Just collected our Superb Estate 1.6 CR

[Doc Watchtower]

Well what to say? Where to start?

A short report after a long day.

Today my wife and I collected our Skoda Superb Estate Elegance 1.6 CR in Amethyst with Panoramic Sunroof and Ivory leather interior.

We had to drive 3,5 hours to the dealer and 3.5 hours back. We left our Superb sedan 1.9 TDI PD 2010 modell behind at the dealers with only 8000 kilometers "on the clock" and cruised home and Jebus, what a drive it was :yes:

Here in the arctic circle the sun goes down allready a little over 14:00 hours, so the panoramic sunroof was more a panramic "moon" roof as the moon was out and peeked down on us through the panoramic glass. The drive was over partly snow and ice-covered mountainroads and our first impression, compared with the sedan, was "silky smooth". The estate seemed to tackle bumpy roads much smoother than our limoversion.

Then to the 1.6 CR engine.

At first, surely due to my very timid drivingstyle, i didn`t notice that much difference compared to the "Old" 1.9 engine. Yes, it is a lot more quiet, could easely be mistaken for a petrol-engine. The acceleration is quite fast but it seems that I have to shift a little bit quicker through the fiirst few gears (1-3). Then the car pretty much "floats" and and at cruising speed you only hear the sound of the tires roling on the tarmac, no engine sounds at all! For those inside the car, soundwise, it resembles a bl##dy electric car

You pretty much only are aware of any engine sound when you accelerate.

Then, when we entered the mountains, again on icy, bumpy roads, the car excelled in the "comfort" departement. On ascending, winding roads, long ascending and descending tunnels, parts with tundra where the temperature dropped to a mild minus -15¤ celcius and when driving alongside the fjords, where the vapour from the water freezes to ice on the tarmac the car suddenly had to deal with fog and rain. Inside the car it all felt like we were sitting in a sofa in front of the fire place, the car pretty much drove itself and I never had the feeling that the engine had to work much harder than normal or compared with the 1.9 PD TDI. The biggest difference was that one has to shift gears more actively on moutain-roads, finding the car`s sweet spot, and getting the torque you need at any given time.

For an experienced driver this will not be a problem though. I also overtook a couple of trailers and trucks and as one can imagine, on winding mountain roads, this is not something one must underestimate. I never felt on these occasions that the car would turn into a coffin or that I otherwise was playing with my life.

FYI the car was filled to the brim with supplies from the city, two more or less grown ups, some boxes with tools and a full sett of (4) 17# alloy rims wtih summer-tires in the boot.

The bottom line is I guess, "gnothi seautone" Know thyself. Are you a driver with a heavy foot that needs a car with fast acceleration and lots of extra power, blasting away on highways and the like? Choose a bigger engine!

Are you a driver that enjoys a super smooth, quiet ride in a classy, safe car and your mantra is more like "cruising along in my automobile" than " Go! go! go! Go Johnny go!?

Then the 1.6 will do just fine IMO.

Pictures will be added later.

[2slo]

Nice write up Doc. Glad you got your car at last.

Mark.

[gradevole]

Hello mate,

Thanks for the informative update. I am expecting to collect my 1.6 CR TDI SE Superb Estate only in end December. The review on the small-ish 1.6 CR TDI engine is extremely helpful.

[BilboBaggins]

Thanks for the helpful review. Having taken a gamble and ordered a 1.6CR engine without I test drive I was starting to have concerns given some of the comments on the site.

I am at a stage in life where comfort and refinement are more important than raw power or speed- doesnt matter if it takes 10 or 12 seconds to national speed limit= once there we all go at the same speed anyway, and difference in journey times over more than a couple of hundred metres isnt worth measuring

Makes me all the more impatient to get my car now

[digidoctor]

It needs a DSG. That makes the diffence and not the difference in journey time.

a 5 -manual gear box (with 105 PS Diesel) is allways a compromise in a 2010 Superb from my point a view. And its not a question of journey time

[digidoctor]

And what does 1.6 Diesel with manual gear box has to do with comfort and refinement in the first place? :(

Edited 20 November, 2010 by digidoctor

[Doc Watchtower]

And what does 1.6 Diesel with manual gear box has to do with comfort and refinement in the first place? :(

The money saved by buying a lesser/cheaper engine can be invested straight away in other gadgets, a remote controlled heater e.g.

Unless money is never a concern to you (but hey, this is a Skoda site) this is something to consider. Also will a bigger engine produce more noise and vibrations therefore the 1.6 CR considerations are indeed indirectly related to comfort and refinement.

