This Rolls Royce costs the same as a Skoda
July 30, 2025 by Mat Watson
Car changing is a big deal
A range-topping Skoda Superb Laurin and Klement will cost you £50,000, but for that sort of money you could also have a 2007 Rolls Royce Phantom. Which should you buy? Mat Watson is about to find out.
If you’re after a comfy and spacious family car with a touch of luxury, you could buy a top-spec Laurin and Klement Skoda Superb. It gets a few premium touches, such as the comfort seats and chrome trim, but it costs a hefty £50,000.
For that sort of money, you could buy the ultimate status symbol: a Rolls Royce Phantom. I’ve got hold of a 2007 example in mint condition for the same price as this Skoda Superb.
But is an old Roller a smart buy? Well, to find out I’m going to compare these two cars side-by-side – starting with their design.
Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.
Skoda Superb vs Rolls Royce Phantom: design
The thing I love most about the Rolls Royce Phantom is its timeless design and exquisite attention to detail. Unlike Bentleys, which use plastic grilles, the Phantom’s is solid metal. The overall styling hasn’t really changed over the years either; it’s properly imposing.
Down the side you have the Rolls Royce signature rear-hinged doors. There’s loads of high-quality chromework as well, with the door handles feeling heavy and solid.
You also have big alloy wheels, and they’re wrapped in big tyres with a chunky sidewall to make the ride that bit smoother. There are no exposed exhausts at the rear, that would be too vulgar on a Rolls Royce.
The Skoda doesn’t look anywhere near as flashy as the Rolls Royce, but to be fair it’s finished in a rather anonymous black paint scheme. You’ll want to go for the vibrant red or the light yellow if you want to stand out, although the latter does look a bit like a sample you’d take to your doctor.
This Laurin and Klement version of the Superb does get a few styling tweaks to lift things, such as the gloss black grille inserts and chrome window surrounds. You also get slightly different alloy wheels, which on this car have been upgraded from 18 to 19 inches.
Overall, the Rolls Royce Phantom will turn way more heads than the humble Skoda, and you’ll certainly look like a wealthy businessperson wafting around in it. But what about the interiors?
Skoda Superb vs Rolls Royce Phantom: interior
The standard Skoda Superb has a pretty nice interior. It’s packed with all the latest tech, the build quality is lovely and the overall design looks good as well. This Laurin and Klement model does feature some upgrades though.
You get special comfort seats which have a massage function, and then there’s the lovely brown leather. Skoda calls this Cognac, and it’s a great alternative to the slightly more humdrum black leather you get as standard.
Moving to the rear seats and this is a great car to be driven around in. There’s loads of kneeroom, headroom’s good as well, and you get luxuries like heated rear seats, climate control and sunblinds.
The Laurin and Klement does feel nicer inside than a standard Superb, but nothing stands out as being truly special. This is to be expected though, as all Superbs are built by robots on the same production line, limiting the amount of changes you can make.
This isn’t an issue faced by Rolls Royce though. Only three robots were used to make this Phantom, and they were all in the paint shop. Everything else is made entirely by hand, and as a result the attention to detail is phenomenal.
Everything you touch in this car is either solid metal, real wood or leather. There’s no plastic to be found anywhere. And then there’s the space on offer.
This isn’t even the long-wheelbase version, and yet it makes the Superb look like a supermini. The rear bench seat is like an expensive settee, and it wraps around the side of the cabin so you can properly kick back and relax.
Your chauffeur won’t feel left out in the front either, because everything feels just as exquisite here as it does in the back. I like the way some of the controls are hidden away behind beautifully damped doors as well.
Skoda Superb vs Rolls Royce Phantom: engines and driving
This Skoda Superb is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 193hp, and it feels plenty punchy enough for motorway driving. The Phantom on the other hand has a 6.75-litre V12 with 460hp, but all that extra power doesn’t really translate to added performance.
I managed to launch the Skoda from 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds, and the Rolls Royce took exactly the same amount of time. All that wood, leather and solid metal trim adds weight which ultimately stunts performance.
However, what the Phantom lacks in speed it makes up for in refinement, because this is one of the most relaxing cars to drive I’ve ever experienced. It almost feels like you’re floating slightly above the surface of the road – you simply don’t feel any bumps.
It’s completely silent inside as well, with just the occasional muted thump as you go over a pothole reminding you that you are in fact in a car and not on a private jet. It almost sends you into a dream-like state, and it doesn’t even matter if you hit traffic because you’re just so relaxed.
The Skoda Superb drives very well. It’s comfy, easy to manoeuvre and that diesel engine is economical as well. We’ve actually been living with this car for six months, and in that time it’s averaged over 40mpg.
It takes all the pain out of driving, but the Rolls Royce makes the very act of driving a pleasure.
Skoda Superb vs Rolls Royce Phantom: my final verdict
For £50,000, this Rolls Royce Phantom seems like a complete bargain. It cost £300,000 when new, so the fact you can pick it up for the same price as a Skoda in 2025 is madness.
However, here’s a word of warning. As you’re wafting down the road in supreme comfort and luxury, there will be this little niggle in the back of your head telling you that you’ve just bought a £300,000 luxury car for £50,000, and the reason it is that cheap is that it’ll cost at least that much again to fix if something goes wrong.
But should you let this put you off buying a 20 year-old Rolls Royce, or should you just consider a luxury version of the Skoda Superb instead?
Well the Superb is a brilliant, practical family car. It’s a great daily driver, but I’d pick one of the models lower down in the range over this Laurin and Klement model. It just doesn’t feel quite special enough to justify the extra cash, and an SE L comes with very nearly as much equipment for £10,000 less.
On the flip side, the Rolls Royce Phantom seems like an absolute steal at £50,000. I never thought I’d say a Rolls Royce is better value for money than a Skoda, but here we are. That’s why the Roller wins this test.
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