THE SUPERB IS A PASSAT IS AN AUDI

Look carefully at the Skoda Superb and you will find a Passat. That's because the Superb is built on the earlier fifth-generation Passat B5 platform that was stretched 95mm between the wheels to give the Superb its massive proportions. This Passat, on the other hand, uses a completely new platform. It is built on the PQ46 platform that is a stretched version of the PQ45 platform used by the new Golf. The Passat is distinctly shorter than the Superb but under the skin the Passat is clearly a generation ahead.

The key difference between both cars is the underpinnings. While the new Passat has adopted a fully-independent rear suspension using a four-link system, the Superb uses the old Passat's torsion-beam type which is a more basic suspension. The Passat uses a transversely mounted engine; the Superb's longitudinal layout of its 2.5-litre V6 is a throwback to its Audi roots and compromises packaging. So while the Superb is longer, the Passat has more than adequate room.

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
The Passat's lines and planes designed by ex-Peugeot, Mercedes and now-VW designer Murat Gunak, merge unobtrusively to create a modern but nondescript shape. But it's not all vanilla. The wide, V-shaped Volkswagen grille, finished in chrome, gives the car fantastic street presence. The headlamps with their circular and rectangular theme and deep-set lighting elements give the car a sharp look. The LED rear lamps also incorporate a circle within a rectangle theme. This high-tech unit lights up in different colours as required; say red for braking and amber when you turn. There are shades of the range-top-Phaeton and there's plenty of front and rear overhang, a visual to those who know the Passat is based on a stretched Golf platform

Like the Passat, the Superb too impressive from the front. The long bi-Xenon headlamp cluster looks classy. While it looks Laura-like from a distance, or in a photograph, you'll change your mind when you see it in the flesh. The Superb's impressive and gently-curving profile lend it air of understated class.

Neither car will turn heads like Mallika Sherawat and once you get past the shiny details, what you find are rather nondescript shapes. But these two, it's clearly the Passat with its fresher, modem and distinctive looks that wins this beauty contest.

SEAT
The Superb's interiors are superb its trump card is the cavernous space the cabin offers. You can almost walk into the cabin, and when you do you will find yourself in an environment large enough to compete with the gargantuan S-class. The rear seats are right places and the legroom is so generous that it is unusable unless you area team member of the Harlem Globetrotters. If only the back rest was a little less upright, it would be back-seat nirvana.

While the Passat may not have the same amount of passenger room as the Superb, it is good enough for four tall adults without crowded. Both legroom and headroom are generous. The front seats are more supportive and comfortable than the Superb. The only time you'll miss the Superb's seat is when you have three passengers in the rear or your leg is in a splint.

Scan the interiors of the two cars and you will notice a few common parts. Power window switches and the door mirrors all come from the same bin. However, the interior design is again a generation ahead in the Passat. The dashboard is smoother and sleeker; the interiors with its cool blue-and-red lighting feel racier and more contemporary than the Superb. Cabin quality is generally outstanding although the sliver trim is quite unconvincing and certain plastics, like on the doors, weren't up to VW's high standards.

The Superb's interior quality is right up there too but falls short of the Passat by a whisker. But what lets the insides down is the styling, which feels quite staid and dated in comparison to the fresher Passat . Now for the bells and whistles.

COMPARISON Passat vs Seat
seat adjustment system with electronic adjustment for lumbar support. The rear window comes with an electronic sun blind, plus manual blinds for the side window, that soften the sunlight without restricting your view. The audio system is a six-disc CD changer. The sunroof is electrically-operated; the auto up/down function is for all four power windows; puddle lights on the rearview mirrors. Front and rear parking sensors; cornering lights that switch on when you turn the wheel and a nifty push-button. And an Electromechanical Parking Brake with auto-hold function that prevents the car from rolling forward or backward when stationary, but the Superb comes fully loaded. Umbrella holder in the left rear door pocket; soft red pilot lights in the cabin, like in a Boeing flight deck; a manually-operated sunshade at the rear window; an automatically dimming rearview mirror; dual-zone climate control; rain-sensitive wipers; a superb audio system; rear parking sensors; a sunroof and more. You also get six airbags to keep you and your family safe.

But if you think the Superb has the goods, check out the Passat. It makes the Skoda look under-equipped in comparison. It has everything in the Superb and more. Much more. The front seats in the Passat have a 12-way seat adjustment system with electronic adjustment for lumbar support .The rear window comes with an electronic sun blind , plus manual blinds for the side window that soften the sunlight without restriction your view. The audio system is a six-disc CD changer. The sunroof is electrically operated; the auto up/down function is for all four power windows; cornering lights that switch on when you turn the wheel and a nifty push-button. And an Electromechanical Parking Brake with auto-hold function that prevents the car form rolling forward or backward when stationary, but is released automatically when the nmr6mator is pressed. This also frees up space between the front seats as dime is no handbrake lever. Also, dime is no key to twist; instead, you Aw the rectangular remote into the dashboard and then push it in further to start the engine. It's quite a fiddly operation and annoying. Now if you can do without the bi-Xenon headlights, electric sunroof, electric adjustment in the front

MMIL parking sensors and the multi-function steering wheel, you can buy the lower-spec Passat that's a cool two lakh rupees cheaper.

