Tag Archives: cars

Electric/hybrid, Family hatchback, Motoring, Saloon, Skoda

Skoda Superb: Comfort meets innovation

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  • The latest Superb stands out in the large saloon/hatchback market with its spacious and comfortable interior, now 43mm longer. 
  • It offers excellent fuel efficiency, including hybrid options with a 75-mile electric-only range. Featuring a 10.25-inch virtual cockpit and a 13-inch touchscreen, it starts at over £38k. 
  • The 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine delivers great economy and refinement.
  • There is excellent luggage space provides 645 litres (expandable to 1,795 litres) and advanced safety features.

Superb Hatch e-TEC

By Bill McCarthy

It’s a tribute to the quality of Skoda products that they are still producing a large saloon/hatchback in a market dominated by the SUV/Crossover.

Škoda currently has one of the newest model line-ups with 80 per cent of the range recently updated.

And although the name is ambitious, the latest, bigger, Superb is an excellent car. Huge, now 43mm longer, comfortable and for the size of the vehicle offering fantastic economy.

It has a range of engine options with the premiere last year of mild-hybrid technology and plug-in hybrid with an electric only range of around 75 miles. These are in addition to two 2.0 TSI petrol engines and two 2.0 TDI diesels.

The sleek silhouette offers better aerodynamics, while inside it even roomier and uses sustainable material.

In addition the infotainment is linked AI-based ChatGPT via the the voice assistant Laura.

The mild hybrid e-Tec driven here delivered just short of 60mpg from the mild hybrid power unit. Well up on the official WLTP figure of around 51mpg.

The range on a full tank was showing in excess of 700 miles. A bit of electrification, but no range anxiety whatsoever.

It is a smart, sleek handsome car with 18-inch alloy wheels on this model, neat decorative door sills, slim LED headlights with cornering function and refashioned rear light clusters, rear privacy glass and clever puddle lights projecting the Skoda brand. 

The dark chrome styling includes front grille surrounds and roof rails and door handles with ambient lighting.

The interior is premium, with  high-end materials and solid fixtures and fittings more often seen in executive class. Bags of head and legroom, with perforated leather fully adjustable electrically operated seats

The cabin itself is light, airy with three seated in relative comfort in the rear with the armrest folded. Another classy touch is the ambient lighting throughout offering a relaxing environment.

Centrepiece is the 10.25 inch virtual cockpit familiar on VW brands mated with a 13 inch touchscreen. which controls major functions like navigation, infotainment and Bluetooth connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

In typical Skoda style, it is packed with standard kit, including the usual array of electric goodies and creature comforts like multi-function steering wheel, dual zone climate control, heated and powered door mirrors, powered tailgate, front and rear parking sensor, headlight washers and privacy glass, plus a host of other goodies.

At just over  £38k for the tested model you are acquiring a premium vehicle that would cost substantially more if it carried a different badge on the boot or grille.

The 1.5 litre turbo petrol unit is combined with a small electric motor which aids fuel economy, but can also boost power.

Mated to a seven-speed DSG auto box, it delivers excellent performance, hitting 60  in 9.2 seconds and when switched to sport mode and using the steering column paddles, is extremely lively.

There are three driving modes, electric, hybrid and sport. 

 The motorway is where the car feels particularly at home, cruising with ease while the cabin is well protected from road and engine noise. Handling is good for such a big car and the standard stability control ensures the ride is comfortable and smooth.

In practical terms, the boot is huge at 645 litres and up 30 litres on its predecessor and rising to 1,795 with the rear seats down.

 For safety most of the boxes are ticked with a comprehensive lift of active and passive features including front, side and curtain airbags, plus a driver’s knee airbag, driver fatigue sensor and electronic stability and traction control systems, plus lane departure, blind spot and cross traffic alerts.

Always innovative, Skoda Simply Clever features add value and offers an umbrella in the door frame, LED torch and a compact screen cleaner. It works with cleaning fluid and microfibre cloth ensure that any dirt or annoying fingerprints are completely removed from the infotainment screen.

Skoda has been going from strength to strength – it’s obvious why. But now it is literally on a charge.

