IF something is superb, it is of the most impressive, splendid kind. At least that's the description to be found in the Oxford English dictionary.
Brave move then for Skoda, a company for so long the brunt of comic cheap shots, to christen its range topping model the Superb.
But then the Volkswagen-owned Czech manufacturer can quite fairly point to the history books which reveal that back in the 1930s, when Skoda was its country's leading company, the Superb was a car of some distinction.
Large, luxurious limousines and cabriolets were produced under the name Superb from 1934 to 1949 and were owned by wealthy entrepreneurs and royalty. The first ones, called Superb 640, had six cylinder engines with a displacement of 2.5-litres, producing 55bhp.
Fast forward to the present day and the name takes its place on top of the Skoda tree ahead of family car the Octavia and the Fabia supermini.
Built in the Czech Republic at Kvasiny, where £120m has been invested in a state-of-the-art plant, the Superb comes with a choice of six engines and a trio of trim grades.
Those little green, and not particularly attractive, badges apart it's easy to mistake the Superb for a VW Passat or Audi A6. Such is the quality of the overall build and classy, tough, interior.
By the same token it boasts better interior space than many cars in the luxury class, yet is priced more in line with a Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Vectra.
The Superb's long wheelbase is the reason, making for excellent legroom, both front and back, while also contributing to the car's stability.
And the Skoda also comes lavishly equipped at base level in a segment in which drivers normally need to splash out on options to spec their cars up properly.
Apart from little touches like an umbrella holder in the left rear door and several storage areas, there's also something called CatVision, which gently illuminates the interior when the exterior lights are switched on allowing the driver to pick out contours and shapes inside the car.
But what made this test model so enjoyable to drive was its engine. The turbocharged, inter-cooled 1.8-litre unit has twin overhead camshafts and produces 150bhp. The result is strong performance with plenty of acceleration while control of the car is light and accurate.
A high percentage of Skoda Superb sales come in the entry-level Classic trim, which includes front, side and curtain airbags, climate control with additional vents to the rear seats, remote central locking, 8-speaker CD system, four electric windows, height adjustable front seats with lumbar supports and multi-function computer.
Moving up to Comfort spec adds the likes of cruise control, rear parking sensors, rear leg space illumination, 'symphony' sound and anti-dazzle rear view mirror.
FAST FACTS
Skoda Superb 1.8T Comfort
Price: £17,555
Mechanical: 150bhp, 1,781cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5-spd manual gearbox
Max Speed: 134mph
0-62mph: 9.5secs
Combined mpg: 34
Insurance Group: 11
CO2 emissions: 199g/km
BiK rating: 23%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles; 3yrs paint; 10yrs anti-rust