Skoda Superb S 1.6 TDI CR 5dr Car Review - March 2012

Delivering 104 bhp at 4400 rpm through its four cylinder engine, the Skoda Superb S 1.6 TDI CR reaches a top speed of 117 mph which is fairly good for a car of this class. Unfortunately this fails to reach the highly impressive top speed of 155 mph offered by the petrol-powered Skoda Superb Elegance 3.6 V6 4x4, leaving some buyers disappointed with the performance.

Acceleration speeds are also a little slower than those of other models within the range with the car taking 12.5 seconds to travel from 0-62 mph.

However, this model excels when it comes to efficiency and achieves an impressive 56.5 mpg on a combined cycle – more than double the 28.0 mpg achieved by the Skoda Superb Elegance 3.6 V6 4x4. CO2 emissions are also fairly good for a car of this class at 130 g/km.

In terms of noise disruption, the engine once again performs well. As the latest generation common-rail units, the diesel engines are refined and smooth and the car also does a good job of keeping noise from the wind and road out of the cabin, making the driving experience a pleasant one.

The Skoda Superb S 1.6 TDI CR is an attractive car and even this trim levels offers a good range of kit for drivers. All of the essentials needed in a modern car are available as standard fittings and those looking for additional comfort can always add extra features for an additional cost or upgrade the entire trim level to a more advanced option.

At the S trim level standard equipment includes power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, air conditioning (which can be upgraded to climate control for an additional £500), electric door mirrors, electric front windows and an advanced stereo system with CD and MP3 connectivity. Bluetooth connectivity can also be added for an extra £915 whilst rear parking sensors and cruise control cost £330 and £220 respectively.

A built-in sat nav and leather interior are not available at this trim level.

With plenty of room within the cabin for passengers and luggage, the Skoda Superb S 1.6 TDI CR is a great car for families. The large interior means that comfort levels are high for both passengers and drivers and plenty of adjustment in the seats and steering column only add to this.

The boot capacity is another impressive feature with the car offering a generous 595 litre capacity with the seats up. Folding the rear seats down increases the boot capacity to 1,700 litres, giving owners plenty of options when it comes to transporting large items.

On top of this, the layout of instruments is logical and that makes the car easy to operate. Skoda is known for its high reliability record and the car also comes with a three year warranty for 60,000 miles.

The car achieved the top five star rating for overall safety in the NCAP crash tests, thanks to an advanced safety kit which is fitted as standard and offers driver, passenger and front side airbags along with an alarm and immobiliser to protect against theft.

Priced at £18,495, this model gives buyers a fair amount of car for the money. On top of this, the high efficiency means that running costs are low with refuelling occurring fairly infrequently and road tax and insurance costs falling under bands D and 14 respectively. Both of these are at the lower end of the scale and means that Superb owners get plenty of value for their money.