Superb Wagon

[Antiplastix]

Yawn.......zzzzzzzz.......!!!!!!

[Jake02]

You can quote me on this Skoda Australia will see no progression and will decline progressively on annual growth (in comparison to its counterparts overall market share and volume) if they do not start advertising the following:

WHO THEY ARE
WHAT THEY DO BETTER
AND WHAT IT CAN OFFER TO THE AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER

As it stands a massive portion of their intended audience does not have knowledge on any of the above mentioned.

You can't consider buying something you do not know exists.

Maybe this whole "painfully slow growth" is a self fulfilling prophecy they are determined to see come to fruition

Couldn't agree more, and this is something that Skoda Aus NEEDS to know! They cannot see this, and it *****s me to tears. You can't contact them by email, mail, phone etc, how the hell are we supposed to tell them this!? Believe me, I've tried to contact them after them not replying to my designs after six months and they didn't reply to that, made me VERY pissed. Great cars, no absolutely fantastic cars limited by the tools who bring them in here. They seem abit suss to me...

[dsgfh]

Not happy with Skoda management? Have you considered contacting VW Australia instead?
Find they're ignoring you to? Have you considered that they actually do have a plan and that just because you're not privy to it doesn't mean it doesn't exist?
Sure, this may not be the case, but I don't know it.

As a potential rather than current owner, let me put this to you. The only place I've read anything negative about skoda as a brand in Australia is right here on this forum & from the clearly moronic folden owners on every caradvice article not about a folden. The local press seems to love the current crop of cars, or at the very least has no more dislike for them than any other brand. Certainly the superb seems to be getting rave reviews.
As someone curious about the brand though, the caradvice morons are easy ignored as internet trolls. Current owners are far harder to ignore. Consider who might actually be the ones with the self-fulfilling prophecy.

Anyway, I know you all want to vent your frustration, but consider for a second:
- is Skoda reading this thread anyway?
- who else (potential owners) are reading it? What impression do I want them leaving with?

Just a thought.

[RSwag]

I'm not saying it is anyone at HQ Oz making poor decisions, I don't know them and I couldn't make this judgment based on assumptions I was thinking it maybe a Gernan decision if anything. My comments are made on what I see, merely an observation from someone who took a keen interest from their inception to the market and originally thought my hard earn dollars would be well spent here (since went with VW).

Potential owners can make up their own mind, and if this place us the only point if negativity on the Skoda product then you must be in a parrelel universe . Fairfax, TMR, caradvice, and several others gave been very "arms length" with the brand others have been overtly negative.

Anyway what makes you think that they would give a flog as to what I think, or that I am even right?! If this is the path they have chosen to take the reality is they are content and convinced this approach is the right one. It's been noted several timed that they are trending Down in volume since last year but they aren't doing anything different so the idea that they maybe doing something wrong might be foreign to them and the chances if getting a positive reply are nil. No one reacts well to "your doing it wrong" especially when they are HQ staff.

[woofy]

Nice to see we are back here again. For the record, there are target audiences for any car maker. Skoda are very big with bike racing groups, some rally sport and anyone with a bit of nouse. If I deal with the usual Holden/Ford group, they will have NFI and won't care. Skoda/VW know that, Holden themselves have said many times, we never sell HSV cars to FPV owners or vice versa. There is no point.

So where have Skoda been putting their advertising, well they are heavily involved with bike events, anyone I know following that, already know what my car is. Thanks to the Targa Tas recently, people also know about them from there. Mazda when they grew again were mainly focusing in the Targa as well. I've seen ads regularly for both the "convince your other half" and the Superb in pretty much every Virgin in flight mag and Qantas/Jetstar as well. Anyone who flies reads them whether they want to or not. They are out there, I doubt very much we will see them on TV much, I can't recall ever seeing VW or Audi ads on TV. Anyone who would be a likely candidate for them, know of them, or someone with one. The main avenue now for people is the owners themselves, and two people have bought an RS due to me having one for 18mths now. Another two at work are likely to get one later this year, so I don't see any problem. In another 2 yrs I very well may replace mine with another.

[K1W1]

I can't recall ever seeing VW or Audi ads on TV.

You can't watch much TV. VW flogged the Tiguan to death earlier this year and are currently advertising the new Polo extensively. Audi have several TV ads running at the moment including $10k worth of extras on A6 models for $1700.

Skoda generally have ads during the Tour de France and that's in a month or so.

[woofy]

Actually I do recall the Polo ads, not seen the Audi ones but I probably don't pay any attention to them. After just posting this, I saw not just an ad, but a whole joint SBS comp where they are promoting the launch of the Superb Wagon....

[dsgfh]

Actually I do recall the Polo ads, not seen the Audi ones but I probably don't pay any attention to them. After just posting this, I saw not just an ad, but a whole joint SBS comp where they are promoting the launch of the Superb Wagon....

Do you know what the show was? Might see if I can find it on the SBS website (they keep an awful lot of content online)

[dsgfh]

Yup, they're certainly targeting their ads. Note that Skoda is SBS's official cycling broadcast partner (SBS: Cycling Central - home), so I'm not surprised they got a paid feature. Cycling fans would know them as the company offering a trip to the tour de france.

I've also seen the Superb Wagon advertised in the car mags this month & we'll no doubt see test reviews in the following months.
& for those that think I'm living in another world because I'm not seeing harsh reviews of Skoda, perhaps you should take another look around. The Superb looks to have them on a real winner as far as the press is concerned. At least at this stage in the review cycle.

