It’s high on space, has brilliant handling and rides more comfortably than before. Does the Superb have what it takes to be ‘Best in Next Class’?
Story: Aninda Sardar
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
Indian car buyers are a demanding lot, irrespective of their individual budgets. Naturally, the bigger their budget the more they demand. At Rs 35 lakh and more, they want space, back seat comfort, the beginnings of luxury, road presence, driving pleasure, power, refinement, and brand value. In short, they leave out little to the imagination. So, when Skoda decided to target the next higher class of car buyers with their new Superb, they had their task cut out. To highlight their intent they even chose a fitting tagline for the car – ‘Best in Next Class’. We took the new car for a nice long spin all the way from Mangalore to the pleasant climes of Madikeri to find out if it really was the best in next class or if that line is just a clever piece of marketing.
Where the slightly elongated silhouette of the previous model was a bit of a put-off, the new Superb is gorgeous. The lines are bolder, the stance more of a squat and the proportions beautiful and dynamic. The new Superb cuts a silhouette that you would like to look at. Even when you’re not driving it. At the same time, there is an aura of understated elegance that suits it well. The design language of the new car is inspired by Czech crystals and as a result you will find a few cuts and slashes (particularly around the headlamps) that don’t really offer any functional benefit but add subtly yet significantly to this Skoda’s face.
