 2021 Skoda Superb looks eye catching just as before. With sharp greases running all over its body, the Superb looks a class apart. The front looks aggressive and dominating with those sharp LED headlights. Though the rear of the Superb is something that might divide the people into two groups but I personally have no problems from the Superb’s rear but I am not a fan either. The massive length and the aggressive styling does make the Superb look apart from the other sedans and has a road presence of its own. All in all, Superb is fantastic looking sedan which you can proudly show off to the world.
The Superb is offered in 2 trim levels, the Sportline, which is a more driver focussed variant and the Laurin and Klement variant which is focussed towards the rear seat passenger. Under the hood of both the models is a 2.0 litre TSI engine which produces 190 hp and 320 nm of torque. The figures of the engine are equally impressive as the engine itself. The engine of the Superb delivers power seamlessly. The 2.0 litre TSI puts a smile on your face as you put your foot down on the accelerator. Skoda has claimed 0-100 km/h time of 7.8 seconds for the Superb which is very impressive for a car of that size. The engine is very refined with very little turbo lag. Considering its competition with the full sized SUVs, the Superb is right at par with the best in the segment. In terms of engine and driving pleasure, you won’t regret choosing the Superb over the SUVs.
The suspension of the Superb has been stiffened by a bit and which was needed since the old generation’s was very soft. So, the ride that you get is very pleasant and composed. The suspension absorbs most of the bumps but does feel short while going through the big ones.
Let’s talk how to Superb is on the inside.
The Superb on the inside is superb as well(sorry, couldn’t control it anymore). What really stands out is how every material touch and feels. Almost everywhere there are soft touch materials and the quality of the plastics is more than satisfactory too. The dash of the Superb is very simple or maybe a little too simple for to my liking. The wow factor is missing in the dashboard which I feel should’ve been there considering its price but it still does the job fairly well. The feature list of the Superb is really impressive. From park assists to 360 degree camera, it has got pretty much everything that you expect from 30 lakh+ rupee car. Since it would get too long if we talk about all the features, I’ll list them down below. Yes, the 8 inch touchscreen could’ve been bigger and more intuitive. The Skoda misses out on connected car features, which are in trend these days, but you can easily do without it since you’ve so much else to keep you entertained. Comparing it with SUVs, the Superb wins over almost every but 1, the MG Gloster. But the thing is that you can’t say that something is missing in the Superb until you compare it with a list against the Gloster.
Now, let’s jump to the highlight of the Superb where the most owners will spend their most time, the backseat. Like always, the Superb doesn’t disappoint at all. There is acres of legroom for everyone. Though, it would be fair to call the superb a 4 seater because of the massive transmission tunnel in the back. Also offered in the Laurin and Klement variant is the “boss mode” which shifts the front passenger seat all the way ahead with the touch of a button so that you can have that first class experience in the back. The backseat passengers also have their own climate control as the Superb is offered with a 3 zone climate control so the back passengers can set the temperature according to their own liking. A major advantage of the Superb being a sedan over the SUVs is controlled body roll. Unlike the big macho SUVs which offer loads of body roll and the fear of the car toppling over, the Superb sticks to the ground and remain planted as you go around the corners. So, if you’re looking for a backseat focussed car and you’re confused between the SUVs and the Superb, you can go for the Superb without any hesitation.
Due to only two variants on sale in India, the price chart of the Skoda Superb is pretty simple. Starting at 31.99 lakhs for the Sportline variant, the Laurin and Klement variant is priced at 34.99 lakhs.
MY VERDICT
Undeniably, the comparison here is tough. Both the sides have a lot to offer and there isn’t a clear winner here and there never can be. You won’t get the toughness from the Superb that you’ll get the from the SUVs but you don’t won’t get the driving pleasure either. But one thing is for sure, the Superb has everything to stand against the whole lineup of SUVs even though it is currently standing alone.
| Sportline variant | Laurin and Klement |
| 8 Airbags | |
| Virtual Cockpit | |
| 12-way electrically adjustable front seats with programmable memory functions | |
| sports seats with integrated headrests | |
| black alcantara upholstery | |
| leather rapped gear knob | |
| Alu pedals | |
| 8 inch touch screen | |
| 3 zone climate control | |
| cruise control | |
| Carbon decor with LED ambient lighting | |
| diffused footwell lighting | |
| Parkatronic system | |
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