Back in the days when fuel and jobs were more plentiful British car buyers used to buy large saloons like the Vauxhall Omega and Ford Scorpio in their droves.

Though these vehicles did not carry prestige badges their size, power and comfort levels offered their owners a taste of luxury for reasonable money.

But this sort of vehicle was already becoming something of an endangered species long before the credit crunch started to bite.

The trend towards smaller, more eco-friendly vehicles now looks unstoppable – but having just spent a few days in Skoda’s limo-like Superb, I’d like to mount a belated defence of the larger car.

And they don’t come much bigger than the Superb. The new Czech flagship has more room in the back than either a BMW 7 Series or an S-Class Merc.

It will seat five adults in comfort, and swallow their luggage with ease in its giant boot. When was the last time you sat in the back of a car and could genuinely stretch out your legs? You can in the Superb.

Yet amazingly, the big Skoda is no gas guzzler. I was returning economy levels of 45mpg with ease – and that was from the most powerful diesel in the range.

The new 170hp engine has plenty of poke and can hit 60mph in around eight and a half seconds. There’s a tiny amount of turbo lag but nothing much to worry about.

There’s plenty of grunt in the mid-range to inspire overtaking with confidence, and the car excels as a muncher of motorway miles. I took it on a 140-mile motorway journey and found it very comfortable.

The Superb is a big old lump but hides its size pretty well, with solid, secure handling. Refinement is good, as is the ride.

There are also plenty of prestige features like the excellent, adjustable – and outstandingly bright -headlamps and the unusual Twindoor tailgate. This opens either partially, like a saloon, or fully extended, like a hatchback, depending on which buttons you press.

There’s a bit of a learning curve – I initially kept opening the door windows instead of the tailgate -Êbut you soon get the hang of it.

Visibility out of the back is poor and matters are not improved by the lack of a rear wiper. Parking sensors (at £345) are essential.

This is a lot of car for the money but I guess there will still be those who baulk at spending more than £20,000 on a diesel Skoda.

The firm is aware of this and is actively targeting fleets, which it estimates will account for 80 per cent of sales.

It’s a sensible strategy, as the Superb has bags of potential as an old school large company car.

And I daresay that those who do sign up for them will be more than satisfied that they did.

By Peter Carroll

FACT FILE:

Model: SE 2.0 TDI Elegance 170bhpPrice: £23,235Engine: 1,968cc, four cylinders, dieselPower: 170PSTransmission: Six-speed manual/front wheel drivePerformance:0-62mph in 8.8 secondsTop speed: 138mphEconomy: 48.7mpg on combined cycleCO2 emissions: 153g/kmLength: 4,838mmWeight: 1,490kgInsurance group: 13Servicing: VariableWarranty: Three years/60,000 miles