Why it has been a Superb 20 years for this big car from Skoda

Published on 11 September, 2021

Overview

How the years have flown. It is hard to believe that the Skoda Superb is 20 next Tuesday. I well remember the first launch of the car and being so impressed by the size of the cabin and especially the amount of rear-room.

As much space as a Mercedes S-Class, we were told. And with an umbrella. It appealed to my (our?) sense of a lot of car for a ­bargain-basement price.

There were three petrol and two diesel engines for the front-wheel-drive notchback saloon. Over the years, they introduced a hatchback with a twin-door tailgate and then an estate (Combi) version.

Diesels – remember them? Well, they were hugely popular. Then, more recently, came a version with a plug-in drivetrain. But why am I telling you all this? Well, I hope you enjoy the brief trip down memory lane when the world was a kinder place and the idea of new diesel sales being banned from 2030 would not have been taken seriously.

I also get asked a lot by diesel car owners about what they should buy next, given that 2030 is looming. So much depends on individual circumstances, of course. I often recommend either hybrid or electric.

But in some cases I don’t, because I believe they don’t suit everyone, especially those who need lots of space and those putting up big mileage in connection with family, job and/or business.

So, yes, I have been known to go against the politically appropriate and tell a few people to buy the likes of a good new or used Superb with a two-litre diesel. Some need that sort of car right now, not three or five years down the road when EVs will have more competitive ranges. Until then, here’s to a good few more years for the Superb.