An enhanced plug-in electric plus a mild hybrid, more technology, more space  include in familiar-looking gen four packaging expected to hit NZ in 2024.

COP an eye of this - Skoda has unveiled the new Superb and it’s as arresting as red and blue flashing lights in the rear vision mirror.

There ends all punny references to the latest car, here next year with exact trims and formats yet to be detailed - could it simply be a wagon-pure future? 

The big load-all is leading the hybrid drivetrain effort and having it alone would synch nicely into any future recruitment in the current role that primarily feeds the car’s current volume, as the top choice frontline police patrol wagon. 

This fourth-generation line is clearly a subtle aesthetic evolution from its predecessor, with obvious visual similar to what we have now, but there's still plenty to talk about, not least now enhanced plug-in (PHEV) and mild-hybrid drivetrains being made available as part of technology lift that also brings second-generation LED Matrix beam headlights to higher spend editions.

It will be sold once again as the hatchback and as the wagon (Combi estate in Skoda-speak), with the new models perhaps most clearly identified by the new Skoda octagonal radiator grille, with the Skoda emblem sitting on the leading edge of the bonnet. 

As relatively ‘samey’ as the shapes appear, they’re cited as being 10-15 percent more aerodynamic than the third gen cars’, the wagon looking good with a coefficient of drag of just 0.25, slow only slightly less slippery now than the hatch. 

 The hatch is 43mm longer and 12mm taller than the old car, at 4912mm and 1481mm, respectively, while the wagon’s equivalent stats are 4902mm (up 40mm) and 1482mm ( up 5mm). At 1849mm, both body styles are narrower by 15mm than before. The wheelbase is unchanged at 2841mm on both cars.

Headroom is said to be up by 6-11mm, front or rear seats in either body type, while one of the car's long-held strengths - its vast boot capacity - is also enhanced: A 645-litre cargo area for the hatch with all seats in use is an increase of 20 litres on the old car. The wagon gains an extra 30 litres over its forebear with 690 litres of boot space. Fold the back seats down and there’s an impressive 1920 litres’ capacity.

Superb buyers will also enjoy an enhanced cabin ambience and the latest in-car technology. The fascia is centred around a 13-inch infotainment screen. The types achieves first-time fitment of a head-up display, augmenting a 10-inch digital instrument cluster behind the wheel. With the DSG automatic gearbox now a sole choice (as it has been in NZ; only Europe saw manuals) the gear shift lever has gone from the transmission tunnel to the steering column, freeing up storage space.

Despite the automotive industry’s shift to electric, and regardless that the hybrid element has strengthened, the make is calling the Superb its 'ICE flagship', a reminder this flagship is sticking to being the largest internal combustion Skoda.

The iV PHEV drivetrain as it proposes to Kiwis now has a 1.4-litre petrol paired with an electric motor and a 13kWh battery, for claimed electric range of 62km, and up to 900km between refills. It’s optimal overall economy is cited at 1.7 litres per 100km and maximum outputs of 160kW and 400Nm are claimed. However, it demands AC recharging at low rate; a significant bugbear for users.

The new iV system will avail in the wagon body only and has a much-enhanced driving range and is stronger. 

It uses a 112kW 1.5 TSI turbo petrol plus electric motor and 25.7kWh battery pack for a combined system maximum power output of 152kW, which as per the current system goes to the front wheels via a six-speed DSG transmission.

The all-electric range of this car is said to be in excess of 100km. And while the maximum AC charging rate is 11kW, allowing for a 2.5-hour full recharge of the battery, this time around the PHEV set-up has the ability to be connected to 50kW DC chargers as well - meaning 10-80 percent battery power is achievable in just 25 minutes.

Another addition to the range is the first mild-hybrid variant. It uses a 48-volt electrical system, comprising a belt-driven starter-generator and a lithium-ion battery, accompanied by a 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine. The 1.5 TSI MHEV is the entry-level powertrain for the Superb and it, like every other model save the PHEV, has a seven-speed DSG transmission.

For those wanting more traditional propulsion systems, there’s a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder TSI petrol in 152kW and 198kW outputs, the latter married into all-wheel-drive.

Dynamic Chassis Control Plus chassis control has a clever two-valve adaptive suspension system with the promise of better handling and ride comfort. There will also be an extensive suite of advanced driver assist safety systems available.

Luxury-focused models have dark-chrome exterior detailing, cognac-colour leather and a 14-speaker Canton high-power sound system.

With in excess of 1.6 million sales since it launched, 845,000 of which have to date been accounted for by the current generation car, the Superb has been a big success story for Skoda. Board chairman Klaus Zellmer calls it the “standard-bearer of Skoda's ICE range for more than 20 years.”