Road Test: Skoda Superb 1.9 TDI PD GreenLine 5dr

Looks like there's a spot of civil war going on in the VW Empire, and it's being fought on the Green Front. Doing battle in the Skoda corner, we have this new Superb Greenline - the eco edition of the company's big saloon. In the Volkswagen corner, and the reigning champion, is the Passat Bluemotion.

Both cars feature the usual roster of environmentally friendly touches: longer gearing, lowered suspension to reduce drag, low-rolling resistance tyres, remapped ECU. But it's the Passat that edges things in round one, with an extra 2.4mpg and 8g/km less CO2. There's just no getting away from the Skoda's bigger mass.

Marketing politics means the Superb gets the VW Group's older 1.9 TDI, which only hits Euro4 emissions regs, whereas the Passat gets the newer, Euro5-friendly 2.0 TDI. Either way, they both end up in the same tax band, but you can't help feeling Skoda is just lumbered with a VW hand-me-down.

Out on the road, the Superb is glacially slow, but rides well and will waft you around quietly and comfortably. The thing is, there's something deeply uncool about a big eco Skoda, especially with the word ‘Greenline' splashed over its arse. You just wouldn't, would you?

And when you consider the Passat is only £975 more, it's no wonder it deals the Superb a knockout blow.