Skoda Superb VS Volkswagen Passat
Skoda Superb
Likes
- As good to drive as you'd hope
- Awesome cabin practicality
- Subtle and refined
Dislikes
- Nearly premium pricing
- No hybrid powertrains for Oz
- Exterior styling a bit conservative
Volkswagen Passat
Likes
- Roomy interior
- Confident and powerful on road
- Great tech
Dislikes
- Classic Euro seats ... aka hard on the backside
- Missing some charging ports in rear
- Expensive servicing costs
Summary
Skoda Superb
Look, I get it. You’re upsizing. Maybe it’s finally time for a family car, but the thing is, you love driving and the overwhelming number of SUVs most brands want to throw at you just don’t cut it.
Increasingly few brands are catering to this specific niche. Even Volkswagen has left the humble sedan and wagon behind by choosing not to replace the Passat.
For this review, though, we’re looking at the new-generation Skoda Superb. It sits atop the Skoda sedan and wagon range, a size-up from the Octavia.
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- Why this electric SUV won't suffer the same fate as the Tesla Model Y and BYD Seal
Does this new-generation car stand up as the ideal non-SUV for you or your family? We took a look at a preview drive in Europe ahead of its Australian arrival in the second quarter of 2025.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.2L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Volkswagen Passat
I'm calling it - the Volkswagen Passat is the forgotten hero of station wagons.
It's surprisingly large while retaining the creature comforts and understated styling of old-world glamour.
Then enters the R-Line. A badge that diehard Volkswagen enthusiasts know is synonymous with sporty performance and handling.
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However, it can be overlooked for its more affordable rivals, the Mazda6 and Skoda Octavia wagons.
But does affordability take it out of the running for the family market? Or is this the answer for the drivers who don't want to compromise on performance but still have a kid (or three) to throw in the back?
I've been hauling my little family of three around town this week to see what the big blue wagon could do.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.1L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Skoda Superb7.9/10
If you’re part of the endangered species who wants to continue to go against the crowd and pick a sedan or wagon over an SUV - the Superb is about as good as it gets without spending luxury car money.
It’s slick and classy, refined and practical, it’s dollops of fun on a curvy road, and more entertaining than its most direct rivals. Frankly, it’s hard to see why you shouldn’t look at the Superb if your budget stretches far enough for it.
Remember to check back in early 2025 closer to the Superb’s launch in Australia for our final verdict and some of the missing details, but for now this is one is worth keeping an eye out for.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Volkswagen Passat8/10
I so enjoyed driving the Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line. It's a roomy wagon that should fit a lot of different types of families. It still has sporty performance that will entice even the most reluctant family car buyer, so don't be turned off by its large proportions! I really like the comfort, convenience and handling of this one, so it gets an easy 8.0/10 from me.
My kid thought the blue colour was cool and loved having so many things to play with in the back seat. His only complaint was about the heavier doors but he still managed. He gives it an 8.0/10, too.
Design
Skoda Superb
There are numerous styling tweaks for the new-generation car, but at a distance it’s hardly a revolution from the outgoing version. Skoda sticks to a pretty conservative formula for its core range of vehicles.
In the metal and up-close, I reckon it looks fresh and understated, perhaps even a little stately with its extra length. After all, the Superb has a more important role to fill than ever before for the VW Group with the departure of the Passat.
Key changes include more sleek and compact light fittings, new wheel designs and a tweaked grille.
Inside, some of the most notable changes are the new screens and software, but there’s also a more elegant treatment for the dash, which uses an interesting pattern to cover the air vents and separate the upper and lower sections.
There’s also a notable increase in soft-touch materials. The brand also says 100 per cent of the textiles used in its new interior are made of recycled fibres.
New wheel and column-mounted switchgear helps keep the centre console clear, and key climate hardware makes a glorious return in a set of tidy multi-function dials.
Volkswagen Passat
The Passat is a large car and stands at 4708mm long, 1832mm wide and 1504mm high. The boxier rear and long nose make these proportions feel even larger.
