Skoda Superb hybrid range, MPG, CO2 & charging

The Superb iV’s low running costs look particularly compelling compared to those of its petrol and diesel-engined siblings, and they’re competitive with hybrid rivals, too. Of course, as with any plug-in hybrid, if you can’t, don’t or won’t connect it to a power supply on a regular basis, then you’ll end up spending much more on fuel in the long run.

Skoda Superb iV range, MPG & CO2 emissions

The Skoda Superb iV makes for a fantastic company car, thanks largely to its low CO2 emissions and usable electric range. The fact it can officially do 35 miles on a charge and emits less than 50g/km of CO2 means it falls into the 12% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company-car tax band. That’s incredibly tempting, and could save business users a whole heap of money on their annual tax bill.

Fuel economy could top 200mpg if you avoid using the petrol engine. But, as always with plug-in hybrids, this assumes making full use of the car's electric range by charging its batteries whenever possible. If you use the petrol engine rather than the cable to charge the battery – a function accessible through the car’s infotainment system – you’ll find your average fuel economy plummets.

Living with a Superb iV, we saw around 45.1mpg after not charging the battery for extended periods. That's impressive for a car weighing 1,752kg, but still far below the 200mpg or higher this car would be capable of if we'd been able to charge it fully.

Charge time

A 3.6kW home wallbox will top up the Superb iV’s battery in three-and-a-half hours – but that’s the fastest you’ll manage, because the Skoda’s on-board technology is capped at this speed. Skoda claims you can do the same task from a three-pin domestic socket in five hours – plenty quick enough to charge overnight and ensure you wake up every morning with a full battery.