The Superb is one of those obscure models than you may see now and again in the UK if you keep your eyes peeled, but is in fact a big success in central and eastern Europe. It's a large saloon, closer in size to the BMW 5 Series than the Mondeo-segment which it slots into over here. The sole reason it's in a segment below the one it should be is its price, which is extremely competitive for the amount of car you get; the base diesel model is only just over the £15k mark. This ultra-low starting price gets you a massive 62mm extra rear legroom compared to the Mondeo and 32 litres more boot space. Skoda has also introduced a nifty dual opening boot lid to widen the Superb's appeal across a variety of markets. Open it normally and it will open like a saloon, but press a button in the cabin followed by the boot release and the lid transforms to a hatchback-style opening.It's a stylish looking car too; the Skoda badge has more than redeemed itself of late, largely thanks to the influence of VW. The exterior has quite a sleek demeanour and the same is true inside. The dash is made up of soft-touch materials and oozes high quality. It's been beautifully finished and certainly looks pricier than it is. There are three trim levels - Skoda has renamed them with more familiar titles - S, SE and Elegance, which all come very well equipped. All models get the Twindoor boot system along with seven airbags and air conditioning. Mid-spec SE models receive 17-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, Alcantara and leather upholstery, cruise control, dual zone climate control and Skoda's 'Bolero' touchscreen system with 6 CD changer. There are a few new bits of tech on the Superb too. The first is called Park Assist, which you may have already seen on some of VW's products such as the Tiguan. This essentially looks for a space at the side of the car and then at the touch of a button it will parallel park the car for you - genius. The second is a new AFS (Adaptive Front-light System) which, as the name suggests, adapts the front lights depending on speed, weather conditions and what type of road you're on. If it detects rain, for example, the light beam changes to become shorter and wider in order to lessen the glare from the light being reflected off the road.The engine line-up consists of three petrol and three diesel units offering from 105bhp for the base 1.9 TDI diesel up to 260bhp from the 3.6 V6 petrol engine. The pick of the petrol units is the 1.8 TSI 160bhp which can hustle the Superb along nicely and isn't too thirsty, returning 37.2mpg. However, we'd go for the impressive 2.0-litre TDi 170bhp which offers excellent low-down torque (258lb ft between 1,750 and 2,500rpm) and will reach 62mph in 8.8 seconds whilst returning 47.1mpg on the combined cycle.The Superb also makes quite a fun car to drive which is surprising for its size and weight. It's by no means an outstanding drive, but very competent in most situations. There's not a huge amount of body roll and as a result it flourishes on wide country roads. It goes without saying that it is ultimately a motorway car though, but whether you're sat up front or lost somewhere in the huge rear seats it is difficult not to enjoy the journey in the Superb.
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