[Allams Skoda]

Where abouts do you live? Sounds like you've got a very nice car indeed!

[Doc Watchtower]

Where abouts do you live? Sounds like you've got a very nice car indeed!

Northern Norway

[vRSLen]

I guess that under those road conditions, that engine would be

more than adequate

[RedDog]

......... Also will a bigger engine produce more noise and vibrations therefore the 1.6 CR considerations are indeed indirectly related to comfort and refinement.

Well, I've got the 3.6 V6 under the bonnet and it's as quiet as a mouse! :yes:

[Superbjoser]

Northern Norway

Hi

Thanks for a nice report! Halfway through I started wondering about where in Norway you live. My guess was that your dealer probably is in Mo i Rana and you a bit further north! Looking at the maps you seems to be somewhat isolated (or free from) big cities, big roads, traffic jams and crowded places. Why no 4WD?

PS: Don´t forget to change your profile! Yours not on order any more!

/Superbjoser

[Doc Watchtower]

Hei! No. it was actually Sulland.A.S. in Bodø that delivered the car. We are not that isolated though, only 3,5 hours driving time from the nearest airport when you want to avoid the ferries :p

Only 1800 souls in 1,031 km2 (398.1 sq mi) though. so no traffic-congestions on a regular bases.

4x4 is not really needed where we live though, reasonable roadservices and a snowploughing system that keep the roads accessable most of the time, 24/7. Our house is not situated on a steep hillside either which would justify the extra cost of a 4x4. The SHMBO factor prevented me of going for the 4x4 because of the much higher price over here anyway, but for us it would have been overkill in the grip departement. The Superb did an excellent job the other day on very slippery roadsurfaces, on the studded Continentals. Did not even realize how slippery the road was before we stopped for a coffee and my legs almost went into a split in the parking lot.

He he... profile updated

Edited 21 November, 2010 by Doc Watchtower

[philpix]

Hei! No. it was actually Sulland.A.S. in Bodø that delivered the car. We are not that isolated though, only 3,5 hours driving time from the nearest airport when you want to avoid the ferries :p

Only 1800 souls in 1,031 km2 (398.1 sq mi) though. so no traffic-congestions on a regular bases.

4x4 is not really needed where we live though, reasonable roadservices and a snowploughing system that keep the roads accessable most of the time, 24/7. Our house is not situated on a steep hillside either which would justify the extra cost of a 4x4. The SHMBO factor prevented me of going for the 4x4 because of the much higher price over here anyway, but for us it would have been overkill in the grip departement. The Superb did an excellent job the other day on very slippery roadsurfaces, on the studded Continentals. Did not even realize how slippery the road was before we stopped for a coffee and my legs almost went into a split in the parking lot.

He he... profile updated

4x4 needed here. High Council Taxes - Low services. Snow-plough. No-plough more like.

Moan over.

Phil

[2slo]

The SHMBO factor prevented me of going for the 4x4 because of the much higher price over here anyway, but for us it would have been overkill in the grip departement.

The opposite for me. My wife was happy for us to pay more for 4wd, not just for snow and ice (although we get a fair bit where we live) but also for the benefits of 4wd on soaking wet, badly drained and badly maintained roads (the driving conditions in the UK a lot of the time).

The haldex system in the Superb is ideal for this, being able to run in fwd (and so save fuel) on the occasional dry road we might come across :think:

As a matter of interest how much extra is the 4wd superb in Norway? In the UK the elegance 170 4x4 combi is £1430 more than the fwd hatch (both manual).

I have heard that the Norwegian Govt applies higher car tax than in the UK, just wondered how bad?

Mark.

[wamp]

I have heard that the Norwegian Govt applies higher car tax than in the UK, just wondered how bad?

Mark.

really bad.

in short, a superb with or without the 4x4 system is approx 5000pounds in price difference. (whereof apporx 2000pounds is pure tax)

here are some price examples:

1,6 105hp tax between 7800 - 8800pounds price starts from 30.800 pounds for a sedan greenline.