FROM THE HOT SEAT
The Superb is powered by a 2496ccV6 that makes 163bhp. Sitting inside the car, it's hard to tell it's a diesel. It's as silent as a petrol unit and almost totally vibration-free, at low and medium revs. This tractable motor generates a healthy 35.7kgm of torque that comes bursting through the gates at a mere 1250rpm. This low speed torque gives the five-metre car fantastic driveability in peak traffic. Slot the five-speed auto-box into D, dab the throttle and the Superb wafts forward without drama or fuss. Though the engine has to haul a tonne-and-a-half, it is no slouch. The Superb will cross the 100kph mark in 10.20 seconds. Full marks to Skoda for engine refinement, driveability and performance.

The Skoda five-speed auto-box is reasonably quick to respond to inputs from your right leg. Upshifts and downshifts are easy to execute when the lever is transferred to the right, but gear changes are sometimes jerkier man one would expect. Also, the huge gear lever feels cumbersome to shift and is best left in 'D'.

The Passat on the other hand gets only a four-cylinder 1968cc that generates 140bhp. The smaller engine can't match the big Skoda on a drag strip but it is no slouch either. The dash to 100kph comes up in 11.38 seconds. Pretty quick but still a second slower than the Superb. The Passat's four-pot motor can't match the refinement of the Superb's V6 and is a lot more vocal. In fact, it is disappointingly noisy. Volkswagen's Pumpe Duse (PD) motor, seen on many VW Group cars like the Skoda Laura, has never been the quietest of diesels. VWs high-pressure fuel-injection system has its advantages and disadvantages when compared to the common-rail systems favoured by most other manufacturers. On the plus side, the sudden 'whoosh' of boost and power lends the driving experience an unintentional sporting edge. On the downside, it concentrates power into a tighter band, throttle response is less progressive and there is more lag. This lag is quite annoying and tricky on single-lane highways when instant response is required. This non-linear power delivery is somewhat compensated by the brilliant six-speed DSG auto 'box. Under full bore acceleration there is substantial torque steer but the quick gearbox flies through the tightly-stacked ratios like an F1 car. A sport mode and paddle shifts for manual shifting add to the Passat's driving pleasure.

PROOF OF THE PUDDING IS IN THE DRIVING
The Superb with its heavy, longitudinally-mounted engine up front, along with its torsion bar rear suspension is never going to be nominated for the Best Handling Car award. But its long wheelbase and 1604kg weight makes it a contender for the Most Comfortable Ride award. At low speeds, the suspension transmits a few lumps and thumps into the cabin and the steering is ponderous and heavy. As the needle climbs up, the Superb lifts up its skirts and waltzes over the rough patches. Potholes and even speed breakers are smothered under its 16-inch alloys. Straight-line stability, even at speeds in excess of 180kph, is exceptional. As long as you adopt a relaxed driving style and don't break into goose pimples at the sight of a twisty road, the Superb will whisk you to your destination without a fuss.

In comparison the Passat changes direction with more enthusiasm. the new four-link rear suspension has restrained body roll and given the Passat good body control. The steering is much lighter and quicker than the Superb's but like a lot of electrically-assisted steering systems, it is inert and impassive and filters feedback from the wheels.

The Passat is happy being driven fast. It's a master at disguising its speed. At 150kph, it feels like an 80kph walk in the park. The car seems to squat down as the speed builds, and most irregularities fail to throw the Passat off its line. Adding to the sense of calm is the low road and wind noise which is significantly higher in the superb. At slower speeds, the Passat's ride is a bit lumpy but what really detracts from the quality feel is a noisy rear suspension that thuds and booms through every pothole. It makes the Passat feel like it is flimsily built and dikes raised India-spec suspension has seriously compromised the car's refinement.

THE QUESTION OF AVERAGE
Fuel economy is not the Superb's greatest strength - 7.34kpl in the city and 11.95kpl on the highway is what you can expect from this Skoda. As was to be expected, the Passat's smaller PD motor and 137kg weight advantage translates into better fuel economy. In the city, VW's latest average 9.68kpl. On the highway the Passat travels 13.501an on a litre. Now add the fact that it also has a large fuel tank, and you can expect infrequent sightings of the VW at fuel pumps.

ON THE PODIUM
So who wins the shootout? It's a difficult choice. The Superb has a smooth, powerful engine. It is spacious, comfortable and well equipped. It has a softer edge than the Passat and is the more relaxing car to drive. You also save over two lakh of your hard-earned rupees if you choose it over the Passat.
The Passat isn't perfect. The suspension is noisy at low speeds, the engine is more audible than the Superb's and there's a noticeable lag in throttle response. But when we were all asked which one we would put our money on, it was the Passat. The VW is the one that pulls all the emotional chords. The styling, interiors and even the driving experience are more exciting than the Superb. There's a freshness about the Passat that makes it special. It's a newer car, built on a newer platform that translates to better engineering. Moreover, it bristles with features and technologies that make the Skoda feel like a geriatric in comparison. This is a victory for youth.