The Skoda Superb Scout is the new best car in the world

Obviously, TopGear.com remains fully impartial to a car until we’ve driven it and fully, fairly assessed it. Unless it’s offensively ugly, or ridiculously gorgeous, or a massive, unpretentious estate car with all-wheel drive and wood veneer inside. 

Guess which one of those things the new Skoda Superb Scout is? Emphasis on Superb, people.

Yes, Skoda’s huge-value, downright huge barge has finally been given its own Scout version. If you’re not familiar with the Skoda Scout treatment, basically it means ‘add ride height, four-wheel drive and rugged bumpers to a normal car and hope people buy it instead of a silly SUV they don’t really need.’ We like them a lot.

The Superb Scout is based on the Superb Estate, complete with its gargantuan 1,950-litre boot. Under the plastic wheelarches, there’s an extra 15mm of ride height, and the car wears a new set of 18-inch alloys. You get heated front seats as standard, the car can tow over two tonnes, and there’s the option of wood trim inside. It’s as outdoorsy as a family camping trip, but much more comfortable than a tent. 

Of course, there are sensible diesel engines to choose from, but would you believe that Skoda is also lobbing a 272bhp 2.0-litre petrol under the bonnet? This isn’t just the anti-crossover, it’s also a hot hatch slayer in wellington boots. 

No word on prices yet, but several members of the Top Gear office have suddenly scuttled off to find evening jobs. Could this humble Skoda be all the car we ever need?