Skoda‘s Greenline brand is the Czech company’s version of a VW Bluemotion or a Ford Econetic. Coming first to the Fabia, it’s soon also heading to the Octavia, but before that comes the upper medium Superb Greenline.
A 105PS 1.9-litre diesel engine sounds like it should be puny when powering something that’s 60mm longer than a Mondeo and 73mm longer than its VW Passat sister car, but Skoda’s engineers have performed miracles and it never somehow feels over-worked while returning borderline-obscene fuel consumption figures. Even around town, a light right foot and thoughtful, well-planned manoeuvres meant fuel economy in the high 60mpg bracket is possible, well over the claimed 55.4mpg combined figure.
This despite the Greenline being well equipped. It’s no stripped-out eco model, this spec has cruise control, aircon, seven airbags, an air conditioned glovebox, and even an umbrella slotted into the rear door.
And opening that rear door reveals another of the Superb’s massive plus points. The rear seat space is immense, almost rival luxury models, let alone those from the executive class one up from where the Skoda sits.
And in the front it’s just as impressive, with good quality paterials that have obviously filtered down from parent company Volkswagen. And though it’s no sports car too drive, refinement, ride and comfort are all very impressive, even at motorway speed where the gear ratios of the five-speed gearbox are well set out to keep engine revs low without hampering acceleration.
The cost per mile figures from Kwik Carcost show the Superb at an excellent 39.0p per mile, thanks to the ultra-competitive sub-£17,000 P11D. From a corporate point of view, it’s difficult to find a car more easily recommendable. Only the ill-educate badge snobs that are stuck in an image of the company’s products of 15 years ago could possibly find serious fault.
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