Skoda Superb review - the best large family car to drive? - Ride and handling

Pull away in the DCC’s Comfort setting and the Superb feels exactly how you might have imagined it would before scanning the ‘performance’ section of the spec sheet. It might have a hot hatch engine, but the 2-litre saloon-cum-hatch feels rather tame.  It’s remarkably comfortable though, ironing out motorway cracks with ease.

Switch DCC from Comfort to Sport and the Superb suddenly transforms its character. The body feels much more tied down, remaining hunched over crests and strong on its toes during compressions. It never goes as far as becoming harsh, but every steering input becomes much more immediate.

Body control is certainly the Superb’s strongest asset. That remains the case even in Sport mode – while noticeably firmer than Comfort, it’s still pliant and more than capable of dealing with the broken surfaces we encountered on our Scottish launch drive. You’re always aware of the car’s mass – it’s never quite as nimble or controlled as a Golf GTI or even Octavia vRS, but the chassis still takes crests and cambers in its stride.

We’ve also tried a car with standard, non-adaptive suspension. It doesn’t quite have the wide-ranging abilities of DCC-equipped cars, but it still offers a suitable compromise between ride and body control.

Admittedly, steering feel is next to non-existent in all modes, but the electronic assistance is refreshingly consistent and does at least allow you to be nicely accurate with inputs. The Superb is no sports saloon, but in pure and simple terms it’s more fun than its predecessor, and entertaining enough for a car of its type.