New 2015 Skoda Superb Estate names its price
Skoda's new Superb load-lugger will be available to order in June with likely £19,850 starting price
Exactly one month ago, we got behind the wheel of the all-new Skoda Superb hatch, and were impressed by its civilised road manners, gargantuan boot and luxurious rear passenger space.
But Skoda is already looking to extend its lead over rivals with the even bigger Estate model, revealed here for the first time.
UK prices will start from £19,850 (£1,200 more than the hatch), while it offers a huge 660 litres of boot space, which is 27 litres more than its predecessor. And with the seats folded, there’s a massive 1,950-litre capacity – an identical maximum figure to the class-leading Mercedes E-Class Estate.
It’s a significant car for the brand, perhaps even more so than the hatchback in the UK, because across its lifespan, the outgoing Estate accounted for around 70 per cent of Superb sales here.
The wheelbase is identical to the hatch version, so there’s the same vast amount of legroom in the back, while the extended roofline means there’s a fraction more headroom for rear passengers.
To make room for that bigger boot and free up more head room, legroom and elbow room than its predecessor, the wheelbase that has been extended by 80mm, compared to the hatchback version, to 2,841mm.
At the back, the new, steeply raked screen and sharp LED tail-lights give the Estate a sportier look than you’d expect from a car measuring 4,856mm in length – 23mm more than the hatch.
The seven-engine line-up, with the choice of six-speed manual and six and seven-speed DSG gearboxes, plus the option of front or four-wheel drive, is carried over directly from the hatchback. That means petrol engines stretching from a 123bhp 1.4 TSI to a 276bhp 2.0 TSI 4x4, and diesels ranging from a 118bhp 1.6 TDI – with emissions as low as 105g/km with a DSG box – up to a 187bhp 2.0 TDI. The five trims – S, SE, SE Business, SE L Executive and Laurin & Klement – are also carried over.
Entry-level S models, starting from £19,850, include Bluetooth, air-con and a touchscreen infotainment screen, as well as auto braking as standard. SE models start from £22,390 and add 17-inch alloys, rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. Go for the SE Business, starting from £22,735, and you get sat-nav with a 6.5-inch screen, Alcantara trim and parking sensors at the front, too.
From £25,420, SE L Executive models add leather, heated seats an eight-inch sat-nav screen, and a powered tailgate. And top-spec L&K models, from £31,840, add 18-inch wheels, a 10-speaker stereo and even a TV tuner.
Although the Superb Estate won't make its public debut until the Frankfurt show in September, the order books open in mid June, with first deliveries at the same time as the hatch, in September.
Now check out our view on the best estate cars you can buy...