Skoda Scala Review & Prices

The Skoda Scala is a compact hatchback that seems to have more and more space inside the more you look. It’s like one of those crafty bags that fits into the Ryanair luggage measuring box, but which then turns out to have expanding compartments and extra zips that open up for more space.

The Scala is slightly longer than a Volkswagen Golf, which explains how Skoda has been able to squeeze in all that cabin and boot space, but it’s not big enough to feel uncomfortably large in town, nor awkward to park. The Scala kind of splits the difference between a hatchback and an estate.

The downside to that is that it’s not the best looking car around. Compared to the likes of a Peugeot 308 or a SEAT Leon, the Scala is left looking slightly plain and ordinary, although who cares about that when you can fit way more into the boot, eh?

Inside, once again, the Scala is plain and simple, but that combo has virtues of its own. There’s a relatively small touchscreen, for instance, but it’s easier to use than more modern Skoda setups, and the fact that the Scala keeps physical controls for the air conditioning is just brilliant.

There’s a solid sense of quality too, even if some of the plastics look a bit cheap. Even the cheapest SE-L Scala comes with a 9.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, and you get nice clear digital instruments as standard.

Of course, the Scala’s best trick is just how many people and how much stuff it can swallow. There’s loads of space in the front and in the back seats, and there’s enough width in the back seat to get three people sitting side by side. There’s lots of storage space dotted around too, including big door bins and a generous glovebox.

The boot can hold up to 467 litres of luggage or shopping below the luggage cover, which is way more than you’d fit into a Golf, a 308, or a Ford Focus. The rear bumper is nice and low too, so there’s a flat load lip, and if you fold the back seats down there’s an estate-like 1,410 litres of load space. Of course, that’s less than the massive 600-litre boot of the Skoda Octavia, but then the Octavia is considerably more expensive.

However, when it comes to driving fun, the Scala does fall a bit flat. It’s not bad, nor does the Scala misbehave, but it’s just lacking in the sort of driver engagement that comes as standard with a Ford Focus (while you can still buy one) or a VW Golf. It is comfortable, though, and pretty refined, aside from a touch too much tyre noise.

There are three engine choices — there’s a 1.0-litre petrol engine which comes in either 95hp form or with 116hp, and you can optionally have a DSG seven-speed automatic gearbox bolted to the back of the 116hp version. There’s also a 150hp 1.5-litre petrol engine, which also comes with an optional automatic gearbox if you like.

The lowest-power 1.0 engine is theoretically the most economical — 55.7mpg on the official test — but the 116hp version should prove to be as economical in the real world, as you have to strain it less to keep up with traffic.

The Scala might not be the most thrilling car in the world, and it is getting on in years a bit now, but it’s a very practical and useful car, with a temptingly low price, so don’t ignore it if you’re shopping for a family hatchback.

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The Scala is really well-priced, working out at around £4,000 cheaper than the cheapest Skoda Octavia, which in fairness is a bigger, more ‘premium’ model. The Scala is also as much as £6,000 cheaper than a VW Golf, in spite of being roomier in the boot, and it undercuts the SEAT Leon by as much as £3,000.

However, it’s worth remembering that the Scala’s low purchase price doesn’t always translate into lower monthly repayments. Depending on deposits and special offers, it is possible to get a Skoda Octavia for slightly less per month than a Scala.

The Skoda Scala is quiet and comfortable to drive around town, but it’s far from thrilling on a twisty road

In town

The Skoda Scala is easy to drive around town, because the pedals and steering are light and it deals well with bumps. SE Edition cars have smaller 16-inch alloy wheels than the other models, and are just a little more settled over bumpy roads. Both a Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf are slightly more comfortable over lumps and bumps in town, but the margins aren’t huge. Going for the automatic gearbox makes town driving less effort, but it can be rather jerky and slow to respond.

All-round visibility is generally good, with slim pillars at the front of the car. The thicker rear pillars do get in the way a little when you look over your shoulder, though. At least rear parking sensors and a rear parking camera are standard, but you’ll have to upgrade to an SE-L model to get front sensors.

On the motorway

The 95hp engine is a bit sluggish at motorway speeds – it’s fine once you’re at a cruise, but motorway slip roads and overtakes need some planning and commitment. If you do a lot of motorway miles, the 150hp is usefully punchy, but the 116hp engine is certainly not out of its depth at higher speeds.

Whichever engine you choose, the Scala manages to keep most wind and road noise outside at a cruise. Despite its low entry price, all Scalas come with cruise control as standard, and you can upgrade it to an adaptive system that can maintain your speed and distance to the car in front.  

On a twisty road

The Scala’s sensible nature is obvious when the road goes twisty, where a Ford Focus is more fun and a VW Golf slightly more comfortable, the Scala will take you down a country road well enough, but without any danger of a raised pulse. Top-spec Monte Carlo models add a sporty driving mode that makes the pedal feel more responsive, but it certainly doesn’t transform the car into a hot hatch.

