Our tests prove that it is not only good in name

It is no coincidence that we were invited to test drive the new Passat and this Skoda Superb a few days apart. And yes, these two have become almost twin sisters! The Passat is no longer manufactured in Germany but in a factory in Bratislava, Slovakia. The Superb and Passat therefore share the same base and the same wheelbase (284 cm) or 5 more than the old version. The Superb was already known for its width, this will always be the case and, in addition, the trunk gets liters to reach 690 units (540 in the plug-in version). This would not take away from the practicality of the whole thing. To distinguish the two, you will have to consider the front and back faces, their lights (LEDs), rims and then … That’s almost everything! Let’s add a very important detail here: VW will only exist as a station wagon while Skoda will also have the right to its sedan version. The Czech manufacturer thus hopes to restore, in markets where sales of large family sedans are still far from being a legend, customers “left behind” by VW.

Small central screen

Inside too, we will have to consider the details to distinguish the two members of the family. The style inspiration comes from the electric models of the VW Group. So the gearbox control is sent to the back of the steering wheel instead of the windshield wiper lever. Which makes room for more generous storage. The dashboard is obviously 100% digital and, notably, the new touch screen is “installed” rather than integrated. It’s big, but the offer here is different from VW. Indeed, if the Passat offers 13 inches as standard (15 as an option), here 13 inches are available from the 3rd equipment level, the first two have to do with 10 inches. For this first treatment, we had the opportunity to briefly test the hybrid version of the plugin. Not enough to prove the 100 kilometers of freedom promised in 100% electric operation, but enough to appreciate the royal comfort that reigns on board! Because the soundproofing of the passenger compartment seems to be very careful and nothing else but the diesel version qualifies this sentence a bit. Nothing to prohibit though. Note that this version of the plugin will be available later this year.

As with the Passat, we also really appreciated the Superb with the smaller engine (150 hp, everything is fine!). But if you have to haul heavy loads and/or have a heavy right foot, then choose the TDI! On the road, the driving sensations are quite similar to those experienced inside the Passat. Here we also advise you to check the “DCC controlled suspension” box. It’s €1,150 extra except for the top-of-the-line “L&K” model but well worth the investment. Neither too firm in game mode, nor too soft in comfort mode, we have the perfect compromise here.