Volvo sounds good to me, won't be able to buy one soon as an ICE car.

Thought that was 2030

Both good cars. Nothing wrong with the Superb at all and the current one fixed the seats (which I never got on well with) and rather cheap dash of the 2008-2015 one.

Looked at the 2008 -2015 version but the totally daft tailgate put us off, the Mrs couldn't pull it down so heavy. OK, she could use the smaller boot lid but that would not have worked with mother wheelchair.

That said for similar money I'd take the Volvo. It simply feels the more upmarket and more expensive car that it is and is a nicer place to while away the hours.

The Volvo should feel more upmarket, its the best part of £6000 more at broker prices. But the difference IMHO is small, certainly not worth £6000

If the Skoda is BA Club World and the Volvo BA First let's be honest they're both very good but for the same money we'd all take 1st.

No idea what BA Club is, am I missing something.

What Car reliability index is worthless, you should know if you attend a car forum. Ask those who had to change the oil pump drive shaft in their 2.0 TDI, those who can’t pull off in their 1.5 petrol VAG cars or those who need a bottle of oil in their boot to constantly top up the oil.

Bought 4 VAG cars since 2013 (and 4 more before that) and not had anything but excellent service. Never had to top up oil (even after 100,000 plus miles).

Before we bought the iV we tried 2 cars with the 1.5 TSi engine and drove one of them twice. Had read so much about the issues just needed to be sure that it was in the past. Drove both from stone cold and not a problem. Since we did not buy one it turned out to be irrelevant but I would still feel confident the risk is low to zero.

But whatever you feel about the What Car surveys (thought they were customer satisfaction an not simply reliability) Skoda always beat Volvo.

And whilst we are talking about reliability what about Mazda's terrible diesel issues?

1. Sales are not about desirability, but brand perception, affordability and much more. Just because they offer a huge discount, it doesn’t mean they’re not wanted.

By offering huge discounts, they are de-valuing the brand and negatively affecting the used values of existing Volvo's. Might be OK with a runout model but otherwise, not a good thing.

I’m not judging a car just based on the interior

"one is a luxury brand, the other is cheap plastic". Your words not mine, and they very much suggest you are.

but it tells a lot about build quality.

No, it doesn't tell you very much at all about build quality, It may tell you that the manufacturer is more interested an appearance than content though. Lack of rattles will tell you much more about build quality.

Also, my “problem” was with the statement that a skoda and a volvo are very similar.

Unless you are a badge snob, they are. Both are huge, capacious estate cars with the emphasis on comfort rather than handling.

Volvo is a luxury brand, look it up.

I did, they aren't, not as a brand. They make some cars which are luxurious, no question, but they also make cars which aren't. But for by far the most of Volvo (cars) 94 year history, they have made hardy, practical and utilitarian car's which can take a lot of abuse. Skoda also make some cars which are luxurious (as do Mazda). For pretty much all of Skoda's 126 year history, they have made hardy, practical, utilitarian cars which can take a lot of abuse. Hmm........

that won’t change the fact that the volvo (or audi, porsche etc) is way above a mazda or skoda.

That is your opinion, not fact. You really ought to be able to distinguish between the two.

What Car reliability index is worthless

The What Car survey is based on actual owner's actual experiences. It may not be the be all and end all, but it is clearly not worthless (unless of course, it goes against your preconceived opinions).

you should know if you attend a car forum.

This is a car forum.

Ask those who had to change the oil pump drive shaft in their 2.0 TDI, those who can’t pull off in their 1.5 petrol VAG cars or those who need a bottle of oil in their boot to constantly top up the oil.

I'm not saying Skoda's are the most reliable cars out there, just more reliable, overall, than Volvo's.

3. Volvo is a luxury brand, look it up. Skoda is a budget brand.

Was - not the same thing as is.

The V60 references are pretty pointless really, the OP is looking at the V90

OK, had forgotten that he said V90, point taken, however, wouldn't say it is pointless as the V60 is just a smaller version of the V90. Styling wise they are similar, in fact almost indistinguishable until you know what to look for, interiors are very similar, software virtually identical, engines largely the same except the V90 has the D5 which is not available on the V60.

the EPB is a switch on the dash, in the same place as the Superb.

the switch is not on the dash in the Superb, its exactly where you would find a handbrake lever i.e. on the console. Not that you need to use it, put it in auto and its brilliant.

Again, sorry, it's the end of the day and I'm tired, I meant on the console, where you would expect to find a manual handbrake. Fantastic thing, as you say, stick it in Auto and never have to think about it.

"Better to drive" is rather subjective. Personally, I found the Superb quite wallowy and the V60 is much sharper but neither is really aimed at the keen driver. Comfort is the main priority in both.

Fair to say the Superb is no sports car but the iV has DCC (Dynamic Chassis Control) as standard and it makes a difference. think there are 5 modes ranging form comfort to "nutter", just had ours in "normal" since we bought it and as I said, the car is sharper and less wallowy than the previous one. Its an option on other Superbs but it may be standard on the "sporty" one the OP is considering.

That's interesting, didn't know the iV came with DCC as standard.