Skoda Superb on borrowed time as sedan, wagon sales dwindle
The Skoda Superb – long the brand’s flagship model – could be phased out or effectively merged with the Octavia for its next generation.
Skoda has always been aligned as the entry-level Volkswagen sub-brand after coming under the German giant’s control in the late 1990s, which has given the Czech carmaker some interesting opportunities to try and offer different products to its parent.
While all Skoda models are based on Volkswagen platforms, the brand has prided itself on being different enough to its parent and even other sub-brands like Audi, sometimes offering better products at a portion of the price.
One such model has been the Superb, introduced in 2001 as Skoda’s Passat twin, and now in its fourth generation, with its popularity having led to the new Passat being based on it, rather than the other way around.
But it may not be long for this world, as the Volkswagen Group is consolidating brands and product lines amid sweeping changes to try and get itself into a better financial position, leading to a rationalisation of what it offers.
When asked if Skoda could be spared from having to cull model lines due to the relative success of its current lineup, CEO Klaus Zellmer told Autocar, “that’s not a given”, before hinting the Superb could be merged with its smaller sibling, the Octavia.
“We’re very proud of the Superb, and we love the Octavia. With both models we’re very safe in the market – the Octavia has led its segment since 2016.
“The big question is going forward: saloons and limousines and combis [estates] are not on the rising path. The [next-gen SSP (scalable systems platform, electric architecture)] platform caters for wiggle room to go up to Superb dimensions.
“We’re currently looking into whether we still need the full monty, or whether we will have a smart way to cover both segments and target groups.”
In September last year, Skoda released the Vision O concept, an electric wagon which is tipped to preview the replacement to the current Superb and Octavia wagons, though without a related liftback offering.
It’s expected the production version of the Vision O will launch as the new Octavia in 2027 or 2028, and will continue to be based on the same platform as the contemporary Volkswagen Golf.
Both models are expected to run on the Volkswagen Group’s upcoming Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), rather than the existing MEB platform which underpins current Volkswagen ID. models.
Jordan Mulach
If the Superb is axed and effectively replaced by a larger Octavia, it won’t be a first in the car industry. Mercedes-Benz’s current CLE coupe is, effectively, an amalgamation of the previous two-door C- and E-Class offering.
It may take some time for the Superb to be fully phased out, as its most recent generation only launched in 2024, and arrived in Australia last year.
Even in Australia, the Superb is a niche offering, with just 76 examples delivered between January and June this year. For context, Mercedes-Benz sold 164 examples of the dearer E-Class, BMW shipped 121 5 Series, and Volvo delivered 111 ES90s across the same period.
