Story: DAVID WILKINS
COMPANY car drivers who want to make it to important meetings whatever the winter weather throws at them have an interesting new option – the Skoda Superb Outdoor.
The Skoda Superb Outdoor, which is only available as an estate, features permanent four-wheel drive, big eighteen-inch alloys and chunky protective plastic bodywork designed to shrug off minor knocks and nudges.
The Superb Outdoor’s equipment is based on the mid-range SE trim level but with the addition of a four-spoke leather multi-function steering wheel, “Sunset” privacy glass, hill-hold braking, a tyre pressure monitoring system, headlamp washers and heated windscreen washer nozzles. Business users will be particularly pleased to see Bluetooth makes it onto the spec sheet as well.
Skoda is offering the Outdoor with one petrol engine – the 160 PS 1.8 TSI at £26,465 – and two 2.0 TDI diesels, which are more likely to appeal to company car drivers. Cars with Volkswagen’s self-shifting DSG gearbox get a 140 PS version (£28,100) while manuals (£27,600) have 170 PS.
The Skoda Superb is already available as a 4×4 without the Outdoor kit from £22,865 (SE hatch) or £23,945 (SE estate) if you have budgeted to reduce your company car tax allowance.