The Škoda Superb Hatch was victorious at our 2016 Tow Car Awards. Does the 4x4 Estate improve on this winning recipe, or is it not worth the extra? Click here to read David Motton's review.
Škoda Superb Estate tow test
- Thread starter LizziePope
- Start date
- Nov 11, 2009
- 23,561
- 8,099
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Wouldn't disagree with the review as I have recently bought late 2014 170PS 4x4 DSG version and am of the conclusion that it is one of the best tow cars I have owned. Its large and flexible interior combined with 100kg roof loading should meet most needs. It also has a full sized spare wheel and its solo economy is around 50-50mpg on a long run. In the pictures of the review it is not clear what the arrangements are for putting the rear seats down. On mine I can just drop the rear seat backs down and I get maximum load length albeit not with a completely flat floor. However, if I lift the bases of the rear seats and tilt them forwards I get a flat load floor and some protection to the rear of the front seats. This also has the advantage that I can load heavy kit across the car behind the front seats and within its wheel base.
If there is one quibble that I have it is that being a low car its towball is low. I have a Witter detachable towball and to access the breakaway cable tether points can be a knees on the ground job. But with practice I can now feel my way around the assembly. However when loaded the bottom surface of the towball slightly rubs on the pavement as I come off the drive, and it is low enough to cause me some concern over grounding on speed humps and ferry ramps. I have checked all of the height dimensions etc and all are within spec and the car's ride height unloaded is within spec. Looking at the review's test car it looks as if its towball is higher from the ground than mine is, but I suspect the car isn't loaded so all it will be seeing is the caravan's noseweight. Also the latest Skoda Superb tow balls can are permanently fitted and can be released into position by pulling a lever at the rear of the load area. I have considered fitting Skoda's "Bad Road Package" which is available in places like Scandinavia, Russia and India. But it would raise the ride height quite a bit and users report quite a stiffening of the solo ride unless loaded. So I am going to fit some MAD spring assisters which should give the car a bit more stiffness when loaded and a bit more ride height at the rear again when loaded. I used them some years ago with a SAAB 9000 and the solo ride was largely unchanged but the fore-aft pitching reduced.
Its not that the car is over loaded as these days we probably carry less kit than years ago. I recently met a caravaner on a site and he felt similarly about his Passat estate. Saying he took extreme care when going over speed humps, especially those which resemble truncated pyramids.
Please no theses on the "cons' of MAD spring assisters and "yes" I will advise the insurer.
My local Skoda garage which sold me my first Estelle has fitted them to a number of Superbs used for towing and tells me that they do the job.
If there is one quibble that I have it is that being a low car its towball is low. I have a Witter detachable towball and to access the breakaway cable tether points can be a knees on the ground job. But with practice I can now feel my way around the assembly. However when loaded the bottom surface of the towball slightly rubs on the pavement as I come off the drive, and it is low enough to cause me some concern over grounding on speed humps and ferry ramps. I have checked all of the height dimensions etc and all are within spec and the car's ride height unloaded is within spec. Looking at the review's test car it looks as if its towball is higher from the ground than mine is, but I suspect the car isn't loaded so all it will be seeing is the caravan's noseweight. Also the latest Skoda Superb tow balls can are permanently fitted and can be released into position by pulling a lever at the rear of the load area. I have considered fitting Skoda's "Bad Road Package" which is available in places like Scandinavia, Russia and India. But it would raise the ride height quite a bit and users report quite a stiffening of the solo ride unless loaded. So I am going to fit some MAD spring assisters which should give the car a bit more stiffness when loaded and a bit more ride height at the rear again when loaded. I used them some years ago with a SAAB 9000 and the solo ride was largely unchanged but the fore-aft pitching reduced.
Its not that the car is over loaded as these days we probably carry less kit than years ago. I recently met a caravaner on a site and he felt similarly about his Passat estate. Saying he took extreme care when going over speed humps, especially those which resemble truncated pyramids.
Please no theses on the "cons' of MAD spring assisters and "yes" I will advise the insurer.
My local Skoda garage which sold me my first Estelle has fitted them to a number of Superbs used for towing and tells me that they do the job.
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