Skoda Superb hatchback (2008-2015) - Interior & comfort

Climb into the driver or passenger seat and you sit surprisingly low in the Skoda Superb, so you feel cocooned by the dashboard and doors. The seats are wide and soft, with just enough support to keep you and your passenger in place. That's unless you get too enthusiastic through corners, in which case you'll slide around in your seat.

Dashboard

As an important member of the Volkswagen Group, which includes other manufacturers such as VW, Audi, SEAT, Bentley and even Lamborghini, Skoda has access to a wide range of high-quality interior components.

The Superb is no exception, with robust plastics and solid switchgear throughout. The layout is logical and easy-to-use, with a large central touchscreen display showing the sat nav, stereo and climate controls. All the buttons for the air-conditioning are exactly where you'd expect to find them, although the colour scheme and general interior design are a bit dull.

The layout is also beginning to show its age when you compare it to newer Skoda models such as the Octavia, while a few key features – such as a USB socket for charging your phone – are missing.

Equipment

It's hard to pick holes with the Skoda Superb's equipment, though. Even the entry-level S model has air-conditioning, front and rear electric windows and 16-inch alloy wheels as standard, along with an excellent multifunction steering wheel, a Bluetooth phone connection and cruise control.

Move up a level and more goodies appear. The SE gets Alcantara seats, while SE Plus models have sat nav as standard. Elegance models feature pretty much everything you could ever need, including leather seats, 19-inch alloys and a DAB radio.

Yet it's no good having all these toys if they’re impossible to use. Fortunately, one of the Superb's strengths is that programming the sat nav or working out how to connect your phone through Bluetooth is always straightforward and accompanied by simple instructions on the central screen.

Options

Even though the Superb features a comprehensive range of standard equipment, there's still a lengthy options list. Fortunately, these extras are generally well priced. There's a range of different alloy wheel designs and stereo upgrades. We'd recommend the rear side airbags (£275) and front and rear parking sensors (£340) if they're not already fitted, as one of the Superb's few drawbacks is that its sheer size makes it tricky to park.