When you have 3 children, a large car is a must have. There needs to be enough room for 3 car seats in the back, plenty of boot space for all the luggage that children seem to travel with, and comfortable seating for the grown ups too. We were recently given the chance to try out the Skoda Superb Estate Outdoor Plus 2.0 TDI PS 4×4, and it arrived just in time for us to load it up and head off to North Wales for our holiday – a journey of about 5 hours, so we knew the comfort and drive would get a real road test!
What did we love?
- The 4X4 element gives a really smooth ride, even over the rough and hilly back roads of the Welsh mountains.
- The wide back seat is suitable for 3 car seats, although it is a tight squeeze. Do bear in mind that we have one large, rear facing seat which takes up a fair bit of the space – 3 high backed boosters would be a more comfortable fit I think. The seats also have Isofix as standard, so you can use most car seats.
- The front seats are leather, comfortable and heated, and even after 5 hours in them we were not in any way uncomfortable.
- The cruise control, power steering, electric windows and mirrors and the climate control make for a comfortable journey no matter what the weather or driving conditions, and everything is simple, almost intuitive to use.
- The dashboard features everything you could need. The sat nav system is inbuilt, and offers a choice of routes as well as allowing you to search for petrol stations, food outlets, supermarkets and other places you may need on your journey.
- The huge boot gave us so much storage space. We thought our current car had a large boot, but the Skoda is in another league altogether. The boot is enormous, and we had plenty of space for holiday luggage for 5 plus a big pushchair
- We also had the use of an electric cool box and an iPad holder. The cool box is a great idea for family days out – just plug into the socket in the boot and you can keep your picnic cool until you need it. It also works well for taking things like milk with you on holiday, so you can have a cuppa when you arrive! The iPad holder is a lifesaver for long journeys, as it mounts on the headrest and means the children can watch films etc. If you have more than 1 child, you would really need 2 of these!
- It is very economical to run – you can drive a really long way before the fuel needle drops. We did a LOT of driving, from Devon to North Wales, plenty of day out visits when we were there and all the way home, and only had to fill the tank once. We still had over half a tank left when we got home.
What we didn’t love so much
- The only real criticism I have is the back seats. Although I have already mentioned this as a positive as you can get 3 car seats across the back, I am also going to mention it as a slight negative, as it is a very tight squeeze, meaning lots of pulling car seats about to get them all installed and strapped in. It is not something I would want to be doing on a daily basis. I think the main reason for this is the fact that the Skoda has 2 standard sized seats with a smaller area in between – this is what makes it hard to get a third car seat in – it’s not a full sized seat. In our current car, we have 3 separate seats and this makes it easier to fit the 3 children in.
Overall, we loved the Skoda Superb Estate Outdoor Plus. It is smart, a dream to drive and with lots of great features that make journeys more enjoyable. We would definitely consider Skoda when we next buy a car.
I love that this is economical, Skoda are such a reliable brand as well
Karen recently posted…Today She Walked 19 September
I was just about to ask if the first photo was taken near me but then read the part that said North Wales! Hope you enjoyed your time up here.
Sounds like a great family car 🙂 xx
Catriona Stephen recently posted…Helpful Breastfeeding Products
Author
Oooh that was the base of Mount Snowdon I think – near you?
I’m pretty sure it’s Betws-y-Coed? Have your written a post about your trip? If so would love to have a read 🙂
Author
Yes, that sounds familiar! It was very pretty, little river and bridge? I haven’t written a post yet, but am planning too. We stayed at Presthaven Sands.
When we had three under three we had to go for a car with separated seats in the back. We originally had a Volvo and even though it was a big car it was nigh on impossible to get all the car seats in! Of course no isofix back then either which probably makes things easier nowadays, not that I’d know mind having never had an isofix carseat lol.
Katie recently posted…Baby’s First Shoes
It looks lovely.
Not ideal with the back seats though :^(
Emmys Mummy recently posted…Review: Legends of Oz – Dorothy’s Return DVD
wow Kate this is one gorgeous looking car i totally would love santa to being me this one .. the boot looks fantastic
Jaime Oliver recently posted…LeapFrog Childrens LeapBand Activity Tracker Review
It looks like a great car, but it would be too small for my family (4 children).
Mel recently posted…Where do you find Products for Allergy Sufferers? (& a Giveaway)
I must admit I’ve never been a fan of Skoda, always thinking it’s an old people’s car. But I would happily drive around in this car, it sounds fantastic! I love all the extra features x #TriedTested
Sharon Powell recently posted…Panda soft Drinks Review
This is a blast from the past. Skoda was quite popular in the Soviet times. I confess I know nothing about cars, and more admired the scenery in your first photot.
Galina V recently posted…Stress-free back to school meals for #Afterschoolchefs
Is it bad I think I recognise where you were lol. I quite like skodas . that boot is miles better than mine
Neither hubby nor I drive at the mo, but we’ve been talking about one of us learning next year and buying a Skoda when we do. This looks perfect for our family of five. Great review 🙂 #triedtested
Fantastic review. And how exciting to get to review a vehicle. We have been saying what kind car would we need if we had one more or even when we want to go on family trips with granny in tow. But you are right we wouldn’t want to have to take the car seats in and out daily just to belt them all in. That’s what we have to do now if we put them all in the back seat and a friends child is with us.Otherwise sounds like a fantastic car. #triedtested
That looks like a fab car…..I remember a time when a Skoda was the butt of everyone’s jokes. Not now after seeing this.
Kim Carberry recently posted…Science4you Science Kits – Review!!
Ooh look at all that space in the boot! Bliss, I have a nissan note and it is a bit of a squeeze in there! x #TriedTested
You Baby Me Mummy recently posted…A letter to Baby at 18 months old
I don’t drive so don’t know much about cars, but I like the look of this. It’s a shame about the back seat, although we only have two kids so something like this would be alright for us x
bloggermummylauren recently posted…The List – My Blogging Goals
I’ll show this to my hub. He’s desperately searching cars & a massive boot is my only requirement!!
Beth Twinderelmo recently posted…Weird Things Toddlers Love
Looks like a fab family car, I love the Ipad holders in the seat backs, ideal for long journeys
Looks fab,like you though i’d like the extra room of a proper 3rd seat! Fab boot space though!
Such a beautiful looking car – and I LOVE the luxury touches of the cool box etc. Like you the three seats across the back is a big issue for us and currently prevents us fitting our family in one car! This sounds like it would be a great car for an older family.
#TriedTested
Colette B recently posted…Tried & Tested Tuesday
What a great review! Big cars are definitely a must when you have more than 2 kids! We’re having to upgrade again soon. Eeeek! x x x x
I can’t say I know a lot about cars, but that boot space looks completely amazing. We currently have a 3 door and we have to take the wheels off our pram to fit it in our boot, it’s a huge headache. I think we’re getting a new car in the next couple of weeks, unfortunately hubby makes the decision as he has to use it for work! x
#TriedTested
Mummy’s Blog recently posted…ASDA Little Angels Food Freezer Pots Review