Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon MY25 review

The Superb is the flagship of the Volkswagen-owned Skoda brand with the nameplate dating back to 1934 when the first Superb was released in the former Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic.

Including the original, there have been five generations of Superb but because there was a 52-year pause in the use of the nameplate, Skoda describes this new model as the fourth-generation, with the modern Superb series tracing its lineage back to the first-generation model released in 2001.

As one of the few remaining players in the large car segment the Superb is a direct beneficiary of the decline in competitors including the locally manufactured Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon and Toyota Aurion.

In 2004 the large car segment accounted for more than 200,000 vehicle sales but by 2014 that number had declined to 42,588.

Since then, there’s been further decline in the segment, to the point where in 2024 sub-$70,000 large car sales amounted to just 192 units, or 2151 sales if you include large luxury cars priced above $70,000.

Along the way, the Superb’s last rivals in the sub-$70,000 category, the Kia Stinger and Citroen C5 X have both called it quits, leaving Skoda alone to compete with more expensive premium offerings like the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6.

Skoda Australia sees this decline as opportunity and remains committed to the segment, hence the arrival of all-new sedan and wagon variants of its fourth-generation Superb in a single highly-specified GT-Line trim level.

How much does a Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon cost?

Skoda Australia has kept the task of choosing a Superb pleasingly simple, with the new model available in sedan or wagon body styles, in a single well-appointed Sportline trim level, and with the only powertrain being a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo engine, driving all four wheels through a seven-speed speed dual clutch automatic.

What that means is in effect is the only choice buyers really need to make is whether they want a sedan or body style and what colour they want it in.

As with previous generations, most buyers are expected to choose the roomy and practical wagon, even if the sedan is identically equipped and the better looking of the two.

The Sportline Sedan is also a touch cheaper at $67,990 (MRLP) at the time of writing versus $69,990 for the Wagon.

That’s a couple of grand more than the old model in each case but Skoda points to a rich list of new features which it values at over $8500 to justify the price hike.

What is the Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon exterior design like?

Despite being labelled an all-new model the fourth-generation Superb features exterior styling that is very similar to its predecessor.

That’s no bad thing as the car is attractive enough with crisp lines, quality detailing and good proportions, although the Sportline Wagon looks a bit more awkward in side view than the sedan.

At the front of the Sportline Wagon are LED Matrix beam headlights flanking a distinctive grille with dark chrome details, sitting above more aggressive looking air intakes.

At rear, there’s an extended body-coloured spoiler and new taillights with dynamic indicators and crystalline detailing.

The use of gloss black on the grille, wing mirrors, roof rails and lower sills lends the new model a sportier look than its predecessor.

Both variants also ride on handsome 19-inch black polished alloy wheels, with the Sportwagon offering an optional $1,900 panoramic glass sunroof.

What is the Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon like inside?

The interior of the Superb is roomy and well finished, with an attractive and contemporary design that features a tasteful mix of materials, including soft-touch dash material and sports-style seats clad in a mix of perforated leather and artificial leather upholstery.

In keeping with the Sportline trim designation the interior tone is decidedly sporty, with aluminium finish pedals, a nicely shaped three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel clad in perforated leather, and paddle shifters to manually control the dual clutch transmission.

The front seats are shapely sports-style buckets with integrated headrests, and they also boast heating and ventilation, power adjustment, pneumatic lumbar support, thigh support and massage function.

The wing mirrors are heated, too, with power-folding and auto-dimming function, and visibility is further aided by a 360-degree surround-view camera and decent quality screen.

Other notable interior design features include a redesigned centre console with extra storage thanks to relocation of the shift lever form the console to the steering column, a new 13-inch infotainment screen with navigation and wireless App-Connect for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 10-inch virtual cockpit ahead of the driver.

Located below the main infotainment screen is a row of smart dials with haptic-touch that perform multiple functions, including climate control, fan speed, plus front seat heating and ventilation. One of the dials also controls vehicle drive modes.

Other standard equipment includes a 12-speaker Canton premium sound system, wireless smartphone fast-charging, tri-zone climate control, voice control, head-up display, auto dimming rear view mirror, and keyless stop-start with approach/walkaway auto locking and unlocking.

Moving to the comfortably-shaped rear seat you’ll find generous leg and headroom plus convenience features including a centre armrest with integrated cup/tablet holder, outboard seat heating, and extendable wings on the outboard seat headrests, designed to hold your head in place while napping.

Generous interior space has long been a Superb selling point and this model doesn’t disappoint, with the Wagon offering a 634-litre boot, expanding to 1920 litres with the second-row folded. Buyers of the sedan aren’t too hard done by either, with a capacity of 589 or 1795 litres respectively.

The wagon’s boot is accessed by a power tailgate with a so-called ‘virtual pedal’ which opens the tailgate with a wave of your foot under the rear bumper.

Quick-release levers inside the luggage bay allow easy folding of the rear seat, and the wagon also features a variable boot floor with storage space under the main luggage compartment.

There’s also a handy adjustable organiser to keep shopping or luggage in place, an electrically retractable luggage bay cover, a Skoda blanket, and a net system to store smaller items.

