2015 Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 150 Laurin and Klement first drive

The Superb is a car with a confusing brochure. Flicking through the dimensions and equipment pages convinces you you're dealing with a large executive. However, turn to the price list and the numbers don't stack up, because Skoda is adamant it can sell you one for family car money.

The previous Superb's trademark feature was its segment-defying rear legroom. Amazingly, the new model is wider than before, as well as longer with a longer wheelbase. Despite this, its more advanced MQB platform means it's a considerable 75kg lighter, too.

This recipe of big space for small outlay has seen more than 42,000 people sign up for a Superb in the UK since 2002; not a volume seller but an important one nonetheless. An estate is on the way, along with an ultra clean and frugal GreenLine model. Here, though, we drive the hatch in best-selling diesel manual flavour. 

Its competitive pricing and big cabin give the Superb a wide spectrum of fleet-biased rivals, but it's ultimately the likes of Ford's Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen's Volkswagen Passat and BMW's 3 Series that Skoda will want its new Superb to be elbowing out of the way. 

Good to drive but not great. This 2.0-litre diesel feels no less punchy than it does in the lighter Octavia, being committed from as low as 1400rpm and properly together by 1800. Revving it out reveals a usefully wide band of torque, too, with no steps in the power delivery.

Our car was fitted with Skoda's six-speed, twin-clutch automatic which continues to frustrate in the same areas as almost all other applications. It dithers from standstill and lags on some manual down changes. Left to its own devices, though, the changes are generally quick and smooth on the move.

It's a hushed engine at idle, this 2.0-litre, and settles down quickly on the motorway in sixth gear. Push hard, however, and it starts to get vocal in the cabin and send back some vibration at the pedals. That said, it's no worse than a Passat or 3 Series-equivalent diesel.

Versions with adaptive dampers, such as our 18in-wheeled test car, have three modes - Normal, Comfort and Sport. While the Superb's steering is always vague, Sport gives it some weight and inspires more confidence in exploring what are actually fairly high levels of grip, as well as stiffening the dampers and keeping the body on its best behaviour.

Make no mistake, though - while the Superb's front end isn't entirely without urgency, this is no Mondeo and certainly no 3 Series in the handling department.

The Superb's ride hinders its mid-corner composure, too. In Normal and Comfort modes, initial contact with bumps is less abrupt but there's too much vertical body movement. Stiffen things up with Sport and undulating roads are better tamed, but sharp edged imperfections are more prominent in the cabin. Again, a standard Mondeo or an adaptive damper-equipped 3 Series or Passat are far more accomplished here.

None of these rivals can match the Superb for space, though. Four tall adults enjoy executive levels of head- and legroom, while three adults can be comfortably accommodated across the rear seats. 

These same seats can be split 60/40 and folded down using standard boot wall levers. The result is a long square space, even if there's a pronounced boot lip to lift heavy bags over and a step-up in the boot floor caused by the rear seatbacks. With the rear seats returned to their upright position, boot space is an impressive 625 litres for 2015 - markedly more than all of the car's rivals.