Skoda Superb

The Superb is the cousin to the upmarket VW Passat, except that it's longer, spacious, cheaper and more practical in everyway to the Passat. Well, we used to think that for some reason, this might overshadow its presence, but not anymore. In the latest incarnation, the Superb has matured tastefully, and so has its interior.

Though still holding resemblance to the bland straight-cut VW family, it has too inherited premium quality finishes identical to a car many times its price. The interior hence isn't something you would call "exciting", but sure, it does make you feel you are on a business class suite on an everyday basis.

For one thing, we don't really like the mixture of the dark black top panels of the dashboard with the fair beige lower furnishings. The awkward use of dark walnut panels also gives the interior a rather sombre feel. Everything else, however, is splendid. You even get the airplane-inspired controls on the gear level, which also happens to appear on the expensive Audi A4 sedan.

The scallop-shaped back seats are comfortable for the even the most long-footed person, and the wide centre armrest on the rear seats means that the third passenger will not be seating in an uncomfortably narrow position where the protruding centre stack is poking his back.

All we know is: good car, good price, fit for the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic.