Item: Used Skoda Superb 2015-present
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/passat/saloon/used-review/n810">Volkswagen Passat</a> is a cousin of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/skoda">Skoda</a>&nbsp;Superb and is just as good to drive and huge inside. It rides well, too, and the diesel engines are a touch more refined than those in the Superb. The interior is a classy place to be and it’s good value on the used car forecourts.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/insignia/estate/used-review/n912">Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport</a> is relatively cheap to buy both new and used, as well as being well-equipped and reasonable to drive. Its rear head room is a little tight for an otherwise large car and the boot is much smaller than a Superb's&nbsp;but it’s still worth a look.

Though it may not be quite as practical as the Superb, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mazda/6/saloon/used-review/n792">Mazda 6</a> is a solid alternative. Examples are&nbsp;widely available on the used market – often for cheaper prices than the Superb. It offers&nbsp;good value for money,&nbsp;is fuel efficient and comes with an easy-to-use infotainment system.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/skoda/superb?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Superb</a> head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3>Engine torque</h3>

Some Superbs made between 12 October 2018 and 27 June 2019 might not provide&nbsp;enough engine torque at low speeds. Affected cars can be sorted with a simple software update, which can be performed at a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/skoda">Skoda</a> dealership.

<h3>Electric failure</h3>

Some electrical functions on&nbsp;examples built between 1 May 2015 and 1 December 2015 could stop working due to an incorrectly installed cable clamp in the fuse box. Find out from your dealer if your car is affected.

<h3>Sunroof anti-trap function</h3>

The anti-trap software on Superbs constructed between 1 May 2015 and 1 April 2016 might not work when the global close feature on the key is used to shut the sunroof. Speak to your dealer to find out&nbsp;if your example is affected. A software update to disable the sunroof from the global closing system will be required.

<h3>Rear wheel bearing</h3>

The rear wheel bearing housing on some Superbs assembled between 1 August 2017 and 31 August 2017 could shatter because the metal&nbsp;wasn't hardened correctly during manufacture. If your car is affected, it will need to have new housings fitted at a Skoda dealer.

<h3>Slow airbag inflation</h3>

The driver's airbag on a small number of cars made between 8 January 2018 and 28 February 2018 might not inflate quickly enough in a collision and will require a new unit to be installed by a dealer to fix the problem.&nbsp;

<h3>Airbag and seatbelt tensioners</h3>

The airbags and seatbelt tensioners on some Superb models built between 1 May 2016 and 31 November 2016 might not trigger in a collision, potentially causing&nbsp;injury. Speak to your local dealer to find out if your car is one of those affected. They'll need to reinstall all the relevant airbags and seatbelt tensioners to eradicate the problem.

The Superb, according to our most recent reliability survey, is one of the most reliable <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey-executive-cars/n20054">executive cars</a> around. In petrol form, it came second out of 19 cars in its class, while Skoda as a brand ranked fifth out of 31 manufacturers.&nbsp;

If you'd like to see the full reliability list, visit&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;pages for more information.

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Hatchback

One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

SKODA

SUPERB

The incredibly spacious Skoda Superb is comfortable, well equipped and great value used

Used Skoda Superb 2015-present

<h3>MPG</h3>

The diesels are the most economical, with the 1.6 TDI Greenline returning an official average of&nbsp;72.4mpg&nbsp;and the 148bhp 2.0 TDI&nbsp;averaging a healthy 65.7mpg in SE trim. The cheapest petrol to run will be the 1.4 TSI 150, which returns an average 54.3mpg.

Since the introduction of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-are-wltp-and-rde-new-fuel-tests-explained/n1223">WLTP</a>&nbsp;tests, engines don't seem quite so economical, but the figures quoted for these models should be more relevant to real-world driving. The newer 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol continues to be the most efficient model to drink from the green pump at 43.5mpg, while the 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel continues to impress with a figure of 55.4mpg.

