The ‘terminal’ D segment
Something interesting is happening at the Volkswagen Group. Apparently they don’t care much about it, concludes car designer Niels van Roij in his design review of the new Skoda Superb.
The car industry has always been ruthless. The development costs are enormous and often amount to billions per car. Especially since the very high development costs of electric platforms have to be included in addition to regular chassis, the margins have also become wafer-thin. For mainstream, non-premium automakers, it’s even more challenging. The market can be called hostile and unpredictable. See also Volkswagen’s factory closures around the ID range.
D segment a terminal industry
The world is also grim for many manufacturers that have a model in the medium-sized D segment. It is a fairly terminal industry, with fewer and fewer customers. After all, their preferences have inexorably shifted to SUVs.
Unlike most of its rivals, the Volkswagen Group has enjoyed significant success with its D-segment offering in recent years. The Volkswagen Passat and the Skoda Superb were a very convincing offer. The latest iterations of both models are also exceptionally well drawn. That, coupled with a high level of usability and strong residual values, made them popular among both business and private drivers.
The outgoing Volkswagen Passat, well drawn!
The previous Skoda Superb, presented in 2014.
But now… With the introduction of the eighth generation Passat, it is only available as a Variant. The Passat sold well, especially as a station wagon. Customers who are now looking for a sedan will therefore have to choose a different brand. While the Passat is limited to a single body variant for 2024, Skoda is still allowed to keep both the hatchback and the Combi for its latest Superb. Special.
However, for the latest Passat and Superb models, the Volkswagen Group has chosen to share not only the underbody and drivetrains of these large, rather expensive mid-range cars, but also the bodies! Passurb or Supat? Look for the differences. The metal panels are literally transferable, completely identical. What a sadness.
The Skoda Superb Combi and Volkswagen Passat Variant look very similar.
The Volkswagen Passat in R-line trim.
Given the close similarities between the outgoing and the new Superb model, it seems likely that the 2024 Superb is in fact a facelift example of the previous model. Volkswagen used to do this more often. For example, the Golf VI was a re-body of the V.
While the Golf VI was an aesthetically significant improvement over the V, this cannot be said of the Superb. What an extremely disappointing, poorly executed job. Energy-free and weak surfacing has been applied to the flank. Can be called non-descript and anonymous at best, where the previous Passat and Superb were clearly distinguishable from each other. Just the typical ones DLO of Superb has been retained. All the grins from other character traits are gone. As if the designers have deliberately shaved off all recognisability. Also the down the road graphic is nothing special. The previous Superb was a masterpiece of Skoda design. The result of this design exercise is a car that will probably only satisfy the Wolfsburg accountants. It seems that they are of little interest anymore.
Of the pair, the Superb seems to suit its new suit somewhat better than its German cousin, but no one can view the new exterior styling as anything other than a significant step backwards from both very well-drawn predecessors.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl