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The Skoda Scala seems somewhat overlooked in the new car market - it’s not as fashionable as a crossover and doesn’t have the badge appeal of a Golf. But it’s actually a perfectly competitive car and in typical Skoda style, undercuts many of its competitors on price - whether new or used.
It drives well without being the kind of car to tempt you out of bed on a sunday morning, doesn’t cost a huge amount to run, and is spacious for its size, with an impressively big boot. Some buyers may demand more style, performance, or image, but the Scala has its place.
It competes head-on with other mainstream family hatchbacks like the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Kia Ceed and Hyundai i30, though if you’re prepared to buy a car a few years older than the equivalent Scala, your choice does open up to more image-conscious cars like the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, which might make the Scala a hard sell, practical or not.
If value for money is your jam, then Skoda’s got the jar. While the Scala felt a little expensive when new alongside the Rapid that it replaced, other cars had gone up by even more in the meantime, so the Scala still looked like good value alongside the Focus and Astras of the world.
Launched in 2019, the Scala has been gently updated a couple of times since, first dropping the diesel engine and then gaining more equipment. Some early base models felt a little tight on kit, but newer models offer all the basics, which benefits used buyers as much as it does those seeking strong value in the new market.
Other Scala high points include a sensible, logical cabin design, plenty of interior space, and a large boot - much more so than a Focus or Astra. You also get surprisingly good visibility - the Scala’s sensible exterior styling seems to have prioritised plenty of glass area and relatively slim pillars. The cabin isn’t as adaptable or clever as some, but there’s little to turn your nose up at.
Some other models in the class will provide more thrills on the road, but the Scala’s focus on ride quality is well judged. Adaptive sports suspension is an option on some models, but we’d not bother seeking it out - it doesn’t turn the Scala into a hot hatch, but it does harm the ride quality. The engines and gearboxes do exactly the job they should, though: all are frugal, refined, and easy-going.
The only company really offering notably better value than Skoda is Dacia these days, and Scala money can get quite a lot more from the Romanian brand. But realistically, the Scala feels a step above in terms of quality, more on par with cars like the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, and the Korean twins, the Hyundai i30 and Kia Ceed. Against these, its value and space make a lot more sense.
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The mid-range option is probably the sensible pick in the Scala range, meaning the 110PS 1-litre petrol (or 115PS in earlier models). All engines in the Scala have pretty similar economy figures, but the 110/115PS car is quick enough to suit most buyers’ needs with no compromise on fuel efficiency, and without the extra expense of buying the 1.5 TSI.
If you really do need an even more frugal engine then the short-lived 1.6 TDI is worth a look and has performance on par with the 1.0 TSI 110, but there’s no tax benefit for diesels any longer. As for specification, Skoda has improved this over time - we’d aim for SE and above, which is where the current Scala range starts but on older models is the second model up the ladder.
The Scala was introduced fairly recently, but it’s still been on sale long enough that Skoda has made small changes to its specification in that time. The trim levels and kit listed below are as the car was offered in 2023, so you may find some variance between these equipment levels and an earlier car offered on the used market.
The Skoda Scala’s dimensions are:
The Skoda Scala’s boot size is:
As the Skoda Scala debuted in 2019, and since all are powered either by straightforward petrol or diesel engines, calculating your annual road tax bill will be very simple: It’s charged at a flat rate, currently £180 per year.
Scala insurance shouldn’t break the bank any more than its tax or fuel consumption. A basic SE with the 1.0-litre TSI 95 engine begins in group 11, and even the sporty Monte Carlo with the 1.5 TSI doesn’t stray above group 20. That’s pretty similar to a Ford Focus, which varies between groups 8 and 19, if you ignore the Focus ST hot hatchback.
Read our full Skoda Scala review
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