A large crowd from the farming community had gathered around the car and after the demonstration, had insisted on having 'a go' themselves at opening first the small boot lid, and then the larger one that opened high as a hatchback.
I'd wondered at the time why no car maker had thought of that before then, it was such a 'superb' idea. We all know how Irish people like their saloons, but this twindoor offered the best of both worlds and it had gone down a treat with the farmers, who are very au fait with their cars, inside and out.
There's another button at the lower edge of the boot lid which you must press if you need to use the higher door; then wait until the brake light flashes twice before you press on the handle and raise the boot lid. It makes it so very much easier to lift larger items into or out of the boot.
My most recent Skoda Superb saloon press car also has this convenient feature. This time, though, it was the lower powered 1.4 petrol engine version outputting 125bhp.
The Superb is most certainly not a flashy piece of metal; built more to appeal to the traditional buyer looking for a big, reliable car at a reasonable cost, instead of opting for a big-badge number.
The interior is that of a more premium car and the cabin space is truly massive. Occupants, front and back, enjoy almost leg-stretching space. Head room is good, also, but tall guys should remember to stoop when getting in and out of the car, due to the car's design. Their crowns will almost touch the roof in the front.
Seats are nicely supportive and the front ones come with a height adjustment and lumbar support. In the test car, they came in half-leather with suede-like middle sections; an upmarket look. Those in the back have their own temperature gauge; and on the rear left door, below the armrest, is a small umbrella to keep you dry when getting out in wet weather.
Recessed dials are simple and clear with well-spaced white numbers on the speedometer, which is to the right. It's always good to be able to see your average fuel consumption, but only the current consumption appears on the trip screen.
It took a day or so to get used to this 1.4 petrol version, but when I did, I really liked the car. While the six-speed manual gearbox did the job, and did it well, I'd have preferred a bit more power for this size of vehicle. It necessitated changing gear quite a fair bit to get the most out of the car. And I didn't have a full load onboard at any time, just two of us upfront.
My test car achieved around 5.9 L/100km; C02 emissions are 139g/km (Band B).
Three trims are offered, Active, Ambition and Elegance.
The Ambition spec adds fog lights with corner function, extra chrome strips, the Emory Onyx interior with wood decor, height and reach adjustable multi function steering wheel, BlueTooth, touch screen radio with 6-CD changer, MP3 player, rear parking sensors and heated front seats.
The price of the test car, in Ambition spec, is €26,195 but the entry Active model is priced from €24,695 (It had the GL pack onboard).
The Superb is also available in a 1.6 TDI, 105bhp GreenLine (Band A) from €26,795 as well as a 1.8 TSI 160bhp (also with DSG); and in 2.0 diesel options including DSG 140bhp and a similar output 4x4 DSG version. The top of the range is the 170bhp 2.0 diesel 4x4 priced from €35,695-€40,545.
The Superb was awarded a maximum five star safety rating by Euro NCAP.
