Honda Accord vs Skoda Supersecond
In the automotive world, brilliant marketing strategy and excellent automotive engineering is what brings brands to the top, regardless of how big or small the car company is. This is so evident in the hotly contested midsize sedan market, where there are simply too many pretenders, contenders, and who are attacking the media and market attention. Some succeed, most others fail.
So what do you think will happen when a virtual unknown, like a Skoda Superb, goes up against a well-known brand, like the Honda Accord? Will there be an unrest for the underdogs? Well, let’s find out by piecing together the entry-level models from each brand.
Let’s start with the Honda Accord LX, which has a 2.4L inline-4 engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission gearbox, producing 177 horsepower at 6,500 rpm. This fuel-efficient engine has a fuel economy of 25 miles per gallon for both city and highway driving. The Accord also offers 4-wheel ABS on ventilated disc brakes as a standard primary safety feature. In terms of curb weight, the Accord LX comes in a slightly trimmer 3,230-lb version backed by 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 215/60 all-season tires. All of this, and a bit more, you can get starting at $21,765.
The Skoda Superb, meanwhile, starts at around $25,708, more or less depending on the current foreign currency exchange rate. For this price, you get a frugal 1.4L inline-4 engine, which can go 27 miles on a gallon of fuel. It has a rather weak power output though, with just 125bhp at 5000rpm, delivered to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox. Solid disc brakes at all four corners are standard, as is an anti-lock braking system and 205/55-sized tires on 16-inch wheels, which hold 3,267 pounds. Frame of the Superb on the asphalt.
You have to remember, though, that all of these numbers are for the entry-level models only, for both automakers. Things get a little more exclusive, more competitive, and more expensive as you go up the different trim levels. The Accord offers three different trim levels, namely the base LX, the upgraded EX, and the top of the line EX-L, which offers premium features such as leather upholstery and an optional navigation system.
The Skoda Superb, on the other hand, has two body styles available in wagon and sedan, and four different trim levels, which are: the base S, the upgraded SE, the opulent Elegance series and the ultra-thrifty Green Line. There are also a dozen engine configurations to choose from for each trim level, with a total of five gasoline engines, starting with the 1.4L inline-4 through to the top-of-the-range 3.5L V6; and seven other 2.0-liter turbo diesel engines, with varying degrees of power. The Greenline trim has only one engine, which is the saved 1.9L TDI that can get up to 55.4mpg.
So there goes the numbers in this comparison feature, and now we move on to deciding which car is best suited for today’s discerning buyers. At first glance, the Skoda Superb has some great features to offer, especially with its lineup of turbo diesel engines. However, with a fairly high entry-level price for a brand that has yet to reach a global market, Skoda won’t get anywhere with this brilliantly crafted vehicle. As for the Honda Accord, the name alone speaks for itself.
