The steering is very light, but also very direct. In fact, it’s one of the few electronic power steering systems that feels just right in your hands – there’s no artificial assistance and aggressive self centering. The low profile tires and four-wheel drive system provide tremendous amounts of grip as well – so not only does the Superb V6 go well in a straight line, but it sticks to the road surface around corners as well. It certainly has a chassis that can reign in the huge reserves of power, it simply grips and goes – although, while the large rims and tires provide ample grip, ride quality does suffer, and it can be quite harsh over rough surfaces. That apart, the driving experience is dominated by the power – an experience that’s made even more intense by putting the gear lever in ‘S.’ The shifts get quicker, and the power delivery is more immediate. And you can even choose not to use the steering mounted paddles because the transmission downshifts instantly at the touch of the accelerator pedal – a blip on the downshifts would be nice though. Considerable power is always right there – there’s no lag, no waiting, just seamless grunt across the rev range. On the inside, the Superb V6 provides a vast acreage of space.

The leg room in the rear is enough to rival an S Class Mercedes, and finding a good driving position in front is easily done as well – courtesy of its supportive 12-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, and telescoping steering column. The touch-screen that dominates the center console makes you feel very 21st century, and while it houses a 6-CD changer, and also provides the option of an SD/MMC slot, as well as an Aux-in jack, it’s actually missing a USB-input. The cabin on the whole though, truly does feel a class apart. There are a few small niggles however, such as the indicator stalks and temperature control knobs that aren’t particularly well damped, and feel cheap as a result. That aside, you really do have to question why people pay more money to buy smaller and less powerful cars like the entry level trio from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

So, what about the mileage you ask? Well, we covered 240 kilometers in 33 liters of petrol, which equates to 7.3 km/l, which is actually not too bad considering the short bursts of acceleration that I couldn’t resist on the highway – not to mention the virtual parking lot that is the Gurgaon toll booth. Plus, the Superb has a digital display in the instrument cluster that tells you your real-time fuel mileage, which should help you drive even more economically if you so choose. The fact is – if you want a car with lots of space and lots of power, at 26 lakhs, the Superb has no equal. Now, if only I had saved up.