2,0CR 140hp tax between 12.500-13.500 pounds price starts from 36.500 pounds

2.0CR 170hp tax between 16.300-17.300pounds price starts from 42.000 pounds

(add approx 3.000 pounds for DSG)

and of course for the 3.6 v6 engine? price starts at 81.000pounds (inc. tax)

my build (a SE / Elegance 2.0 140 with DSG and some options cost approx 49.000pounds.. but hey.. that's including winter-tyres :-p)

[thnp]

Norwegian tax is quite high indeed. Our 170bhp 4x4 set us back 58.837.- GBP (directly converted). :'(

[2slo]

Norwegian tax is quite high indeed. Our 170bhp 4x4 set us back 58.837.- GBP (directly converted). :'(

Ouch! I didn't know it was that bad. Is there any benefit in importing a lhd car from a neighbouring country with a lower list price and without that countries car tax, then whatever the Norwegian govt applied in car tax would be based on a lower initial cost, or do they manage to get around that as well?

Mark.

[2slo]

really bad.

in short, a superb with or without the 4x4 system is approx 5000pounds in price difference. (whereof apporx 2000pounds is pure tax)

Thats terrible. I can well understand not paying for 4wd at that price.

Mark.

[wamp]

Ouch! I didn't know it was that bad. Is there any benefit in importing a lhd car from a neighbouring country with a lower list price and without that countries car tax, then whatever the Norwegian govt applied in car tax would be based on a lower initial cost, or do they manage to get around that as well?

Mark.

As you saw from my price-table, the tax applies either way (whether you import from another country yourself or if you buy from a dealer)

The biggest problem is that no norwegian bank will give you a loan for buying a car from a dealer not resident in the country (I'd never get a loan to buy a car from sweden for example)

however, if you have the cash, and don't mind some paperwork, you could easily save 5.000+ pounds (probably up to 15.000pounds for a car with a big engine), if you buy from Sweden and import it yourself.

The taxes in norway are in general so high tho' that a lot of norwegians actually buy themselves a cheap flat in sweden and then 'on-paper' move there; so they have a status of "living in sweden, working in norway".

Edited 21 November, 2010 by wamp

[2slo]

That's a very interesting insight, thanks.

Norway looks like a wonderful place to live in terms of your quality of life. I don't envy your tax system though.

Mark.

[philpix]

You don't drink and drive either in Norway. The price of booze is unbelievable.

Phil.

[Superbjoser]

Hei! No. it was actually Sulland.A.S. in Bodø that delivered the car. We are not that isolated though, only 3,5 hours driving time from the nearest airport when you want to avoid the ferries :p

Only 1800 souls in 1,031 km2 (398.1 sq mi) though. so no traffic-congestions on a regular bases.

4x4 is not really needed where we live though, reasonable roadservices and a snowploughing system that keep the roads accessable most of the time, 24/7. Our house is not situated on a steep hillside either which would justify the extra cost of a 4x4. The SHMBO factor prevented me of going for the 4x4 because of the much higher price over here anyway, but for us it would have been overkill in the grip departement. The Superb did an excellent job the other day on very slippery roadsurfaces, on the studded Continentals. Did not even realize how slippery the road was before we stopped for a coffee and my legs almost went into a split in the parking lot.

He he... profile updated

Thanks for the input. No traffic jams but I suppose you got some crooked (but smooth!) roads up there. My limited experience of driving in Norway (from Ørje up to Jaren) gave me an impression that you, unless towing something, do not need strong engines or high speed wheels.. But a automatic gear saved me that time! The roads there was bending around the mailboxes! I had a full time job keeping me on the road not trying to ruin anyones gardens, glad not to have to change gears as well... Fun though!

Back to the SHMBO factor. I stretched mine to the DSG and the felicity interior but had to step down from the wood trim. How about the rest of you? Or maybe I'm out on thin ice here?

/Superbjoser

[broere]

I own an Octavia 1.6 cr tdi. A member of the family surprised me last week, showing off his new Superb estate 1.6 cr tdi. Driving it, I noticed little difference with my O2. A bit more silent, yes, better finish inside, granted, but a bit slower driving it (less 'brisk', let's say). But what a fine car to drive ... and to own!

[Specman]

The money saved by buying a lesser/cheaper engine can be invested straight away in other gadgets, a remote controlled heater e.g.

Unless money is never a concern to you (but hey, this is a Skoda site) this is something to consider. Also will a bigger engine produce more noise and vibrations therefore the 1.6 CR considerations are indeed indirectly related to comfort and refinement.

Strange, I would have expected a bigger engine to run quieter and smoother because unless you're heavy with the throttle the engine is less stressed and therefore should be quieter because it is not workinging as hard as a smaller one would be. The Superb is heavy car and the estate is heavier and would benefit from the increased torque that bigger engines provide, the downside of torque on icey and snowy roads is applying that power to the road without getting wheel spin and in this case perhaps a smaller engine is useful?