Reply With QuoteI'd certainly go the 125TDI, but only because it's a fantastic engine and it gets the more reliable 6-speed, rather than 7-speed, DSG. Having said that, the 118TSI is more than enough engine for such a big car.
Volkswagen Fan
Hey everyone, I'm in the market for a second car and am considering a Superb. I had my eye on a VRs but the harder suspension along with the fact that my wife is pregnant had me looking toward the Superb. I'm in Brisbane and there appears to be several used sedans in Ambition and Elegance trim, but with the 118 engine. Everything I've read suggests that the diesel 125 would be better in the heavier Superb. Is this correct? I'm hoping to test drive the cars in sedan and wagon form on the weekend.
I could use some pointers from all you knowledgeable Superb owners. How do you think the smaller petrol engine would cope on the car? Should I keep looking for a 125tdi? The wagon shape I like appears to be in Ambition trim. What sort of upgrades do the Elegance trim bring?
Thanks for your help.
Last edited by AUSL; 03-10-2013 at 09:18 AM.
MY13 118TSI DSG Superb Elegance Sedan in Candy White with MFSW + Paddles
Volkswagen Enthusiast
I'd certainly go the 125TDI, but only because it's a fantastic engine and it gets the more reliable 6-speed, rather than 7-speed, DSG. Having said that, the 118TSI is more than enough engine for such a big car.
Mine: Silver 2006 Volkswagen Golf Sportline 2.0FSI 6M (with a sunroof)
Parents': Candy White 2008 Skoda Octavia RS 2.0TFSI 6M Liftback
New Dubber
We have had our 118TSI Elegance wagon for two years and I have never found it to be under-powered or sluggish, including overtaking on the highway.Originally Posted by AUSL
To put that into some perspective, prior to the Superb, my three previous cars were a MY99 WRX, a MY03 WRX and a MY08 Golf GTI.
I can't compare it to the 125TDI though, as for various reasons I don't like diesels, so we never considered it.
However, right from my first test drive I was very impressed at how well the 118TSI engine and transmission work together (never had any issues with our 7-speed DSG either). The way the torque is delivered works perfectly for driving in the real world. It's also a great argument for not focusing on peak power/torque numbers. We also selected the optional steering wheel with paddles, so if the mood takes me I can still have a bit of fun with it too.
As for the difference between Ambition and Elegance, a quick look at the brochure on the Skoda site will show you the differences - we actually selected the dash/door trim from the Ambition in our car as we didn't like the plastic wood in the Elegance - other than that, the Elegance is a great spec.
Volkswagen Fan
The first thing you need to ask yourself is a couple of questions.
1. What do I need the car for? Towing, long haul trips, fuel economy etc
2. How many kilometres do you do in a year?
I have an MY13 Superb sedan Elegance with everything. (Roof, Park Assist, Blinds etc) It's a 125 KW TDi. I purchased the vehicle because of the amount of kilometres I travel each year. I normally do about 40,000 per year give or take. So for me the Diesel made sense. Last January I drove about 700 Kilometers round trip from Melbourne to the Sunraiser area of the Murray River. 42 degrees in the shade, air conditioning on full bore, vehicle loaded and I still returned 4.7 litres per 100 Ks. I also tow occasionally so a TDi made sense. Diesels do need to be driven and driven regularly. They need to be warmed up and operated for a length of time to run efficiently. Not short distances. The Diesel Particle Filter does require a lengthy drive to operate efficiently. So if your after great fuel ecomony then I'd pick the Diesel. If you do low kilometres and stop start traffic...go for the petrol vesion. The 118 TSi is a great car and the motor is by no means lazy. Does need to be kicked along occasionally but so long as you remember it is hauling about 1680 Kilos of Czechoslovakia thorough bred. The Elegance is definately the better interior but you'll pay a little more. Be careful though...some of the older versions (MY 10) didn't have blue tooth as standard. Some great deals at moment and if you shop around and are prepared to bargin hunt you'll find what you're after. Good luck!
Dubber
Can't comment on the engine performance, I suspect the 7kW of difference won't amount to much. The diesel will probably perform better in hilly/mountainous drives but how often do we do that.
We got the 125TDi, while we do shorter drives they're enough to warm up the engine and then some. And the DPF gives me an excuse to go on a drive on the weekends
The main differences between the Ambition and Elegance for me were:
* Xenon lights - they're actually very, very good - excellent road coverage and the AFS works quite well
* Sat Nav - it's ok, the map coverage is sufficient but it's inexcusable that VW is still not providing us with TMC
* Memory seats - my wife is much shorter than me, it's nice to be able to press a button and have the seat and mirrors returned to my setting
* Dual zone climate control - again, we have slightly different temperature preferences
* Automatic parallel park - my wife uses it more than me but it's a nice feature when the little one is crying.
* The storage system in the wagon - allowing you to separate luggage, or better yet, shopping - very useful.
Other than that, they're similar. You get the same safety options (air bags) regardless of the model.
Volkswagen Fan
Thanks for all the info everyone. I'll keep them in mind when I take a look at the cars on the weekend. I'm not in a rush so I'll be taking my time as I hope to keep the car for a good few years. I'll let you know how things go.
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MY13 118TSI DSG Superb Elegance Sedan in Candy White with MFSW + Paddles
Volkswagen Fan
Took an ambition sedan out for a test drive on the weekend. I have to say I was very impressed. The 118tsi engine felt real good specially paired with the dsg gearbox. I also took a cx5 and a tiguan 132 pacific out as well (the wife is quite partial to a SUV) and I have to say the vw was the more impressive car of the two. I love the way the turbo vw engines perform. With the new octavia coming soon I might delay the decision until it arrives. So many choices
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Last edited by AUSL; 08-10-2013 at 04:02 PM.
MY13 118TSI DSG Superb Elegance Sedan in Candy White with MFSW + Paddles
Dubber
Please delay I'm looking at buying one tooTook an ambition sedan out for a test drive on the weekend. I have to say I was very impressed. The 118tsi engine felt real good specially paired with the dsg gearbox. I also took a cx5 and a tiguan 132 pacific out as well (the wife is quite partial to a SUV) and I have to say the vw was the more impressive car of the two. I love the way the turbo vw engines perform. With the new octavia coming soon I might delay the decision until it arrives. So many choices
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Volkswagen Fan
I decided to go with a Superb Elegance sedan. With the wait times on the new Octy and the fact that a Superb makes a great value car made it hard to ignore.
Just put down a deposit on one in Melbourne. Got a mate taking a look at it tomorrow. Fingers crossed all things go well
Dubber
Ive had mine for 3 weeks and 1000km now. 118tsi ambition superb estate in silver
Absolutely fantastic car, loving it.
You won't regret your descision
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