Small into big: That’s the drivetrain recipe for this eco edition of the brand’s fabulous large wagon. How does it work out?

Price: $79,990

Engine: 1395cc inline four-cylinder petrol, 160kW/ 400Nm, six-speed dual clutch automatic, combined economy 1.7 litres per 100km, CO2 40g/km.

Vital statistics: 4862mm long, 2031mm wide, 1477mm high, 2841mm wheelbase, 510 litres luggage capacity,  19-inch alloy wheels.

We like: Refined ride, easily understood EV operability, nice to have a PHEV with DSG.

Not so much: Charging takes an age, no all-wheel-drive, reduced boot capacity.

TURNING up at an out-of-town dealership to pick up the largest petrol-electric Skoda, the Superb iV wagon, and discovering that while the tank was brimmed with fossil fuel the drive battery was dead flat was an annoyance that became a good turn.

‘Best and worst’ is of core importance to any assessment of any electric-assisted car. An accurate ‘what’ll it do’ insight is conceivably all the more appreciated for the Superb load-all. At almost 4.9 metres long, weighing at just over 1.5 tonne unladen and not exactly aero is shape, it’s likely an easy target for enviro-sceptics, all the moreso when they discover what’s under the bonnet.

It’s the standard Volkswagen Group plug-in hybrid; a 1.4-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor and a 13kWh battery. Claimed electric range is 62km, overall it should deliver more than 900km between refills.

Should. Such a large car with such a small powertrain … it all seems a big ask and, doubtless to some, a big joke. Surely my drive would provide the perfect opportunity to get a good handle on the real-world abilities of Skoda’s “electric plug-in hybrid”?

There was no concession given on that two-hour run. All at posted pace, with the drive battery’s life kept in the red all the way; receiving, by driver choice, no replenishment from braking nor from the engine. Just a normal A to B journey, with the air con operating at a toasty setting, bursts of overtaking included.

On arrival. The trip computer was consulted. According to this, consumption was 5.8 litres per 100km. Hardly a burn by any means.

So, if that’s the worst, what’s the best? Knew you’d ask. Four days later, another open road trip, not a repeat of the first route, but of equal distance and equivalent quality. This time departing with the drive battery at 100 percent, and using the modes that ensured most frequent involvement, but seeking to maintain the same speed and driving style regime.

The result? An average of 4.8 litres per 100km.

Not bad, if still not close to the 1.7L/100km cited optimal Skoda cites, a figure achieved in different circumstance than mine. Namely, when electric drive is so prioritised it is at best barely sniffing the dinosaur juice. I never saw that actual count come up, though at times, when driven in the EV mode – which isn’t utterly absolute, in that it still seems to sup some fuel, albeit if for brief occasion  - the instant readings came close.

Overall, though, it clearly has potential to take the edge off running costs. But how much does it take off the fun factor?

 The most frugal Superb wagon before this one was the diesel, which while not as thrifty was quite endearing; partly because of that wall of low to mid-range torque, also due to it having all-wheel-drive, which is denied the iV due to its drivetrain structure.

 The iV almost seems diesel-like on paper, but though it emulates the compression ignition feel to so degree, it’s not ultimately different on the road; if you have to summarise, you’d say the common calmness at cruise tends to erode more quickly with the iV when you push beyond. Even when there’s a sizeable electric involvement occurring, it’s a large car with a small engine that on occasion feels exactly like that.

True, the Superb in any format – and I make this comment in knowledge that’s chosen as the police’s primary pursuit car - really doesn’t express as a car that likes being rushed too much. Yes, it has good poise and roadholding, but it’s not a racer.

All the same, this side of things does amplify in the iV. It’s steady and solid, with very good ride comfort. The extra weight is felt and the brake pedal feel during regenerative braking is a bit brusque, and overall it feels beautifully engineered. But it just doesn’t want to be hustled and there are obvious situations - running with a load, hauling up a hill, hoofing from a standstill to chase that claimed 0-100kmh time of 7.7 seconds, thrashing toward the redline – when it becomes taxed and you get to hear about it.

In saying that, the drivetrain was on the whole smoother and more refined than I recall from my first drive, at the media introduction a year ago. Back then the engine quite harsh when it was asked to take up all whole effort. But it was brand-new then; this time I was driving an example that was well run and it seemed very different, as if every operability had settled down.

I’d been pre-warned by a colleague who’d had this car immediately prior to expect some low speed drivetrain judder. As it transpired, there was just one occasion when, while driving quietly on the cusp of throttle in intermittent traffic, it did seem to jolt in what I assume was the transition from electric to engine. But it was just the once and wasn’t as intrusive, nor as prolonged, as I’d been led to believe. Maybe it came down to driving style.