Factfile

  •  Superb Hatch SE L 1.5 TSi e-TEC 150PS DSG
  • Price: £ 38,320 – (with options £41,010)
  • Mechanical: 1498cc, 150PS, four-cylinder  mild hybrid petrol engine driving front wheels via six-speed DSG auto transmission
  • Maximum speed: 139mph
  • Acceleration: 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds
  • Economy: 51-52 mpg
  • Insurance group: 27
  • CO2 emissions: 124-126g/km
  • Warranty: Three years/ 60,000 miles

AWD, Isuzu, Pick-up/4x4, SUV/4X4

Taking off-road to the Max

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Isuzu D-Max 2025

By Bill McCarthy

  • The 2025 D-Max pick-up combines on-road comfort and off-road capability, priced from £32,916 with a five-year, 250,000-mile warranty. 
  • It features a redesigned exterior, various trims (Utility, DL20, DL40, V-Cross), and a touchscreen infotainment system. 
  • Powered by a 162 bhp, 1.9-litre diesel engine with manual or auto transmission, it offers a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and a payload of over 1.2 tonnes. 
  • With enhanced safety features and a competitive price, the D-Max stands out in the pick-up market.

Isuzu’s impressive off-roader has just got even better. On road and most certainly off road as a challenging off-road course on a particularly wet winter day proved. Revamped for 2025, the iconic pick-up comes with several improvements to exterior and interior design and enhanced ability to tackle the really rough stuff.

Not to mention a five-year, 250,000 mile warranty and a VAT inclusive starting price of £32,916. The range is structured into two segments: Business and All-Purpose with four variations: Utility, DL20, DL40 and V-Cross and a choice of angle, extended or double cab configurations. 

For the even more lifestyle-conscious, there is the blinged up, but seriously capable Arctic Truck versions.

A favourite for builders, on a farm or families looking for a lifestyle choice, it is bucking the trend with increasing sales in the segment. Primarily designed to tackle rough terrain, it offers 250mm of ground clearance and solid stability. 

Already stylish looking in the competitive pick-up truck glamour stakes, it now looks even more muscular with a new radiator grille, bonnet and bumper and smart 18-inch alloy wheels. Also new are Bi-LED headlamps, automatic windscreen wiper, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, keyless entry, and dark side steps for easy access. 

Primarily a commercial vehicle, there is no shortage of creature comforts to keep the driver happy on the farm, in the Amazon rain forest or even on the school run.

The days of bog basic commercial vehicles are gone and interior features include a new touchscreen.

It controls features like navigation and an updated, wireless infotainment system with DAB, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a new digital seven-inch driver display – higher spec models have uprated, larger screens.

It offers premium features like cloth or leather heated seats, a new multi-function steering wheel and upgraded door trims.

Extra for the DL40 and V-Cross are an eight-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support and larger info screens.Under the bonnet, the 1.9-litre diesel engine has been retained and paired with a six-speed manual or upgraded auto transmission.

It delivers 162 bhp and 371Nm of torque for tackling the toughest of conditions. Traditionally not the quietest of power units, this latest version has better sound proofing to quieten engine noise. 

A definite improvement on the road where the ride is surprisingly stable for a vehicle sitting so high off the ground. It does not bounce around when unladen like some competitors and the upmarket interior keeps other occupants in decent comfort.

It’s no cheap runabout, with economy depending, on model, hovering around 31-33 mpg with high CO2 emissions at between 220 and 236 g/km.

Equipped with a 4WD Shift-On-The-Fly system, and wading depth of up to 800mm, it’s all built on a sturdy ladder chassis with underbody protection coverings.  With a towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes and a loading bay payload over a 1.2 tonnes that accepts a full pallet, the D-Max can handle heavy loads.

The tailgate has been redesigned with triple shield taillights and a damper for smooth load bed opening. 

Added sensors detect trailer swing and lower the speed if any sway is identified, while the refined suspension improves ride quality without compromising the payload.

Each model features the latest generation of Rough Terrain Mode (RTM), an off-road traction control system which works in conjunction with the rear differential lock to maximise torque transfer and keep going through the most difficult terrains. 

It controls brake force to individual wheels when slippage is detected and directs torque to the wheels with the most grip. While new displays show the angle of steering and side incline to help the driver decide what’s feasible over rough terrain.

On a particularly muddy and difficult off-road course, the pick-up dealt with the challenges with ease. One impressive manoeuvre came when the vehicle was stopped, deliberately, on a steep muddy slope and then started again with little or no wheel slip.

Upgraded safety  kit includes a full complement of airbags, reversing camera, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure alerts and dual-zone climate control. Emergency braking has been improved together wth new intelligent adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitor and emergency lane keeping.

The Utility starts at under £33k  while the  range-topping V-Cross with all the bells and whistles has a price tag of £47,916.

A significant improvement on its predecessor, the latest D-Max undercuts its rivals in price, while offering an impressive range of standard kit and there’s the five-year 125,000 mile warranty, not to mention customer loyalty, no wonder its bucking pick-up trend with increased sales.