Skoda Superb Estate

This huge estate offers everything you could need from a big family car. It’s the largest model in its class, with a tardis-like cabin, looks far more attractive than the saloon and carries over the renowned build quality we expect from the VW Group. Whatever engine you choose, there’s plenty of fun to be had behind the wheel, too. Then there’s the price – no other car offers so much for so little.

Superb by name, Superb by nature! Skoda’s supersized family estate earned itself the full five-star rating when we drove it on foreign roads for the first time in October. Now it has arrived in the UK, and we’ve tried it out here this week.

While it’s unlikely to win any style awards, it’s better-looking than the Superb saloon. The elongated roof line and more conventional tailgate give the overall design a more balanced feel.

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the Superb Estate

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There’s a double benefit to that stretched silhouette, too, as the Superb estate has one of the largest load areas of any carrier on the market. With the back seats in place, there’s 633 litres of space; this increases to 1,865 litres with the rear bench folded flat. That’s 256 litres more than a Volvo V70! And to stop your belongings from bouncing around, there are two storage bins and a variety of hooks and straps. Rear passengers enjoy the same limo-like legroom as in the four-door, while those up front will find the switchgear and build quality as impressive as anything in the Superb’s class.

We drove the flagship 170bhp 2.0-litre diesel. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and sends power to the front wheels. Although a 260bhp 3.6-litre V6 version with all-wheel drive is available, the torquey oil-burner provides all the performance you will need.

The unit, which is familiar from other products in the VW Group portfolio, is as smooth, punchy and frugal as ever, and gels perfectly with the estate’s ability to carry huge loads. But the Superb is more than simply a workhorse. The steering is well weighted and precise, while the grip available makes it a genuinely fun car to drive on the right road. Refinement and high-speed comfort are top-notch, too.

Where the Superb most impresses is with its price: it undercuts rivals which possess not even half of its talents. Although our car was fitted with the most powerful diesel in the line-up and decked out in top-flight Elegance trim, it still sneaks in at less than £25,000. Even better, the range starts at £17,715 for the 1.4 TSI S. This variant offers all the practicality of more expensive models, plus a small-capacity turbo which punches well above its weight.

Rival: Ford Mondeo Estate
With its good looks and sharp drive, the Mondeo is shedding its ‘repmobile’ reputation. For the price of a base BMW 3-Series, you can have a top-spec model.