Short duration running and taking opportunity to keep the battery in some state of charge always, either by plugging in at every stop or as you drive – a process that is pretty efficient, though it obviously hits your overall fuel consumption - is definitely the trick to keeping it in ‘the zone’.

The claimed EV range is optimistic. Most likely, in real-world conditions, you'll manage more like 45-50km on full electric. Even so, you could conceivably make it through the week without ever using the petrol engine - which is, of course, the point. The impact of running in hybrid mode seems to elicit good fuel economy; the trip distance to empty estimate even with the tank well-emptied remained just over 300km.

In respect to the charging side of things.  It’s a pain, because the battery tech is already a bit old-school. The EV ideal of being able to keep a battery in good state through quick and often daily replenishments is not easily achieved, it’s not designed for DC fast charging and while it can stand AC feed from a commercial charger, that’s all but pointless as the upload rate is very slow.

Basically, Skoda’s expectation is that an owner will replenish overnight from a household power, which is all and good but massively time-consuming. I suspect that’s why the battery was flat on pick up. The dealership I got the car from made some mention of them not having facility to easily recharge cars, which might be true. But, basically, with this one all you need is a normal outlet. Plus a load of time. They probably had the first but not second. When it’s flat, as in my situation, it’s an eight-hour meal.

You'll have to be paying quite close attention to tell the Skoda Superb iV plug-in hybrid apart from its more conventionally-powered brethren. Because the charging flap is tucked behind the radiator grille, there's really only the badge on the boot to give the game away.

Other than that, it has all the updates that carry through the rest of the range, with new lights, mildly tweaked styling and fresh alloy wheel and colour options.

Despite carrying some visual mass, it’s a handsome beast - sleeker than you might have expected. The Sportline on test is a looker at the kerb and it gets better inside.

The iV version comes with standard digital instruments and the eight-inch central touchscreen that’s easy to navigate. While it lacks full-scale luxury trimmings, the cabin nonetheless looks and feels expensive, with exquisite build quality. Delve into the screen menus and you can find a lot of electro-dedicated stuff, including the full involvements that distinguish how different it is when in hybrid, sports and full electric modes.

Space and seat comfort have always been Superb high points, as has the sheer acreage of rear legroom, and nothing has changed there. A vast load space has long been a Superb wagon draw, but the need to package the battery, as well as a 50-litre fuel tank, means that something has to give, and so the boot is smaller. But here’s the twist, because the donor is so massive, even though it sacrifices 150 litres’, the iV still has a 510-litre space, so maintains a decent degree of usefulness. How’d they do it? Here’s a clue … don’t bother looking for a spare tyre. The iV has a repair kit you’d hope not to have to use.

Other catches? Primarily, buyers have to accommodate the inevitable premium the electric ingredient adds; in this instance around $8000.

Implementing a battery and electric drive impacts a bit on towing capacity (1600kg for Superb) and more on kerb weight, the gear adding around 200kg. You can certainly feel the extra weight and heft of the electrical system, and the brake pedal feel as you go from regenerative braking to mechanical braking is a little mushy and inconsistent.

The Green edge doesn’t overly hurt the Superb, but neither does it really advance its cause to any great degree. Skoda, moreso internationally than here, has made very clear that PHEV is very much a transition tech, to the point where they’ve basically stopped developing it in favour of diverting all those bucks into full electrics and also dropped hints that it might be pulled at some point.

It’s probable a future Superb will be an electric car, perhaps quite unlike anything we have now. Exactly what Skoda is thinking remains outside of public view, which fuels conjecture that it’s not anywhere close to realisation.

The Superb is a great car, per se; it’s an extra-big wagon with great integrity. The iV model is a good addition, because it immediately lowers your carbon footprint by huge degree, but you cannot expect miracles from it.

It does what it does and it is electric enough for here and now and to earn a $5750 Clean Car rebate, which is nice. It has the flexibility to deliver full electric driving for short,, preferably urban, stints plus lends true benefit is when engine and electric work together, as they can for considerable time, for longer distance driving.

Even so, there’s a small part of me that still believes Skoda’s best enjoyable enviro-econo effort was made made in the past, albeit with a technology approach whose image is now blackened. For all its image issues, the diesel that no longer resides in this car was a fantastic accomplice. It didn’t drink a lot. Didn’t (because of AdBlu) emit a lot and simply drove … well, superbly. That wall of low-down torque was a magic carpet. Having AWD lifted its game all the more. It was an absolute hole-in-one. Good times.