Skoda chases police sales with new Superb as it keeps faith in dying large-car class

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Skoda Australia is chasing police forces with its new Superb sedan and wagon, as well as a mini revival of the dying large-car segment.

The fourth-generation Superb arrives as one of just three large cars offered below $70,000 RRP, joining the entry-level Lexus ES (from $65,540) and single-spec Honda Accord (from $64,900). 

Skoda’s entrant is the only non-hybrid, powered by a 195kW 2.0-litre turbo petrol related to the engine used in the VW Golf GTI and Skoda Octavia RS.

“We see an opportunity owing to the past segment size [of large cars],” said Skoda Australia boss Lucie Kuhn. 

Kuhn referenced a chart showing that while the large-car segment under $70,000 had plummeted since 2014, sales of $70K-plus large cars had remained relatively stable.

“We also see opportunity with emergency services, especially the police who need vehicles with a low price but also high speed [capability].”

The new Superb sits at the crossover point of the under/over $70K mark, priced from $67,990 before on-road costs for the liftback sedan and from $69,690 for the wagon.

The only options are a $1900 panoramic sunroof (wagon only) and ‘premium’ metallic paint charged at $770.

Prices have increased by $2400 over the old model but Skoda says the new Superb adds standard features with a value it places at $8500.

New features include front seats with heating, ventilation and massage functions, heated rear seats, head-up display, regular metallic paint is now standard, and expanded driver-assist systems include vehicle-exit warning, emergency steering assist, traffic-sign recognition, and Travel Assist semi-autonomous steering.

Other notable inclusions are adaptive suspension, 19-inch alloy wheels, ‘Matrix’ LED adaptive headlights, 13-inch infotainment touchscreen, 10-inch digital driver cluster, heated steering wheel, dual-level customisable LED interior lighting, tri-zone climate control, wireless smartphone connectivity, and a 12-speaker Canton audio system.

The Superb is again offered in Sportline trim only, which brings various gloss-black finishes to exterior elements including the grille, mirror caps and, for the wagon, roof rails.

A sole drivetrain is offered for now – a 195kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo petrol powering all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. It’s essentially the same engine used in the VW Golf GTI hot-hatch and Skoda Octavia RS, though it delivers an extra 30Nm in the Superb.

Skoda quotes 0-100km/h acceleration times of 5.6 and 5.9 seconds respectively for the liftback and wagon, making the latest Superb a few tenths quicker than before.

Fuel consumption also improves slightly – from 8.0 to 7.7L/100km (liftback) and from 8.1 to 7.8L/100km (wagon).

Skoda Australia is set to introduce a plug-in hybrid Superb in early 2026, a variant that will combine a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor for an EV driving range of more than 100km and lower official fuel consumption. The Kodiaq seven-seater is also planned to gain the PHEV option locally.

The Superb wagon is fractionally shorter in length than the liftback but offers even more boot space – 634 versus 589 litres – thanks to its longer, flatter roofline.

Superb sales registered their lowest full-year figure in 2024, with just 153 units. The large car’s best year was 984 units in 2017, the year Holden stopped building the Commodore.