The 2023 model doesn't see much change, if any, to the previous iteration. The exterior features the classic VW sharp pleat that runs the length of the body, slim-line LED lights and pronounce grille with lots of chrome accents found throughout.
It looks shiny, new and stylish, but not garish. You'd be proud to be seen in this.
The interior is also classically VW – sharp, a little pared back and hosting easy to see buttons and dials. The adjustable ambient lighting elevates the cabin space, as does the black headliner (R-Line exclusive).
An interesting feature is the directional air vents, the slatted design is carried the entire length of the dash which accentuates the width of the car. It all looks seamless and well thought out.
Practicality
Skoda Superb
For a start, The dials go a long way to making the interior much more pragmatic and functional, particularly for the driver, compared to almost every other VW Group product.
Not only do they provide physical hardware for ease of adjustment, you can also press them down to switch what they control. It’s even customisable via the centre screen if you don’t want to have to click through all the options all the time.
I’d go so far as to say the Skoda interior features are the best the brand has to offer. It features the best of the new stalks, screens, and touch-based light function buttons, without the inconvenience and distraction of the touch sliders which appear in VWs and Cupras.
Let’s also not forget the brand’s signature ‘simply clever’ touches, of which there are new ones. Yes, of course the umbrella is still hidden in the door, but there’s now also a little screen cleaning eraser block in the centre console (a genuinely great idea in the era of touchscreens which I’ve never seen before), a set of removable floating caddies in the armrest console (which Skoda refers to as the ‘Jumbo Box’ thanks to its 5.5-litre capacity), integrated rear window shades, Velcro cargo brackets in the boot and removable bins in the front door pockets.
The rear seat offers an enormous amount of room for myself behind my own driving position at 182cm tall, and there’s no shortage of leg and headroom. Unfortunately there is a raise in the floor to allow for all-wheel drive, making it squishy for an adult in that centre rear position.
Aside from the integrated window shades, the Superb also gets a set of three pockets on the backs of each front seat, mounting brackets for tablets or game consoles (great for kids) and a small touch panel on the back of the console for the rear climate zone.
There are also adjustable air vents and USB-C outlets for charging. Large bottle holders appear in each door, with a further two in the armrest, which also has a flip-out tray with a little phone holder.
The liftback still benefits from an impressive 645-litre luggage capacity, while the wagon balloons to 690 litres while adding that hatch opening back, larger and more useful than most mid-size SUVs.
Towing will be possible, although we don’t yet have figures for the new car, as it is subject to change in line with Australian design rules.
Volkswagen Passat
A very practical family wagon with all passengers enjoying ample head and legroom.
The amenities in both rows are very good. The seats are fairly comfortable but the lumbar support isn't awesome. The massage function on the driver's side is a nice novelty but not strong enough to be called a massage. Think of it as gently stretching.
For storage, you get a decently sized middle console, dedicated phone tray, cooled glove box, drink bottle holders in each door and two cupholders.
There are plenty of charging options available for the front with two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket. Bonus having the wireless Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto), as it's one less cable you have to worry about.
In general, I like how easy the tech is to use. The 9.2-inch touchscreen multimedia system looks great and is responsive.
It's easy to get all the connections going and you can pull the built-in satellite navigation directions through to the 10.25-inch digital instrument panel. I did miss having a head-up display this week but the info on the instrument panel is displayed clearly.
The back seat gets a couple of cupholders in the fold-down armrest and drink bottle holders in each door. It also has directional air vents with climate control, reading lights and one USB-C port for charging. However, I would have liked to have seen another charging port, to limit sibling squabbles.
There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats plus three top tether anchor points.
The backseat is wide enough to fit three child seats side by side if needed, and there's plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.
The windows are wide and offer good visibility but I really like the 142mm ground clearance. It was super easy for my six-year old to climb in and out.
The only thing he mentioned he didn't like was how heavy the doors were to operate. I don't mind this because they feel solid but they do swing wide, so be wary of letting any wild kids just hop out themselves in a crowded car park. You may get (or inflict) some dings.
The boot is a great size at 650L, with all seats in use, but if you pop down the backseats, that jumps up to 1780L.
