Wagon with fine manners

The Skoda Superb Combi has a big load capacity and comes with extras such as a wheelarch torch and umbrella. Photo / Supplied

Forget politics, a year or so is a lot longer in the car industry. Take Skoda's mixed fortunes, for example. The good news back then was it had just wrapped up a lucrative government fleet deal.

The bad news was it was about to hike prices under exchange rate pressure.

More good news in the form of new models. Bad news that the recession was biting deep. A couple of quirky highlights along the way: its funky Roomster struck a chord and the top-range Superb Liftback came with a standard umbrella in the rear armrest. Classy touch, like Bentley, or Rolls-Royce.

Now to this week and the launch in New Zealand of the Superb Combi, a cavernous station wagon. More mixed fortunes. Bad news that sales are running 50 per cent down on last year; good news that the Kiwi/Euro exchange rate has done an about-turn and prices have come down, some by almost $4500.

Bad news that the Superb umbrella is now an "accessory", at a cost. Good news that the Combi comes standard with a removable LED torch. It lives in a slot in the rear, kept charged by the car's electrics. It's magnetic and sticks to the wheelarch. The bee's knees in an emergency, like a flat tyre. Classy touch, again.

Unlike the umbrella, the torch needs the car's power to stay alive. Too long away from the car and it will run flat. Perhaps one reason why it will last longer than the umbrellas.

Tea-leaves have walked away with a few arm-rest umbrellas since the Superb Liftback landed in New Zealand in October 2008. Either straight-out nicked them or put a clapped-out brolly in their place. Sort of a showroom shuffle. Easy to do. Like the old Spaniard who cycled empty-handed across the border into France every day during the Spanish Civil War. He'd return each evening, with a sack of flour on his back.

Border guards would check the flour for contraband. But they never checked his bike. The old larrikin each day cycled out of Spain on an old bike and back into it on a new one.

Skoda seems to be updating its models just as quickly. It has a seemingly vast range, out of kilter with its modest sales numbers. Some front-drive, some all-wheel-drive. Skoda NZ general manager James Yates admits as much and says he will cull where necessary. More models are due.

Another change, too. A year or so ago Skoda was more or less set on becoming an all-diesel importer, with a petrol model here and there

Not so now. Twin-charge petrol engines from Skoda parent Volkswagen are beginning to appear across the range. The Superb Combi gets a 1.8-litre TSI unit developing 118kW/250Nm and mated to a seven-speed twin-clutch (DSG) gearbox. Smaller TSI engines will be available in other models.

The TSI petrol units can rival diesels for fuel efficiency. A TSI engine uses a turbocharger and supercharger. A turbocharger runs off the engine's exhaust gases while a supercharger runs directly on engine power and works instantly.

TSI combines the advantages of turbocharger and supercharger but leaves the disadvantages behind. At higher speeds a magnetic clutch deactivates the supercharger and the transition is pretty much seamless.

The TSI unit in the Skoda Combi produces its 250Nm between 1500-4500rpm. The 2-litre TDI diesel engine delivers 320Nm between 1800-2500rpm. There are two diesel options, one delivering 125kW, the other 103kW.

The top-end FSI direct-injection 3.6-litre V6 puts out 191kW and 350Nm between 2500-5000 rpm and drive all four wheels via a six-speed DSG box.

The new Superb Combi (Superb is Skoda-speak for superior large car) is beautifully built and, like the Liftback, comes with road manners that belie its blue-collar Czech history.

It is 4838mm long, 1817mm wide and 1510mm high, including the standard roof rails. A panoramic roof is optional.

Load capacity is bigger than anything in the segment: 633 litres in the rear and 1865 litres with the rear seats folded down. The loading sill is a convenient 600mm above ground.

An interesting feature is the optional electrically operated tailgate. It comes with an automatic retractable luggage compartment cover. When the tailgate is opened, the cover automatically rolls back to the middle position so there is more room to handle the luggage.

The Superb Combi comes in two specification levels. The 125kW TDI shares its detail with the 3.6-litre V6. Both are now on sale. The 1.8-litre TSI shares its with the 103kW 2-litre TDI. These two are due later in the year.