TRAVELLING back from a visit to friends across the middle of the country, I congratulated myself on leaving later to avoid most of the rush hour traffic.

Of course, at this time of year, it does mean driving at night - and being regularly blinded by badly adjusted or overly bright headlights.

If I had my way, no car would be allowed to have brighter lights than any other, with a legal maximum imposed on the manufacturers and the intensity checked at every service and MoT.

That way, we would all be on the same level playing field - athough it wouldn't stop the idiots whose lights are simply badly set up, would it.

That 150 mile trip was accomplished easily and quickly in Skoda's latest range-topping Superb limousine - a name that first appeared on one of the company's cars way back in 1934.

I say limousine advisedly because no car in the class and hardly any in the next two classes up comes close to the huge interior and boot space.

Owners could easily moonlight and use it as a wedding car at weekends.

I drove the 2.0-litre TSI petrol with 190bhp and although there is a 272bhp version above it, this one is easily quick enough for most people.

It drives the front wheels through a standard switchable seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox and the combination is absolutely brilliant.

The engine is hugely smooth and refined, so that it's inaudible the majority of the time and, with peak torque reached at just 1,500 revs, it delivers marvelous performance in answer to a prod from the right foot.

The gearbox's normal setting has a quick kickdown and the switchable sport mode just makes everything even more immediate.

This car is as smooth and quick as the BMW 5-series with similar power and it rides a little better, brushing off every imperfection in the surface. This is a car that blurs class lines very easily.

It is also beautifully poised and fluid through the corners, with excellent grip and tenacious road-holding backed up by steering that's beautifully direct and full of feel.

The SE-L I drove comes with tremendous standard spec including sat nav, very comfortable heated and electrically adjusted leather seats, stability control and an alarm.

Big alloys don't seem to upset the ride as they do with so many cars, it has parking sensors front and rear plus a reversing camera, a DAB radio as part of a premium sound system with integrated WiFi, aux in, Bluetooth and USB.