Skoda Superb Estate review: understated brilliance in a world of SUV excess

In a world dominated by SUVs, it's incredibly refreshing to still be able to review an estate. And although there are still a few large estate cars out there, if you can be bothered to look for long enough, one of the last and best bastions of this wonderfully practical layout has been the Skoda Superb.

It's bigger than ever now, at least in terms of its length, and it finally has plug-in hybrid power, which is a welcome addition that will excite company car buyers.

It also looks rather lovely, and it has some refreshingly traditional touches, along with the usual sprinkling of Skoda common sense.

Of course, it's available as a hatchback, and that's also a nice car to spend time in, but the estate version has a 690-litre boot, which extends to a frankly ridiculous 1,920 litres with the seats folded flat. And, perhaps I'm becoming too much of an adult, but I find that incredibly exciting.

There's not a lot else to get excited about with the Superb estate, truth be told. Not that that's a complaint, in any way. The exterior is styled in a mature, sensible way with no chintzy light bars or carbon fibre accents.

Likewise, the interior is remarkably mature and sensible, apart perhaps from the obscurely missing bottom spoke in the steering wheel.

The way Skoda's current infotainment system functions is hardly up there with the best of them but, in just about every other way, it's a cabin that performs every bit as well as you'd want it to, with comfortable seats, good visibility, plenty of physical controls, and some clever Skoda design flair.

The rear seats are perhaps even more impressive, with the new design allowing for even more legroom, and it has a roofline that hasn't been compromised by some daft styling quirk - so headroom is also excellent.

It might surprise you to learn the Superb is still available with a diesel engine (remember them?) and obviously they offer incredible range and solid MPG, but the big news here is a new plug-in hybrid system, which has a hefty battery that's theoretically capable of giving you 80 miles from a full charge.

It feels like a natural fit in the Superb, even though there are plenty of "old-school" aspects of the car overall. The added refinement from whirring along on the electric motor just makes the cabin a nicer place to be, and with the added EV shove, acceleration is quite effortless.

Firm dampers and precise feel from the nicely-weighted steering also add up to a pleasant composure on the road. It's a car that laps up motorway miles with aplomb, but it's by no means a damp squib on a twisty B-road.

Choosing a Superb is a reasonably complicated affair, with plenty of trim levels and drivetrains to choose from, but it should broaden its appeal beyond the allure of falling back in love with the estate layout.

And that's a good thing, because even in its most basic form, prices start at £36,785 and the nicer models quite easily head towards £50,000 if you're a bit trigger-happy with the options list.

But you're getting a car that offers understated brilliance, in a world that's constantly trying to dip its toe into outlandish silliness.

The Skoda Superb is a refreshing dose of sobriety, in a world that's becoming intoxicated by faddy nonsense and sheer overcomplication. And I absolutely love it for that.