So praise be to Skoda, not just for resurrecting its repmobile as opponents turn their back on the market, but for remaining so overtly committed to the attributes that made the Superb popular in the first place – small wonder when the outgoing car has sold 845k units since launch in 2015.
In raw stylistic terms and much of its technological make-up, the Mk4 Superb is an all-out reinvention. But peel back the glitter and what prevails is a reassuring sense of familiarity. Yes, there’s a slick new digital interface, eco-flavoured upholstery options and a PHEV with more electric range than a first-gen Nissan Leaf.
But on the other hand, we’ve got physical buttons galore, a boot the size of an Amazon warehouse and the choice of two (count ’em) electrically unassisted diesel engines.
As the car market is turned on its head by the emergence of new brands, technologies and segments, it’s surely no bad thing that cars so conventionally conceived can survive.
2024 Skoda Superb prototype drive
The SUV trend is snowballing at quite a rate, but as a large family car, the Skoda Superb Estate is still one of the best. It might lack the visual presence of its Kodiaq stablemate, but it’s enormous, comfortable, fine riding and competitively priced, and it offers a wide range of engines that are cheap to run. So its fourth-generation successor will have big shoes to fill when it arrives in 2024.
The new Superb hatch and estate share much of their architecture with the jointly developed Volkswagen Passat. The styling is still smart but updated (such as with slimmer headlights and tail-lights) to bring it in line with the new Kodiaq, launching at a similar time. The new Superb Estate is 40mm longer and 5mm taller than its predecessor, with the vast boot increasing from 660 to 690 litres – more than in the Peugeot 508 SW and rugged-looking Citroën C5 X.
Prices, trim levels and specs will be confirmed in November 2023, but there will be a standard Superb, a sportier-looking Sportline version and the luxury-focused Laurin & Klement trim. The slightly raised and more rugged-looking Scout estate will not be offered in the UK.