Skoda Superb 2002 test drive - 2008 -

Hero of our time

A outstanding person, embodied in himself the characteristic features of the era, attracting attention and is the subject of admiration - this is how Ozhegov’s dictionary interprets the word hero. In our opinion, Skoda-Superb largely corresponds to this definition.
 

I'm not a faceless creature
This does not happen in Skoda! - I wanted to exclaim as soon as I ended up in this incredibly spacious salon. Mercedes S-class, seven from BMW, Audi-A8L-only there I could sit in the back seat with the same comfort. And here are heated chairs, gently taking you into their arms, your snow-white skin, perfectly combined with a soft, fabric fabric, wooden inserts, climate control, for completeness, there is not enough monitors, fax, modem, electric shutters, partitions that separated I would from the driver, and a jeep with a guard hid nearby.

 
But I remember exactly - I opened the door of Skoda! Even if wearing a loud name Superb (excellent), but Skoda. Ah yes Czechs! How simple it is to take the Passat’s platform, add 98 mm to the base and get a car at $ 32,000, and the size of the 5th series BMW and Audi-A6. Can not be! - continued to spin in my head obsessively. It happens. In the Czech flagship, it turns out, it doesn’t happen.
 
A strong addition that speaks of the ability to endure all the difficulties of nomadic life and climate changes, dazzling pure linen that has exposed the habits of a decent person, a careless and lazy gait, however, with sure signs of some stealth character. The portrait of Pechorin, drawn by Lermontov in the hero of our time, we remembered by no means by chance. Excellent in one name makes it clear that he does not want to be something mediocre.
 
But we are used to seeing a completely different skoda: high assembly quality, reliability, unpretentiousness, verified, discreet design. And also spaciousness and practicality for smaller money compared to the vast majority of competitors. But what is this hero?
     
One is more beautiful
Classic, comfort and eleganes - in such trim levels, Superb is delivered to both Russia and other countries. True, the receipt of cars adapted for us (the road clearance is increased, the suspension is enhanced, liquids with a lower freezing temperature are used) will begin only in August. But preliminary prices are known.
 
The cheapest superb classic (1.8 liters, 150 hp) can be bought for $ 21,500. Lempting? Undoubtedly. Moreover, even such a car is well equipped: air conditioning, front and lateral airbags, fog lights, ABS, audio training (8 speakers and antenna), an on -board computer, an electric drive of lateral mirrors and glass windows. But still, perhaps, the most slaughter offer in the class is Superb with the V6 motor (193 pp) for $ 25,350.
If you order a car in configuration comfort, know that unlike the basic configuration on it there will be climate control, backlighting the legs not only front, but also the rear passengers, rain sensor, anti-leaking mirrors, as well as light alloy wheels.
 
And finally, Superb Eleganes includes in addition to all the bells and whistles that are in the first two trim levels, bixenon headlights, heating the front and rear seats, the first to electric drive, electric mirrors, cruise control, skin interior and wood.
 
There is a shine in his eyes, a similar splendor is smooth
The hero of Lermontov is composed of vices (as, indeed, advantages) - a collective image. So Superb, even from ten steps, is no wonder to confuse with Octavia or Passat, to see in the appearance of the car almost the features of Audi-A6. That's right - the image is collective. But is such similarity so bad? Let the radiator grille of the superb and substetricians on the hood resemble Octavia. However, they were actually increased, making them more expressive. Bumpers and anterior optics in someone can cause association with Fabia. But after all, in the xenon eyes of the superb, just like the Lermontov hero, there is a shine, a similar brilliance of smooth steel, which you will not find with a Czech small -leaf.
 
   

However, this is far from all. The Lermontov hero should be a rich man, having many different expensive gizmos. The superb climate, cruise control, a good stereo system, heating not only the front, but also the rear seats, the electric mirrors and the anti-isolate effect, parking sensors, rain and so on, so on ...
 
And here you have another slaughter argument - Volkswagen V -shaped six under the hood. What is not the same secret character? Almost two hundred forces combined with a mechanical checkpoint - perfect, I will report to you, a combination.
 
 
How to make not the most exquisite appearance respectable? Of course, add more chrome exterior
 
No classmate has such a huge back door
 
  
One went to a boar
Although the motor is not new, for more than six years it has been produced - but even the Passat with the same 2.8 -liter V6 is still prestigious. The engine is burdened and moderately economical. Only more often you will see it in combination with a machine gun. So I admit, I expected to find a Volkswagen Tipronics here. He would very much go to snow -white skin, wooden inserts and numerous electric drives. And then the handle of mechanics, albeit covered with chrome and wood, but, in my opinion, not the most convenient.
 
However, in half an hour of turtle raids in city traffic jams, I have never regretted the absence of a smart machine. When, finally, the case reached dashing accelerations with restructuring, the non -child’s 280 N. Mm pulled the Czech giant so eagerly and spore that the best of the best thrones would not have mastered. The same motor capacity made it possible to minimize the number of switches. Super allowed, for example, on the third weave 30 and fly 160 km/h! Say, long gears mean sluggish accelerations already somewhere from 120-140 km/h? Nothing like this. V6 is always V6. And soon you already perceive the confident, powerful acceleration from any speed for granted. Maybe not a reactive liner, ready to soak into the sky in a second, but somewhere very close to that.
 
 
The location of the scales of the devices is similar to the Audi-A6, and their digitization is similar to the one at Octavia
 
Thanks to these buttons, the driver's seat will quickly return to one of the three previously configured provisions
      
  
 
Convenient armor of the rear sofa is included in the basic configuration
 
You can put a small umbrella in this pocket, even if it is wet, because special drainage holes are provided here
       

The first to leave the traffic light (8 seconds to hundreds of the result, although not outstanding, but quite, quite worthy) - please. Fasting to storm any turns is also easily. Sometimes it became scary myself, and the car did not think to pass.
 
