RE: Skoda Superb 280

Monday 11th July 2016

Skoda Superb 280

Loads of power in an unassuming estate? Sign us up!



Let's not beat about the bush: the Skoda Superb 280 is a car with an incredibly niche appeal. When was the last time you saw a petrol Skoda Superb of any kind? Moreover, of the 165 Superbs for sale on PH, just 10 are petrol powered.

Fortunately enough, it has exactly the kind of appeal that we like. Namely by combining plentiful power with huge practicality and a level of visual modesty rarely seen in a world of M-Line Sport AMG 120hp diesels. Dare it be said, the Superb 280 is kind of cool.

Fast in a SEAT, still fast in a Skoda
Fast in a SEAT, still fast in a Skoda
As you may have guessed from the name, this Skoda uses the 280hp version of the 2.0-litre EA888 turbo that sees service in all manner of VW group hot hatches. As owners of those cars will know also, it's an eminently tuneable engine, with 350hp merely a software tweak away. But let's not get carried away just yet; as standard the Superb 280 will hit 62mph in 5.8 seconds and 155mph, aided in those efforts by standard DSG and all-wheel drive. Quick by any standards, and indeed the fastest Skoda ever produced. To demonstrate (and celebrate) the fact, Skoda has pitched the Superb against a few old supercar icons in a drag race - see the video here.

Elsewhere, the 280 is regular Superb. It carries no vRS or similar branding, instead offered with a choice of SE L Executive, Laurin & Klement or Sportline specifications and either the hatch or estate body. All models come as standard with leather, sat-nav and heated seats. Oh yes, and a 660-litre boot in the estate.

Officially the Superb 280 costs from £31,445 for the hatch or £32,745 for the wagon. When an A4 S Line TDI with 150hp costs £32,000, that looks even better value. Plus, as is so often the way with large, petrol engined cars, the Superb is already depreciating. This white estate with 3,500 miles is £28,999. Long live the mainstream fast estate!


 

Leon image: Ben Lowden

 

Author
Discussion

Master Bean

Original Poster:

3,519 posts

119 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
A modern take on the saab/volvo sleepers of old. I'll buy one in 6 years.

HJMS123

988 posts

132 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Master Bean said:
A modern take on the saab/volvo sleepers of old. I'll buy one in 6 years.
I'm sure you'll have at least 4 to choose from tongue out

Charlie Michael

2,750 posts

183 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Love it! Coming to a local constabulary near you soon! hehe

Witchfinder

6,250 posts

251 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Fantastic. If I didn't need the third row of seats, I'd definitely have one of these!

legless

1,687 posts

139 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
I've got one of these at the moment. It's probably one of the best all-round cars I've ever had.

I actually believe it to be a better car overall than the A6 BiTDI I've had in the past.

ahenners

594 posts

125 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
How do these handle? I suspect they are set up for comfort and there's a bit of roll?

Wish they'd put this powertrain in the Octavia!

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Over 10% off from various brokers too.

I want many people to buy/lease/whatever these, so I can selfishly pick one up in five years time for a song.

legless

1,687 posts

139 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
ahenners said:
How do these handle? I suspect they are set up for comfort and there's a bit of roll?

Wish they'd put this powertrain in the Octavia!
I've got the L&K, with DCC adjustable dampers as standard.

In 'comfort' mode, it's completely floaty barge-tastic, but firms up very nicely in sport mode - feels similar to my wife's Octavia VRS in this mode.

I don't know what the non-DCC setup is like though.

Mr GrimNasty

8,172 posts

169 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
One of those cars that you note in your mind would be a great 2nd hand buy when the first owner mugs have chopped it in, and then completely forget about!

bazza white

3,552 posts

127 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
This engine in the rapid spaceback and a vrs badge. Come on Skoda.

ManOpener

12,467 posts

168 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Whilst the 280BHP EA888 is no doubt an excellent engine, I'd struggle not to plump for one of the older 3.6L VR6 powered ones, given the sound that engine makes with a nice set of pipes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQDSewqE1gM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7YSsW4g1jU

j90gta

563 posts

133 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
All that car for less than the price of a Mini Clubman!!

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
j90gta said:
All that car for less than the price of a Mini Clubman!!
Modern day Sierra Cosworth 4wd

mikemike08

1,609 posts

93 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
I have a 2012 superb estate tdi 170 , it's great car but doesn't waft as good as the 2015 c class estate on 16's although it does feel quality

Bladedancer

1,260 posts

195 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
I know sleeper must be discreet, but this goes well beyond that, past boring and well into wallpaper paste bland territory. Shame.

rainmakerraw

1,222 posts

125 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
HJMS123 said:
I'm sure you'll have at least 4 to choose from tongue out
There have been 71 of the 280s registered so far this year, so not quite as unpopular as Škoda imagined. Still a drop in the dag-tastic ocean of TDIs though. I have the 220ps version of the same engine (gen3 EA888) in SE-L Executive hatch form with standard suspension. Although it's not a sports saloon it handles quite tidily for its size and although it's a bit less powerful than the 280 is lacks the AWD so it's lighter. There's minimal body roll even when turning in hard (provided you balance the weight on the throttle properly), and it's comparatively light at 1,430KG. It's acceptably brisk (0-60 in 6 seconds measured, 6.9 according to the conservative Škoda brochure) and returns 43+mpg on the motorway and mid 30s to 40mpg pottering about.

We fit two adults and three kids in it (two of whom are in child seats) and a boot full of luggage and I still get to hoon about the B roads on the weekends. It's not perfect, and the factory throttle map is dull (pedal box to the rescue) but overall it's a cracking Q car and family bus that's barely any worse on fuel than a clattery TDI, but twice as much fun and twice as refined. If it had mechanical steering, slightly tighter suspension and a more responsive throttle map from factory it'd be near perfect.

philmots

4,630 posts

259 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
I'm a fan too but if I was to buy one a few years down the road its have to come with the ZF8 and not DSG

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
Fabulous thing but you'd be crazy to buy one new unless you intended to run it into the ground.

I agree with the comments about the DSG though. A car like this needs a slush-box.

Edited by kambites on Monday 11th July 14:07

legless

1,687 posts

139 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
philmots said:
I'm a fan too but if I was to buy one a few years down the road its have to come with the ZF8 and not DSG
It'll never happen. The ZF8 isn't available in transverse installations, plus the DQ250 DSG box actually suits the car really well.

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Monday 11th July 2016
quotequote all
legless said:
The ZF8 isn't available in transverse installations
The ZF9 is, though.