Something else Skoda is known for is including clever little touches throughout the cabin that aid usability, and the new Superb is no exception with its small door-mounted cubby bins with liners for collecting rubbish, and an umbrella that stores in a dedicated recess in a rear door.

New for this model is a dedicated smart-screen cleaning tool that tucks into a slot in the centre console and helps keeps the infotainment screen free of smudges.

Is the Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon good to drive?

Under the Superb’s bonnet is Volkswagen’s widely used and zesty 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, which in this case delivers an effortless 195kW/400Nm, and a properly brisk 0-100km/h performance of 5.7 seconds.

Hot-hatch nerds might note that this is two-tenths of a second quicker than the current generation VW Golf GTI, which packs the same engine but in a different state of tune.

The engine is down 11kW on power versus its predecessor but has 50Nm more torque at lower revs and, in combination with a new seven-speed transmission in lieu of the previous model’s six-speed unit, ensuring the new Superb offers superior driveability and slightly improved combined cycle fuel consumption of 7.8L/100km.

Like many DSG or dual-clutch transmissions, there’s a bit of hesitation evident at low speeds, but at other times the gearbox is impressive for the speed, accuracy and smoothness of its shifts.

Drive is channelled to all four wheels to ensure confident all-weather grip, with handling further aided by Skoda’s Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC+) system which automatically adjusts the adaptive dampers to firm or soften the ride, while countering body roll and pitch for better comfort and optimal driving dynamics.

Using the Smart multifunction dials mentioned earlier, the driver can choose from Sport, Normal or Individual driving modes, which adjusts throttle response, gearbox shift points, steering weight and damper settings.

In Sport mode, the Superb does a passable impersonation of performance car, with the engine revving eagerly to its 6000rpm and the transmission serving up gears at blink-and-you’ll-miss-it speed.

The steering is well weighted and pleasingly progressive and the combination of a long wheelbase and relatively low height (at least compared to a high-riding SUV) means the Superb sits confidently on the road and negotiates bends and rapid directional changes very capably.

When it comes to NVH, it’s impressively quite inside the cabin on smooth tarmac, but tyre rumble becomes an issue on coarse-chip bitumen, perhaps exacerbated by the voluminous interior dimensions.

At 4,912mm in overall length Superb Wagon is also quite a big vehicle, with a large 11.7m turning circle, so threading the needle into tight shopping centre car parks can be a bit of a chore.

What safety features does a Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon have?

The Superb is built on the Volkswagen Group’s modular MQB evo platform which underpins a wide range of models from its various brands.

The platform enables the latest ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Features) features which help the Superb achieve its five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

However, the Superb has not yet undergone local ANCAP safety testing.

The new model includes a range of safety technologies that were in its predecessor but which have now been upgraded, including:

• Predictive adaptive cruise control with stop and go
• Lane assist with adaptive lane guidance
• Front assist with collision avoidance (pedestrians and cyclists)
• Turn assist
• Side assist with front and rear traffic alert
• Driver fatigue detection
• Predictive speed limiter
• Surround camera view
• Intelligent park assist
• Front and rear parking sensors.

A number of these features combine to create Skoda’s Travel Assist, that combines adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist plus various other safety systems to create a semi-automated driving system.

In addition, the 2025 Superb introduces several new safety features including:

• Emergency steering assist
• Safe exit warning
• Traffic sign recognition
• Traffic jam assist.

On the passive safety front the Superb features 10 airbags, an increase of one over its predecessor, tyre pressure monitoring, and second-generation Matrix LED headlights with adaptive front light system.

How does the Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon compare?

The Superb occupies a unique position in the marketplace in being a European owned and built large sedan or wagon that’s not an SUV, and priced below six figures.

Rival wagon offerings such as the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class will demand at least another $30-$40,000, with the nearest priced wagon from these rivals being the Audi A6 Allroad Quattro at $126,484.

There’s a bit more competitively priced fare on offer if you go down a segment to the medium passenger category, where you’ll find the likes of the Mazda 6 Wagon, Peugeot 508 Sportswagon and Volvo V60 Wagon, but Skoda has these rivals covered with its smaller Octavia Wagon, starting from $41,090.

Should I buy a Skoda Superb Sportline Wagon?

This new fourth-generation Superb upholds the nameplate’s reputation for offering a compelling combination of space, performance, and practicality at a reasonable price-point.

It’s a lot of car for the money and aside from the fact you need to lower your butt a few extra centimetres to get into its cabin, begs the question why more people don’t opt for such a well-priced and well-equipped alternative to the ubiquitous SUV.

The fact the Superb comes with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty – the only European brand to do so – adds to its case for inclusion on a buyer’s shortlist, as do Skoda’s competitive discounted service packs, guaranteed future value products, and competitive loan interest rates.

In short, Skoda as a brand seems happy to get in and scrap for the attention of consumers by offering a strong value equation, while in this case also offering a roomy, well-built, well-appointed and dynamically-polished vehicle.

The Superb is well worth running the rule over for anyone looking for the sort of performance, space and comfort that was once the domain of Australian-made cars.

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