TMR:
"From our first drive it’s clear that the Superb wagon has kept all of the positive virtues of the sedan – high build quality, exceptional value and generous equipment lists – while adding improved utility and a more visually-pleasing rear end.

It’s a definite winner, and delivers one of the nicest drives in the wagon segment."

Goauto:
"So we think, new car buyers of Australia, you may have to mentally rearrange your brand perceptions thanks to Skoda’s latest family car.

Fit for purpose, fun to drive, cosy to sit inside, highly efficient mechanically, undeniably safe and secure, and a bargain compared to other large carryalls, the Superb Wagon represents something of a milestone for the company as well as compelling value for consumers.

That’s why it rates already as the best Skoda in history. We have every confidence that further exposure will only deepen our respect for this most underrated large car."

Car Advice:
"After a three hour drive program out and back into Melbourne, it’s fair to say the Skoda Superb Wagon is yet another great addition to the Skoda range. With the backing of Volkswagen, Skoda is here to stay and potential buyers of European large wagons would be mad to miss out on a test drive."

& in a seperate fluff piece:
"Make no mistake “Made in the Czech Republic” is something of a quality tag these days, especially when it comes to carmakers.

Skoda is the brand I’m taking about, and anyone who thinks otherwise about the build quality and reliability of their cars, probably doesn’t know that the Volkswagen Group owns them, either.

I distinctly remember speaking with one very serious chief technician from Skoda at their first re-launch in Australia, and he was quick to point out that each and every Skoda worker rises from his or her bed each day, with the sole intention of building a better car that any of their German co-workers.

With a powerful ‘word of mouth’ marketing campaign in constant play by almost every current Skoda driver on the planet, it’s no wonder that Skoda sales are on the up, in each and every country they operate in."
"There is absolutely no question that Skoda is a premium carmaker who represents unbeatable value for money in the said category, and its my opinion that the brand will continue to attract more and more customers."


So, perhaps its time some of the current owners here "mentally rearrange your brand perceptions thanks to Skoda’s latest family car"?

[Swuzzlebubble]

You can't watch much TV. VW flogged the Tiguan to death earlier this year and are currently advertising the new Polo extensively. Audi have several TV ads running at the moment including $10k worth of extras on A6 models for $1700.

Skoda generally have ads during the Tour de France and that's in a month or so.

Skoda are currently presenting the ‘Giro’ highlights show that has been running for the last three weeks SBS2 8.30, concluding tonight.
Interestingly the programme is “brought to you by the new Skoda Superb wagon” but the ads during the show are for the sedan.

[Tensixty6]

How is it that a similarly equipped Passat 125TDI wagon is, according to my calculations, nearly $8,000 dearer than the Elegance 125TDI. I assume that Leather Upholstery, SatNav and Park Assist are all options on the Passat.

The drive away price for an Elegance 125TDI wagon with Panoramic Roof and remote tailgate comes in at just over $54,000. Way way cheaper than a Passat. Amazing value.

[Spook]

How is it that a similarly equipped Passat 125TDI wagon is, according to my calculations, nearly $8,000 dearer than the Elegance 125TDI. I assume that Leather Upholstery, SatNav and Park Assist are all options on the Passat.

The drive away price for an Elegance 125TDI wagon with Panoramic Roof and remote tailgate comes in at just over $54,000. Way way cheaper than a Passat. Amazing value.

is the $54k price quoted for the Elegance 125TDI wagon a dealer negotiated price? The driveaway price on the Skoda website for NSW quoted $55,306. Adding the Pano roof ($2,190) and remote tailgate ($790) and metallic paint ($990) plus 5% stamp duty brings the total to $59,475.

The Passat 125TDI Highline is quoted at $50,881. Leather is standard on the Passat 125TDI. I have an old price-list here, so may not be accurate, but adding in the options to above Elegance spec means adding Sunroof (not panoramic, $2000), Sat Nav w/RVC ($3,000), Park Assist ($900), bi-Xenon headlights ($2,300), Memory seats ($1,500), Alarm ($600), Remote tailgate ($760), and metallic paint ($1,000) and stamp duty adds up to... (drumroll)... $63,544. Not to mention LCT may kick in here too.

The Superb wagon really represents excellent value and would be a shame not to sell well. I have seen billboards advertising Topgear's "Luxury Car of the Year", so Skoda definitely know they have a product that has the potential to do well and are making a renewed effort to promote the car and the brand.

[Tensixty6]

Oops, looking at the pricing quoted on the Skoda website, I based my figure in the 118TSI rather than the 125TDI. So, add about $3,100 as the difference. It's interesting just how much difference there is in the driveaway price from state to state. NSW $55,306....Victoria $54,127.

[CanberravRS]

Oops, looking at the pricing quoted on the Skoda website, I based my figure in the 118TSI rather than the 125TDI. So, add about $3,100 as the difference. It's interesting just how much difference there is in the driveaway price from state to state. NSW $55,306....Victoria $54,127.

Its because NSW is going broke and have increased all their taxes over the last few years to make more money.

[Inego]

Its because NSW is going broke and have increased all their taxes over the last few years to make more money.

Maybe the actually broke ACT could learn from the recent NSW surplus?

Saw a Superb wagon ad in a cycling magazine at the Doc's the other day, and there was actually a Scout ad in Saturdays SMH - first Skoda newspaper ad I've seen in months. MAybe it's because a ship is due in next week?