Skoda Superb review

Just as the Skoda Superb is eminently sensible to drive, it’s all eminently sensible inside too. Which is no bad thing to our eyes, particularly as it’s ergonomically very pleasing indeed. Everything you’d expect to be there… is just there.

But with this generation there’s a sense Skoda has tried to go upmarket, and the material, quality and general overall finish certainly feels on point. That’s further emphasised by the new tech, including the dashboard dominating 10-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch free standing touchscreen. Yikes.

And of course, it's truly cavernous inside too. It’s grown in both length and height compared to its already enormous predecessor – what was already an airy cabin somehow feels even airer again – while the boot is impressively vast too.

Is the tech any good, though?

Usually we wince when a cabin goes screen galore, and any resemblance of physical switchgear becomes a thing of the past. And when we first set eyes on the Superb’s dashboard… well, we feared the worst.

But we were wrong. The instrument cluster is clean and offers just the right amount of customisation, while the central display is responsive and glitch free. But there’s more yet, because in addition to the screens Skoda has listened to the people and integrated what it’s calling ‘Smart Dials’, or the equivalent of 21st century switchgear.

These three dials, sitting below the main touchscreen, each integrate a tiny screen. While the outer two are used to adjust the temperature and the heated/ventilated seats, the central one can be customised to switch between fan speed, fan direction, volume and map zoom (which we turned off, as it only works on the native nav).

Pressing it allows you to switch between operations, and then you twist in either direction to adjust the setting. It’s a smart system that simply works.

That took a swift U-turn. Just how big is the boot?

Bigger than your lounge, probably. It now measures 645 litres (up 20 litres on its predecessor) in the hatch, or 690 litres in the estate (up 30 litres). Seats down, you’re looking at 1,795 litres and 1,920 litres respectively.

For reference, the hatch is over 150-litres bigger than an equivalent Peugeot 508, and over 100 litres bigger still than an Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. Good luck not losing anything in its caverns is all we can say.