New Skoda Superb review, test drive

The design of the dashboard isn’t all that special either, especially if you’re familiar with that of the Octavia, which at first glance seems near-identical. On the other hand, there clearly is more bling here and better materials have been used in several places as well, so it does look and feel more upmarket. And functionality is first-rate, as you would expect of a VW Group car. The touchscreen operates in a slick manner, the buttons on the centre console have a quality feel to them and stowage and storage options are also available aplenty. Indian buyers will also get the choice of a more upmarket L&K version that could come with even nicer detailing.

The new Superb also has a lot of clever touches. There are umbrellas hidden in both front doors, there’s an LED torch in the back and the hatch unlocks if you wave your foot under the bumper, as long as you have the car’s keys in your pocket. And then, of course, there’s the 620-litre boot.

Skoda’s current Superb blew our collective socks off when it was launched in India in 2009 at a killer price of around Rs 21 lakh. It was incredibly comfortable, very refined and looked upmarket enough from the inside to pass muster as a luxury car. Indian buyers were attracted to it like a moth to a flame. And then, a few months later, Skoda introduced an even more affordable version. If there was a luxury car bargain of the decade, this would be it. The new car takes the game ahead in many areas. It looks several times better, it’s more spacious and comfortable on the inside and it’s likely to come with more powerful kit too. Ride and handling is par for the course and it is likely to be well-equipped when it comes to India in the second quarter of 2016. The design of the interiors may not get customers terribly excited and the new Superb is unlikely to be cheap, with top-of-the-line versions crossing Rs 26 lakh ex-showroom. Still, none of that is likely to diminish the enthusiasm Indian luxury car buyers are likely to have for this new car. Yes, it’s that good.