Skoda Superb? It really is

Skoda named its flagship model Superb when it launched in 2001 and it could have been deemed boastful - but, as it turned out it really was as good as was claimed.Now in its third generation it is even better than ever.

In estate guise, as tested here, it offers one of the roomist interiors you’ll find unless you’re in the market and have the funds for a luxury limousine.

And, despite its massive wheelbase it manages to look sleek and sporty and not at all estate-like.

Superb Estate is not one-size fits all either, it can be had with a myriad of different engines depending on your wants and needs. Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid are all available including a sporty turbocharged petrol packing 276bhp.

We tested the slightly less potent 1.4litre TSI iV plug-in hybrid but its 216bhp was more than enough to propel the Superb from 0-62mph in a little under eight seconds.

The 85kw electric motor coupled to the petrol engine gives a theoretical 156-235 mpg but that only computes if you use electric power only and charge it up each journey. Having said that it does have a range of 38miles before switching over to petrol so it is not as daft as it sounds.

During our week together we made a three-hour journey to the Lake District with four adults and a boot full of luggage, swiftly, comfortably and economically.

Motorways and A-roads are its forte but It soaked up the bumps and potholes on the minor Lake District roads.

Getting comfy in the Superb is simplicity itself. The steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach and the driver’s seat has adjustable seat and lumbar support.

There’s plenty of kit on board and it is all configured in such a way as to make it intuitive to use with regularly used controls operated by buttons.

Overall, visibility is excellent with thin windscreen pillars and large door mirrors.

These coupled with front and reversing sensors and the optional rear-view camera (not present on our SE L trim) make for safe manoeuvering

What SE L trim does have however is LED adaptive headlights as standard. This means you don’t need to keep flicking off your main beam on and along country lanes, the system does it for you.

Skoda have kept the quirky touches such as an ice scraper incorporated into the fuel filler cap and slots for umbrellas in the driver and front passenger doors.

Infotainment is by way of a responsive and easy to use touchscreen with, in the case of the SE L, a built-in sat nav. For those who like to use the apps on their phone instead there is wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay.

Boot room is enormous - even the hybrid has 510 litres of space with the seats in place - legroom, headroom and shoulder room are to die for and there are storage spaces galore.

And the price for all this luxury? Our iV SE L came in at £41,150 and with the addition of the winter pack (heated steering wheel, seats etc), wireless charging and metallic paint added up to £41,150.