The back seat also split-folds 40/20/40, which opens up your storage options. I enjoyed using the powered tailgate with kick function, it's handy on the grocery run.
Price and features
Skoda Superb
At the time of writing, it was too early to tell you what the final price-tag for Australian-delivered cars will be. We also don’t have exact local specification, although the brand has confirmed it will continue to only import a single high-grade Sportline for the next-gen car. It also said not to expect pricing to jump too far from the circa-$70,000 price-tag of the outgoing car.
What is new this time around? Expect an even nicer design on the inside, paired with a big jump in cabin tech.
The grade we tested for this review is the most similar car produced in Europe right now, equipped with leather seats with power adjust and heating, a 13-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto running a fresh user interface, a 10-inch digital dash cluster based on VW’s very good digital cockpit suite, tri-zone climate control, matrix LED headlights, as well as new adaptive suspension and drive modes.
It’s worth noting Australian cars will miss out on a handful of cool features available in the European market, like the connected services features which enable more detailed navigation. We also don’t expect to see mild hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains this time around, which feels like a shame.
There’s no question the Superb will be an expensive car, then, but it occupies a unique position in the Australian market. It’s larger and more luxurious than a Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6 or Toyota Camry, while competing on the price-front with luxury cars a size-down like the Lexus ES or Volvo S60.
Volkswagen Passat
The 206 TSI R-Line is top of a (small) two-model line-up. Our example has been finished in 'Lapiz Blue', a colour exclusive to the R-Line. Otherwise, expect a sea of monochromatic colour options.
We say top model but it's not necessarily a massive jump up in specifications from the 162 TSI Elegance, you're paying for the engine performance on this one.
This R-Line will cost you $67,790, before on-road costs. That's a $4K price hike from the 2022 model with no discernible upgrades.
And that price tag still puts it well above its closest rivals, with the Octavia RS 180 TSI being $53,090 and the Mazda6 Atenza at $52,140 (all before on-road costs).
However, you won't be disappointed with the features list with Nappa leather-appointed seat trim, R-Line stitched detailing on the floor mats and seats, electric and heated front seats, massage function on the driver's seat, a panoramic sunroof as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto all coming as standard.
The R-Line also enjoys 19-inch alloy wheels, a full-sized spare, heat insulating tinted glass, 65 per cent light reducing rear privacy glass and 30-way adjustable ambient lighting in the cabin.
Under the bonnet
Skoda Superb
Only one engine will be available in Australia, a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four producing a punchy 195kW/400Nm, a slight upgrade on the outgoing car. It drives all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Aside from this tweaked powertrain, the new car also has some structural enhancements thanks to its merging onto the new VW Group 'MQB Evo' platform which comes with tweaks to chassis rigidity, suspension, as well as new adaptive dampers.
Volkswagen Passat
The R-Line has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol powertrain with a maximum output of 206kW/350Nm.
That puts its engine specs 44kW up on the Elegance model and you feel that difference when you put your foot down.
The six-speed auto transmission provides surprisingly smooth shifting in most settings. The grunty engine combined with the all-wheel drive creates a sporty and purposeful driving experience.
Efficiency
Skoda Superb
We don’t have official figures for the Australian market, or even for this engine in the European market as it hasn’t started production yet (we tested 2.0-litre diesel AWD versions for this review).
Don’t expect it to stray too far from the roughly 8.0L/100km the outgoing car scores on the official combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle. The new engine will continue to require mid-shelf 95 RON unleaded petrol.
Volkswagen Passat
That powerful engine does cost you a little bit with efficiency. The official combined fuel figure is 8.1L/100km and real-world testing saw my figure at 8.6L.
Not too bad for the type of driving I did this week, which was a combo of open-road and urban. I wasn't scared of putting my foot down but I would expect to see a double-digit figure in an urban setting.
This has a 66L fuel tank and based on the official combined figure, you should be able to get around 815km driving range, which is great.
Driving
Skoda Superb
The Superb is just that when you get it out on the road. While it might look like a plain old sedan or wagon, it drives with quite some finesse.
