Unknown in the US, Skoda is a Czech brand that belongs to the Volkswagen group. The Superb is its flagship, it comes as a sedan or a wagon. A rather large car by European standards, it’s about the same size as a Toyota Camry, but with a larger interior. Taxi drivers love it, their customers too. Besides the spacious interior, the best point of the Superb are its efficient diesel engines, and there’s a new one coming this fall. A very small unit, a 1.6-liter inline four.

Can you imagine a Camry with a 1.6-liter engine? It would be awfully slow by American standards, but in Europe there’s a market for a slow family sedan that gets exceptionally low fuel consumption, and this is precisely what this Superb offers. How about 47 MPG? That’s the official European average fuel economy for the Skoda Superb 1.6 TDI. It’s better than a Camry hybrid!

The 0 to 62 mph acceleration requires 12.5 seconds, and that is slow, but with 105-hp and 184-lbs/ft (at a low 1500-rpm), you can’t expect the performances of a Corvette. Much cheaper than an hybrid would cost, many people in Europe will find this sufficient for their daily needs, enjoying the roominess of a comfortable family sedan, with the fuel economy of a city car. Would you?