The more powerful 187bhp diesel is far thirstier, at 44.1mpg, but that figure is for a car with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive. The least efficient of the lot is the most powerful 2.0-litre petrol, which returns 33.2mpg.

<h3>CO2 emissions</h3>

No Superb quite breaks into the&nbsp;free road tax band, but the&nbsp;1.6 TDI Greenline comes close with CO2 emissions of 109g/km, followed closely by the 2.0-litre diesel at 112g/km. The cylinder deactivation technology of the 148bhp 1.4 and 1.5-litre petrol helps to keep emissions down to 119 and 120g/km&nbsp;respectively.

Don't believe us? Well, the regular&nbsp;123bhp 1.4 petrol, which does without such tech, emits 126g/km – almost as much as the 187bhp 2.0-litre diesel that's lumbered with an auto gearbox and four-wheel drive. Neither the 217bhp (146g/km) nor 276bhp (168g/km) 2.0-litre petrols is particularly&nbsp;eco-friendly.

<h3>Road tax</h3>

Road tax for all models registered before 1 April 2017&nbsp;will vary depending on the emissions the engine produces (see above for more information), while examples registered after that date will have&nbsp;the same flat-rate fee for cars that cost less than £40,000 when new. This currently stands at £155&nbsp;per&nbsp;year for petrol and diesel cars, while hybrids will currently cost you £145 per year. Find out more about the current road tax costs <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">here</a>

<h3>Servicing</h3>

Servicing plans are available for the Superb for a&nbsp;reasonable&nbsp;price,&nbsp;covering two or three&nbsp;services&nbsp;depending on the length of cover you want&nbsp;and payable by direct debit. Examples between one and 10 years old will either cost you £22.50 a month over 18 months&nbsp;for two services, or 24 payments of&nbsp;£28 for three visits. Alternatively, you can go for a fixed-price service at £179 and pay separately for any extra jobs required (such as air and fuel filter replacements).

<h3>Insurance</h3>

Insurance groups are reasonable, starting at just 12 for the 1.6 TDI and rising to 31&nbsp;for the faster petrols.

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The incredibly spacious Skoda Superb is comfortable, well equipped and great value used

It’s possible to pick up a Superb for around £8000, but it's likely to be one with a high mileage. If you increase the budget slightly to between £10,000 and £12,000, you’ll have your pick of good 2016 and 2017 cars, all with an average mileage for the year, a full service history and bought from an independent or franchised dealer. For £13,000-£15,000, you can get an excellent&nbsp;early 2018 or 2019 car&nbsp;that'll satisfy the same criteria. Expect to spend £18,000 to £25,000 on a 2020 or newer car.

Check the value of a used <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/skoda">Skoda</a> Superb with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/valuations/">What Car? Valuations</a>

<h3>Specification</h3>

As far as trim goes, the S model is fine, but we’d be tempted to spend a bit more money and&nbsp;find an example in SE Technology trim, which has the best compromise of equipment and price. SE L and SE L Executive add a number of tempting&nbsp;luxuries, while the top-of-the-range&nbsp;Laurin &amp; Klement model will appeal to those who&nbsp;appreciate an&nbsp;upgraded stereo and not having to scrape ice from the windscreen (it has an&nbsp;electrically heated one).

<h3>Engine</h3>

Among the later post-2018 cars, we prefer the 1.5 TSI 150 engine, which is smooth, punchy and economical. The earlier 1.4-litre petrol is similarly refined. Neither of the two 2.0-litre petrol engines&nbsp;is&nbsp;worth the added expense in fuel unless you&nbsp;do mainly urban driving.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/skoda">Skoda</a> Superb&nbsp;1.5 TSI 150 SE Technology

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Effortless long-distance capability</li> <li>Strong standard specification</li> <li>Low running costs</li> <li>Comfortable driving position</li> <li>Comprehensive yet easy-to-use infotainment system</li></ul>

Executive cars are often the choice of company car drivers, so factors such as CO2 emissions (which govern your monthly tax bill) are just as important as cruising refinement for those long motorway journeys, a plush cabin and (whisper it) the image of the badge on the bonnet.

