Back in business: Skoda Superb vs VW Passat - pictures

The new VW Passat is a well-rounded car, but now the stylish Superb is on the block, has its reign ended as the best family and fleet choice out there?

The Skoda Superb we tested was the £22,090 2.0 TDI SE Business model, but the car in our pictures is the top-spec Laurin & Klement model. 

It's powered by a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine. The Superb always feels eager thanks to a muscly 340Nm of torque. 

Inside, the Superb features a slick-looking dashboard with a thoughtful layout and plenty of high-grade materials, giving it a real premium feel and making it a real rival for the upmarket Passat. 

The SUperb has a longer wheelbase than the Passat and is slightly wider, so there's 30mm more legroom in the rear of the Superb. 

The Superb's boot steals the headlines, with a huge 625-litre capacity that can be increased to a whopping 1,760 litres with the rear seats folded flat. That's more than a match for some estate cars!

In the corners the body rolls slightly more than the Passat due to a more comfort-oriented setup. 

Despite being a more comfortable ride, the Superb always feels safe and secure when you guide it through a series of bends. The steering is naturally weighted and gives just enough feedback. 

Flagship Laurin & Klement model in our pictures stands out with 18-inch alloys, but all cars feature alloys and sharp detailing. 

"The sleek, spacious Skoda would be considered good value even if it cost the same amount as the Passat. The fact it's nearly £3,000 less marks it out as a real bargain. Not only does the Superb look better and deliver greater practica

Superb's old Twindoor setup has been scrapped in favour of a traditional hatchback, meaning access to the huge boot is better than in the Passat's saloon body, but that doesn't mean the VW isn't a versatile choice. 

Superb can be fitted with £1,295 bi-xenons with distinctive LED running lights, while the Passat can be specified with £710 full LED lamps that feature distinctive 'sweeping' indicators. 

As with Skoda, VW offers a model aimed squarely at fleet rivals called SE Business. That's the model we test here powered by the same 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, but it costs £25,240 - about £3,000 more than the equivalent Skod

The VW's underpinnings are similar to the Skoda's and it too delivers an impressive blend of ride and handling, but feels slightly more nimble. It helped that our car had adaptive dampers fitted, too. 

The Passat's clear, easy-to-use sat-nav is standard, and the dash has a high-quality feel throughout. Driving position has the edge over the Superb thanks to new comfort seats. 

The Passat doesn't offer quite as much room in the rear as the Superb, but it still has more room than most and there's bags of head and legroom and an airy atmosphere. 

Boot falls short of Skoda's at 586 litres, but it's big in isolation and against other rivals. There are plenty of handy hooks and levers to lower the rear bench, but versatility can't match the Superb due to tighter boot opening.&nbsp

If you only add one option to the Passat, make it the £705 Dynamic Chassis Control system. This set-up features three-stage adaptive dampers, and has the ability to transform the car from smooth-riding executive saloon into an agile ho

The Passat weighs 85kgless than its predecessor, having a positive effect on its ride and handling. The VW feels punchy and responsive and the nimble handling belies its size. 

Passat emits just 108g/km of CO2 and returns a claimed 70.6mpg which will appeal to both company and private buyers. 

The latest Passat is far more stylish and upmarket to look at compared with the previous model. 

Alloy wheels are standard across the range, and SE Business spec has rear privacy glass and front foglights. Our car featured 18-inch alloys to help boost visual appeal, but it has to give best to the sleek Skoda in the looks departmen