With a new Skoda Superb Estate due in 2024, we test a camouflaged prototype version. Here's everything you need to know about it, including what it's like to drive and how big the boot is...
On sale March 2024 (est) | Price from £35,000 (est)
Very few cars have managed to remain at the top of their class for as long as the Skoda Superb Estate. It’s been our favourite estate car for years, and it’s easy to see why. As well as being enormous, this competitively priced wagon also provides a huge amount of comfort and a wide range of engines that are cheap to run. In other words, the new Superb Estate has big shoes to fill.
The task of replacing the current Skoda Superb is well under way, with its replacement due in 2024. As before, a hatchback bodystyle will be sold alongside the estate and the Superb will share parts with other VW Group models, including the 2024 VW Passat Estate.
You’ll have to wait until November before the Superb is unveiled, but the exterior styling is unlikely to be radically different to the outgoing version. The biggest changes will be inside, and the interior should feel even plusher than before.
Prices, trim levels and specs will be confirmed in winter 2023, but there will be the choice of a standard Superb, a sportier-looking SportLine version and the luxury-focused Laurin & Klement (L&K) trim level. The slightly raised and more rugged-looking Scout version will not be offered in the UK.
What’s the new Skoda Superb Estate like to drive?
At launch, there will be three petrol engines, two diesel options and a petrol plug-in hybrid (PHEV). They will all comes with an automatic gearbox as standard. The entry-level 1.5-litre petrol produces 148bhp and is the only one with mild-hybrid tech to bolster performance and fuel economy. It’s smooth, quiet and has enough power if you don’t tend to carry a car full of occupants.
For a bit more grunt, there’s a 2.0-litre petrol with 201bhp or a higher-powered petrol unit with 261bhp and four-wheel drive. The entry-level diesel has 148bhp and feels more lively than the 1.5-litre petrol, with plenty of torque that surges you forward effortlessly. The most powerful diesel gets 190bhp and has four-wheel drive.
The PHEV sees a big leap in terms of battery size and range over the outgoing Superb iV. As before, there’s a petrol engine combined with an electric motor, but its 25.7kWh battery (more than double the size of the outgoing iV’s 12.7kWh) will allow the Superb to drive on electric power alone for up to 62 miles officially. There’s also the ability to charge at up 50kW. With an 11kW charger, it will take about two and a half hours to do a full charge.
As before, you can have adaptive suspension as an option, and that allows you to stiffen or soften the ride at the touch of a button, with a choice of driving modes. The latest version, called Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) Pro, promises an even plusher ride in its Comfort setting, with better body control when set to Sport.
We drove the new Superb Estate in the Normal setting, and it does a good job of ironing out bumps and isolating occupants from the road surface. The suspension remains settled, while body control over undulating roads is better than in earlier versions of the outgoing Superb. In short, the DCC Pro option makes the Superb a calming long-distance cruiser.
You can opt for a progressive steering system that feels meaty and precise, helping the driver quickly build confidence when positioning the car in town traffic or on a country road. The system quickens the steering response at low speeds to help with parking and low-speed manoeuvres.
Other than a slight grumble from the diesel motor on startup, there’s little engine noise filtering through to occupants. There’s a bit of vibration felt through the floor, but not too much road and wind noise.
What’s the new Skoda Superb Estate like inside?
You’ll have to wait until November before the interior is unveiled, but the seating position and the view out should feel familiar to those who’ve spent time in the outgoing model. A height-adjustable seat is standard, and for the first time the model’s front seats will have four-way lumbar support and a massaging function.
As with the next-generation Skoda Kodiaq the gear selector is mounted on the steering column, freeing up storage space on the centre console. A 12.9in infotainment touchscreen similar to the one in the Skoda Enyaq will have physical rotary controls to make it more user-friendly than touchscreen-only systems.
Back-seat passengers will get plenty of leg room, while the fold-down centre armrest can now extend forwards to make it easier to see a tablet computer placed in the integrated holder.
The next-generation Superb Estate’s boot is even bigger than in the current model, gaining 30 litres to give a total volume of 690 litres. It also has more bag hooks and a new load cover that electrically retracts when you open and close the tailgate.
Keyword: 2024 Skoda Superb Estate prototype review