Review: 2025 Škoda Superb Estate SportLine 2.0 TSI 4x4
Right, cards on the table: I’ve just stepped out of a £220,000 Bentley Bentayga V8s Black Edition – all quilted leather, whale-like waft and tech cleverer than a room full of Mensa members. So the 2025 Škoda Superb Estate SportLine 2.0 TSI 265PS 4x4 was always going to have its work cut out.
And yet, after a week of blasting down B-roads, mooching round muddy laybys, and cramming the back with camping tat and a damp dog, I found myself doing something odd, I was properly enjoying it. Not in a “look at me, I’ve made it” way, but in a “this just works” way. The Superb Estate doesn’t shout. It doesn’t even mumble. It just gets on with being bloody good.
First Impressions – Black Bits & Subtle Swagger
From the outside, the Superb SportLine wears its badges with a little more intent than the average Czech wagon. There’s a healthy dollop of black trim: grille, mirrors, roof rails, and a subtle diffuser-style rear bumper that’s about as racy as a Škoda gets without spilling its tea. You also get 19" Vega alloys, a small boot spoiler, and matrix LED headlights up front that could illuminate a foggy Yorkshire moor from Cumbria.
Finished in Carmine Red metallic with just enough gloss-black bits to keep it looking sharp without veering into Halfords-catalogue territory, it carries itself like a stealthy sleeper, especially knowing there's 265PS and 4x4 traction under your right foot.
On-Road Ride – Composed, Calm, Capable
Let’s be honest, most folk buying a Superb Estate aren’t planning to chase lap times or tackle alpine passes. But for the school run, weekly big shop, the occasional weekend in the Dales and hammering down the M62 in sideways rain? This thing nails it.
The 2.0 TSI pulls smoothly and strongly, it’ll take you from 0-62mph in just 5.7 seconds and carry on to 155mph, which’ll make your flat cap flap, and the 7-speed DSG ‘box is as smooth as silk. It shuffles through gears unobtrusively in Comfort mode and hangs on a little longer in Sport, just enough to give a sense of occasion when you’re feeling spicy.
Ride comfort? Surprisingly decent. No, it doesn’t float like the Bentayga, but even with sports suspension, it smooths out rough roads with only the occasional thump from deeper potholes. Adaptive dampers do their job well, Comfort mode is comfy, Sport is sporty, and Normal is... well, normal.
It’s also whisper-quiet on the motorway. Road noise is minimal, engine noise is pleasantly muted unless you wring it out, and the wind noise? A gentle whisper, unless you’re doing utterly irresponsible speeds (which I never would. Obviously).
Off-Road Capability – Braver Than You’d Think
Look, it’s not a Subaru. But the Superb Estate 4x4 does alright off the tarmac. Its all-wheel-drive system (a Haldex-based setup) provides surefooted grip on muddy tracks and slippery hills, especially when running winter or all-season tyres.
We took it down a few local green lanes that normally shake a lesser estate’s fillings out, and it soldiered on without fuss. Ground clearance isn’t amazing, you wouldn’t want to go rock crawling, but for forest tracks, muddy fields and gravelly car parks at rural pub campsites, it’s more than up for it.
If you’re a dog-walking, festival-hopping, camping-loving sort, it’s reassuring to know you won’t be stuck spinning your front wheels while your mates in Freelanders sneer.
Interior – Škoda Doing Škoda Things (i.e. Sensible and Sorted)
This is where the Superb really shines. It’s cavernous. Think wardrobe-on-wheels levels of space. The driving position is spot-on, with supportive sports seats (Alcantara and leather-trimmed) that hug you without being overbearing.
There’s plenty of soft-touch materials up front, contrast stitching, carbon-effect trim (that’s a bit Halfords, but hey), and a general sense of well-built solidity. Yes, there’s some scratchy plastics down low, but unless you're rolling around in the footwell looking for dropped wine gums, it hardly matters.
The 13" infotainment screen is crisp, fast, and mostly logical, and here’s the best bit, your also have dual functioning knobs for all the heating controls - praise be! There’s also a decent digital cockpit, head-up display, wireless phone charging, and all the mod cons you'd expect.
Driving Feel – Everywhere, All the Time
You know what the Superb does best? It disappears. In the best way possible. Whether you’re threading it through narrow lanes, cruising at 70 on the dual carriageway, or hoofing it down a twisty B-road, it just... works.
Steering is light but accurate, visibility is good all round, and the whole package feels cohesive and confidence-inspiring. There’s a bit of body roll when you push on, but you can drive it briskly without upsetting the apple cart. And in 4x4 guise, it sticks like a wet dog to a carpet.
Around town it’s surprisingly nimble for something this long, parking sensors and a rear camera help, but even without them, it’s not intimidating. The DSG gearbox takes the stress out of stop-start traffic, and the engine’s refined enough that you’re not constantly reminded it’s working.
Fuel Efficiency – It’s Got a Bit of a Thirst
You don’t buy a 265PS AWD petrol estate for its MPG figures, but for the record: I averaged around 32mpg in mixed driving. That’s not tragic, but nor is it thrifty.
On a long motorway run, it’ll scrape 38mpg if you’re gentle. Round town? Expect low 20s. There’s a 66-litre tank though, so at least you’re not filling up that often.
If you want better economy, Škoda does hybrid and diesel versions of the Superb. But if you want performance and all-weather confidence without jumping into an SUV, this is your sweet spot.
Boot Space – Tat-Ready, Dog-Approved
This is where the Superb trounces nearly everything else. The boot is absolutely ginormous. With the seats up, you’ve got 690 litres to play with. Seats down? A whopping 1,920 litres – long enough for me to lie flat with room for my boots and regrets.
Loading height is low, the tailgate’s wide, and the powered boot opens high enough that even my lanky frame didn’t brain itself. It swallowed a muddy Lurcher, two folding chairs, a fire pit, a box of review gear, three bags of camera kit, and a half-deflated air bed with ease.
Plus, Škoda’s still doing all those lovely ‘Simply Clever’ touches: hooks, nets, boot lights, and a reversible mat that you can flip over if your mutt’s a swamp monster. Lovely stuff.
Tech & Pet Peeves – The Good, the Bad, and the Bleeps
Now, about those lane assist systems. By default, they’re ON. And yes, it’ll nudge the wheel if you so much as glance at a white line. Thankfully, there’s a shortcut button on the steering wheel and you can turn most of it off via a couple of taps.
There’s also adaptive cruise, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, and an emergency stop assistant that’ll try and wrestle the wheel off you if you sneeze wrong.
Again: not bad tech per se, just intrusive. At least the Superb lets you rein it in a bit.
As I mentioned earlier, I adore the fact that it has dual functioning knobs for all the heating controls - thank you Škoda!
Final Verdict – Not Flashy, But Brilliant
So no, it’s not a Bentley. It’s not dripping in leather, doesn’t massage your backside, and there’s a bit more black plastic than I’d like.
But the 2025 Superb Estate SportLine 2.0 TSI 4x4 is one of those rare cars that feels right. It’s properly fast, hugely practical, comfy, quiet, handles well, and costs less than some people spend on watches.
If you’ve got dogs, kids, hobbies, or just a life that requires space and sanity, this could well be the perfect do-it-all car. It’s not shouty, it’s not trendy, but it’s absolutely excellent.
Website: Skoda UK
Price: £46,695 as tested: £50,065
