The next-generation Skoda Superb will get an overhaul inside and out.
Skoda has made huge strides with its latest Octavia and the all-new Enyaq iV electric SUV, but the brand hasn’t forgotten its flagship saloon and estate, the Superb, which celebrates its 20th birthday this year. Spied testing recently, the Mk4 Skoda Superb will introduce a fresh approach to exterior styling and an all-new cabin when it arrives in 2024.
The Superb will still be based on MQB, the VW Group’s modular platform. But as the car caught testing shows, it will get a slight increase in length and wheelbase to help further distance it from the Octavia, which grew for its fourth generation.
Expect the Superb’s exterior look, as previewed in our exclusive images, to make use of that extra length, including a slightly longer rear overhang and an almost coupé-like roofline for the hatch. The side profile will be enhanced by strong single shoulder lines running along the flanks, identified recently by Skoda exterior designer Petr Matusinec as one of its key design criteria. The car should also feature one of the widest ever executions of Skoda’s grille.
The Superb will also be powered by the VW Group’s final generation of combustion engines, including 2.0-litre petrol and diesel motors compatible with Euro 7 emissions rules likely to be introduced in 2025 and effective across its range.
It will also be available with a new plug-in hybrid powertrain; Skoda CEO Thomas Schäfer recently confirmed to Automotive Daily that while there are no plans for a PHEV version of the Kodiaq, the likes of the Octavia and Superb remain very popular in Europe with fleets which helps justify the development cost of accommodating hybrid variants.
It’s inside where the Superb should get closest to revolution, with a new approach to how users interact with the controls. This has been a controversial area within the VW Group, thanks to a mixed response for the interface within the latest Golf.
Skoda avoided some of these problems through better use of its infotainment screens, but Schäfer says that more fundamental revisions will arrive with the Superb. “The car’s interior is a huge step forward,” he told us. “It will carry our new user language, which extends to what you touch and feel. Superb will get it first, and then [the second-generation] Kodiaq after.
“We’ll see some elements from Enyaq iV, but we think we need to do more of the traditional controls, not only playing with the biggest display in the industry [a hint that the Superb could feature the Enyaq’s 13-inch screen] but also having elements that make sense for our brand. If there’s one brand that should be functional, clear and easy to use, it’s us.” Automotive Daily understands this could mean multiple functions for single physical dials and switches.
John McIlroy