The good news is that there are options for all budgets and tastes. If rear space is crucial and you’re willing to put up with a less-than-premium badge, the Skoda Superb is tough to beat, while if you want a premium badge on the bonnet then the BMW 3 Series is consistently one of our favourites in this class.

And don't think you're limited to just petrol or diesel-powered choices in this class,&nbsp;because at the top end the Tesla Model 3 is well worth considering for its long range and engaging driving style.

Executive

This is a long and fairly wide car, so check the bodywork and alloy wheels carefully for any damage. Make sure the rear seats fold as they should. Look at the condition of the carpet in the boot, as well as the operation of the tailgate.

Check the interior for any stains on the carpet or seat fabric and make sure all the electrical items work as they should.

If you're looking for information on&nbsp;older versions, see our other used reviews:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/hatchback/used-review/n619">2008-2015&nbsp;Skoda Superb hatchback</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/saloon/used-review/n620">2002-2008 Skoda Superb saloon</a>

There are no two ways about it: if what you require most from an executive car&nbsp;is a spacious interior and a massive boot, the Skoda Superb is ideal.

No other car in its class can match it for space, so&nbsp;if that's what's most important to you, the Superb has won the vote before it even turns a wheel.&nbsp;There’s more to buying a used car than that, of course – but the good news is that the Superb delivers just about everywhere else&nbsp;too.

It sits on a stretched version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/used-review/n776">Volkswagen Golf</a>&nbsp;platform and comes with a wide choice of excellent engines. The 123bhp 1.4-litre&nbsp;petrol props up the range,&nbsp;followed by a more powerful 148bhp version (replaced with a 1.5-litre petrol with the same power output from 2018 onwards).

There are also a&nbsp;couple of versions of the 2.0-litre petrol&nbsp;(217bhp or 276bhp), but&nbsp;it’s the 118bhp 1.6-litre and 148bhp 2.0-litre diesels that dominated&nbsp;sales and are the most prevalent on the used market.&nbsp;The 2.0 TDI is also&nbsp;available with&nbsp;187bhp&nbsp;and can be had&nbsp;with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive. Later models also introduced a 1.4-litre petrol-electric hybrid option.&nbsp;

As far as trims go, entry-level S models are better equipped than most cars for the money, featuring a 6.5in touchscreen, air-con, Bluetooth connectivity and a DAB radio. SE adds 17in alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors and adaptive cruise.

SE Technology is a business-based trim that adds sat-nav, front parking sensors and an electric driver’s seat with memory function. Even the pricier SE L Executive and Laurin &amp; Klement&nbsp;models are great value for money compared with similarly equipped offerings from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

Sportline and Sportline Plus trims, which sit&nbsp;between SE L Executive and Laurin &amp; Klement, were added later, offering larger alloys and extra styling details, including sporty carbon fibre exterior ones.&nbsp;

On the road, all the engines give&nbsp;the Superb&nbsp;reasonable pace&nbsp;despite its generous proportions, and on-paper fuel economy is impressive for such a competent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/executive">executive car</a>.&nbsp;The Superb rides and handles well, too, although not with the outright vigour of some of the smaller VW Group cars that share its platform. It doesn't have quite the panache of some rivals, but it’s a refined companion on motorways.

Turning to the interior, the driving position is good, the dashboard and major instruments and controls are all laid out in a clear and logical way, and the quality of the materials used is high.&nbsp;There is masses of interior space up front and even more lounging room in the back.

The boot – which is easily accessed via a hatchback tailgate – is long and deep, and holds significantly more than those of the Superb's&nbsp;main rivals. If you want&nbsp;an even longer load bay,&nbsp;there's the estate version, which has an even bigger boot.

If you're interested in finding a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/skoda/superb?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Skoda Superb</a> head over to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Car Buying</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at great prices.

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Used Skoda Superb 2015-present review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Skoda Superb hatchback?