With excellent storage, a spacious cabin and a big boot, it’s a bit of a surprise that the Scala’s cupholders are annoyingly small

Space is excellent all around the cabin. The driver gets a generous amount of manual seat and wheel adjustment as standard, though there’s no electric adjustment available, while head- and legroom around the front seats is also plentiful. Tall and short drivers alike should be able to find a sound and comfy driving position.

Skoda is all about practical touches and that’s absolutely true in the Scala. That starts with the generous glovebox, then there’s the two front door bins that’ll take a 1.5-litre bottle of water. The cupholders are oddly small though, so your typical reusable drinks bottle won’t fit.

Space in the back seats

Space in the front is plentiful, but if anything the back of the Scala’s cabin is even more impressive. Three adults can sit side-by-side in relative comfort – there’s a small hump in the middle of the floor, but it doesn’t get in the way too much – but two will have loads of room to stay comfortable on long journeys. The panoramic glass sunroof fitted to Monte Carlo models does steal a little headroom, though.

Storage hasn’t been forgotten, with map pockets on the back of the front seats and rear door bins which will easily take 500ml bottles.

All that space means it’s easy to fit a child seat, too. There’s plenty of space for bulky chairs and the ISOFIX mounting points aren’t a major fiddle to access.

Boot space

At 467 litres, the Skoda Scala’s boot dwarfs its alternatives’ efforts. Indeed, that’s way bigger than the boot of a Volkswagen Golf (381 litres), Kia Ceed (395 litres) or Peugeot 308 (412 litres), although strictly speaking Skoda’s own Octavia’s boot is even bigger again at a monster 600 litres.

The Scala’s boot isn’t just big – it also has a low load lip, easy access and loads of Skoda’s traditional ‘Simply Clever’ touches such as an adjustable boot floor, nets, hooks and a 12-volt socket. And, if you need more room, the rear seats split 60:40 and fold almost flat. With the seats lowered, luggage space increases to 1,410 litres. Again, you’ll struggle to find a hatchback of similar size and price that matches that kind of boot room.

The infotainment system is simple but quick and easy to use, though the interior’s design is a touch bland

The Skoda Scala is sensible rather than stylish inside, albeit with enough quality and solidity to rival a Skoda Octavia – which sits above it in terms of size and price in Skoda’s range.

There are soft-touch plastics on the Scala’s dashboard and doors, piano black and chrome accents and switches that feel substantial to use. It’s not quite VW Golf-good, but it easily rivals a Kia Ceed.

The standard cloth seats don’t look too dowdy, but upgrading to microsuede on the SE L trim lifts the feel of quality even further. There’s a choice of different trim inserts for the dashboard and doors, too, although some are more tasteful than others.

All Scala models now come with a 9.2-inch infotainment touchscreen as standard, which comes with built-in sat-nav (even if you’ll probably just end up using Google Maps through your phone instead). The screen gets logical menus with shortcut buttons and its bright, crisp graphics are impressive.

There’s also standard digital instruments which look nice and can be altered through different layouts and setups, but while you can connect your smartphone wirelessly, you’ll have to upgrade to a Monte Carlo version to get wireless charging.

There are no hybrid models in the Skoda Scala range, so there’s no version with headline-grabbing fuel efficiency and low emissions. However, for a conventional petrol-powered hatchback the Skoda has competitive economy figures.

There are two 1.0-litre petrol options making 95hp and 116hp, with a 1.5-litre petrol at the top of the range making 150hp. Whichever you go for, official fuel economy figures are above 50mpg, but the most efficient is the least powerful of the three, seeing 55.7mpg in official tests.

The two more powerful options have the choice of a manual or automatic gearbox, with the manual being a bit better on fuel. And because emissions are fairly low, you won’t have to pay extortionate Vehicle Excise Duty either. Company car buyers will be better off looking for a hybrid- or electric-powered alternative for the lower Benefit-in-Kind rate.

The safety experts at Euro NCAP tested the Scala in 2019 and awarded it the maximum five-star rating. It scored 97% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupants, 81% for vulnerable road users and 76% for its safety assistance technologies. That’s a strong set of scores which can stand comparison with similar family hatchbacks, though it’s worth noting that testing has become stricter since then.

Standard safety kit includes a front collision warning and lane-keeping assistant, while top-spec Monte Carlo cars get automatic light and rain sensors as well as standard adaptive cruise control.

The Scala didn’t feature in the most recent Driver Power Top 50 Cars To Own list, and although Skoda has a generally very good reputation for reliability and quality, it’s a brand that hasn’t performed as well as you’d think in the Driver Power ratings in previous years.

The Scala comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which isn’t great, though the first two years have unlimited mileage. Hyundai, Kia and Toyota offer much longer warranties and have a great reputation for reliability.