But why on such a solid sedan is clearly sports low -profile bridges in size 225/45 R17? For me, so too much. In Ingolstadt, for example, tires of this dimension are installed on candid athletes S4 and S6. And if the driver is only happy about such a symbiosis, then passengers shakes significantly more than they expect. Something similar happens in Superbe. But the suspension here is exactly the same as on the Passat: the anterior independent multi-link, the rear-on longitudinal levers connected by a beam. Energy-intensive, perhaps due to the increased length of the wheelbase and other shock absorbers, even, perhaps, a little more comfortable on our potholes, but oh, as you want in the way of comfort of the S-class. They noticed that I am already comparing Skoda with Mercedes!
 
True, there is also the reverse side of the coin. Only thanks to these wide low -profile rollers this thing is manifested. I don’t remember that the Passat could boast of such a magnificent level of lateral accelerations.
 
 
Turning the key in this keyhole, you can, without getting up from the driver's seat, lock the trunk and a gas tank hatch
 
High -frequency speakers found a place in the front and rear doors
      

 
Such a temperature adjustment handle turns a glove box or armrest pocket into a refrigerator.
 
  
I'm not Schumacher, I'm different
Here's another thing that was very interested. The creators made a disabled electronic stabilization program (ESP). Standard practice. But at the same time, a clear hint, they say, and without an electronic watchman, the car will behave perfectly, and nothing threatens your safety. Is it so? We'll see
 
I turn off ESP, so what? The car holds on an arc for a long time. Very correctly, first the front, and then the rear axle begins to fall out. Exactly, I note when you expect. Everything is verified and as safe as possible. Yes, only the difference is when the ESP works, and when it is turned off, you can’t feel it.
 
No, that will not do. Let's try to actively provoke a skid. Finally, the car lazily and reluctantly goes into sliding, but still stubbornly shows that he will not allow the stern to get ahead of the nose in helpless rotation. It can not be? Maybe! Skoda engineers deliberately chewed. Although, with the ESP disconnected, each individual wheel is not braked, but the traction control system did not even think to give its authority to the driver. So, the excessive agility of the motor will still be strangled. What is this, the same Pechorin's fear of drafts? Of course not - care about your own safety. And how many of us are able to drive, as a professional motorist?
 
So, it turns out, the Czechs made impossible, created a car without flaws? Frank abuse cannot take place in any story, ”wrote the poet. Yes, and there is nothing to scold excellent by and large. The moves of the gearbox lever are long. He, although slightly noticeably, vibrates even on idle. Someone, like me, will not like its shape, while others will not tolerate not at all practical light upholstery. A nit -picking all this. The main thing, the car as a whole, in my opinion, fully justifies its name.
 
 
Pretty voluminous (462 l) the trunk could be even more, do not sacrifice the designers with its capacity for the sake of even more the spaciousness of the salon
      
     
On a massive leather and wood of console, there was a place for deflectors of the ventilation system, cigarette lighter, ashtray and buttons of the heating system of the rear seats
      

The last Hero?
According to rumors, at the Spring Geneva salon, the current leader of the Volkswagen Berndt Pishtsrider said that the future of Skoda and a strictly limited budget are inseparable things. And is it advisable to have a car in the Czech lineup that will compete too openly with other concern cars?. If this is true, the Czech hero of our time risks remaining the last. It is still known for sure that they will produce very few excellent: only about 35 thousand cars a year, about 25 thousand will remain in Eastern Europe. Quotes for Russia have not yet been determined. Nevertheless, I would advise everyone to hurry to everyone. Perhaps Super will be in the marketing understanding by a mistake. But, believe me, for such money, such an outstanding car is really a real rarity.
 
  
Skoda Superb 2.8 V6
common data
 
 
Body
5-seater sedan
 
Equipped mass, kg
1501
 
Complete mass, kg
2078
 
Length x width x height, mm
4803 x 1765 x 1459
 
Base, mm
2803
 
Track, mm
1515
 
Maximum speed, km/h
237
 
Acceleration 0-100 km/h, with
8.0
 
Fuel consumption, l/100 km
7.3/14.3
 
Fuel supply, l
62 (AI-98*)
 
 
Engine
 
 
Location
The front is longing
 
Design
 
 
6-cylinder, V-shaped,
two camshafts in the head of the block,
distributed fuel injection
 
The number of valves per cylinder
5
 
Cylinder diameter X piston stroke, mm
82.5 x 86.4
 
Working volume, SMZ
2771
 
Compression ratio
10.6: 1
 
Power, L.S. (kW) at rpm
220 (142) / 6000
 
Torque, kgsm (nm) at rpm
28.6 (280) / 3200
 
 
Chassis
 
 
Transmission
front -wheel drive
 
Transmission
5-speed mechanical
 
Suspension:
Independent, with stabilizers of anti -resistance stability
 
front
Mollycent
 
behind
on longitudinal levers connected by a beam
 
Steering
REMENCH with hydraulic power steering
 
Brakes
 
 
front
Disk ventilated
 
behind
disk
 
The size of the tires
215/55 R16
 
 
* On machines specially prepared for operation in Russia, gasoline with an octane number 91-95 will be possible.
 
 
PER
The quality of manufacture, outstanding capacity, rich equipment and excellent ergonomics, the excellent adaptability of the car to a long movement at high speeds
AGAINST
Lack of proper prestige of the brand, high price (element equipment), low practical light finish, inconvenience of managing the joystick adjusting external mirrors
 
Alexey Sergeev, photo Maxim Goncharov
 
 
 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [05/02]