For this test we weren’t able to sample the 195TSI 2.0-litre turbo-petrol which will come to our market. We drove a 2.0-litre diesel instead.
It still had quite a bit of get up and go, and we’ve driven the 195TSI in other vehicles to be confident enough to say it will remove the occasional turbo lag we experienced.
Regardless, some of the best changes to the Superb are in its suspension, steering and underpinnings. This is a tight, reactive car, with a confident long wheelbase, heaps of grip and sharp steering.
Unlike some smaller vehicles which share the same components, you can feel the Superb’s weight and breadth shift around a little more in the corners. But it does so with a pleasing amount of grace, and powers out of corners in such a way that it’s hard not to have a smile on your face.
This is a car which is pragmatic in the day-to-day, but also a dollop of fun on a curvy road. As you sit nice and low and feel a lot more connected to the road than you do in one of Skoda’s SUVs for example, the Superb is perfect for the ex-hot-hatch driver.
Ride-wise this big car proved very comfortable in our time with it. The suspension components have been upgraded for this new generation version, but so has chassis rigidity.
It’s hard to draw a definitive line through refinement, though, as the European roads on which we were testing our cars are much better sealed than Australian tarmac. Still the Superb soaked what few bumps were there up with ease.
There’s even a notable increase in refinement, thanks to acoustic lamination on the windows, and even the diesel version’s engine note was quite distant.
The drive experience here is hard to fault. Sure, this is a big car with a bit of weight to throw around, but it proved to be confident, graceful and comfortable, at least on the European roads we tested it on.
Volkswagen Passat
The performance of this is to be commended. Powerful but poised, there's a sense of performance in reserve when you put your foot down and while still fun, it's not unbridled power.
It inspires confidence, the lower centre of gravity and firm steering meaning you tackle corners with minimum roll. You can accelerate out of a corner a little earlier than you might normally in this.
The cabin is nice and quiet with some road noise at higher speeds but not enough to intrude on chatting.
Despite suspension that feels sporty, aka stiff, the ride comfort is very good, with back seat passengers also feeling the comfort. There's not a lot of jostling in this.
Let's talk parking. It is a large car but you don't feel those dimensions when you park it.
It's very forgiving to manoeuvre with the front and rear parking sensors, crisp 360-degree view camera and tight 11.7m turning circle!
And if you're not confident it has a self-parking feature.
Safety
Skoda Superb
Expect the full array of active safety gear when the Superb lands down under, including freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. There’s also adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
The Superb is also equipped with an array of 10 airbags, and as the version which will land in Australia is built in the same plant as its European companions, there’s a higher chance its Euro NCAP maximum five-star rating will transfer across to an ANCAP assessment.
Volkswagen Passat
This has a good list of safety features with the following being standard: LED daytime running lights, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree view reversing camera with dynamic guidelines, front and rear parking sensors, driver fatigue alert, and adaptive cruise control (with stop/go function).
I like the Emergency Assist feature which will provide multiple visual and sound alerts if there's no steering wheel activity detected. If there's still no driver input, the car will slow down and ultimately come to a complete stop.
The Passat's maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating has just expired and at the time of writing was yet to be retested.
The 2023 Passat has nine airbags, including side airbags for the rear outboard seats, as well as curtain airbags covering both rows.
There are three top tethers across the rear row and ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard positions.
Ownership
Skoda Superb
Expect Skoda to continue with its seven-year and unlimited kilometre warranty. It’s the first Euro brand to offer such a warranty, and hence moves the game forward and puts pressure on its most direct rivals to do the same.
Expect the usual pre-packaged service plans, although pricing and details will be revealed closer to the Superb’s launch window in 2025.
Volkswagen Passat
The Passat comes with a market standard five-year/unlimited km warranty, and roadside assistance is included for one year (through Allianz Insurance) if you get your car serviced at a VW centre.
There is a three- or five-year capped price servicing plan that can be pre-purchased and will save you money compared to the pay-as-you go option. Servicing averages $620 though, which is expensive for the class.
Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 16,500km – whichever occurs first.