Skoda Superb Ambition : First Drive

The Skoda Superb since its launch has been the most desirable car in its segment and not without reason. An elegant design complimented by equally graceful interiors and to top it all, the space and leg room of a limousine. Loaded with features and some brilliant engine options the Superb pretty much had the better of its competition.

Now in the Ambition trim it gets more affordable as well. So how does the Superb Ambition stack up against the more loaded, and pricier Elegance trim? From the outside, the Ambition looks identical to the higher specced variant and there’s very little difference one can tell at first glance unless you’re looking at the wheels which now sport a different alloy wheel design.

Skoda has done some clever packaging, pulling out only those features which may be deemed dispensable. So the Ambition misses out on bi-xenon headlights which now make way for halogen projector headlights, retractable headlight washers, hill hold control, electronic stability programme, tyre pressure monitoring, Parktronic sensors and speakers at the front, electric sunroof and cruise control. 

The audio player is a basic unit with eight speakers in place of the touch-operated six-CD player. Also excluded is card reader functionality and steering-mounted controls. Skoda hasn’t cut corners with safety or comfort, the Ambition retaining all the features that are there in the Elegance such as dual zone climatronic, electronically foldable mirrors, 12-way adjustable front seats, eight airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control System (TCS), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) and EDL. 

The Ambition will continue to be powered by the same 1.8 TSI engine with a 6-speed manual transmission and 2.0 TDI CR with 6-speed Automatic DSG transmission. We got the variant with the 2.0 TDI unit and even after all this time, the engine comes across as one of the best oil-burners in the market. Extremely refined and with 140 horses and 320Nm of twist, the Superb packs quite a punch. Coupled with the DSG gearbox, the Superb comes across as a flawless performer. 

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But where the Ambition really takes it away from the competition is the price. Shaving off almost a lakh from the Elegance trim, the Ambition is priced at Rs 17.6 lakh for the petrol and Rs 22.5 lakh for the diesel,  ex-showroom Maharashtra. When you compare this to the Superb’s immediate competition, the Honda Accord which retails at Rs 20.94 lakh for the manual version, the Honda costs almost over Rs 3 lakh more than the Superb, making the Czech an absolute steal. Elegant, spacious, practical and now more affordable than ever, this Skoda sure has its competition beat.