Skoda Scala
Are practicality and a low price enough for Scala to knock Golf off its pedestal?
MODEL TESTED: Skoda Scala 1.0 TSI 115 SE PRICE: £18,585 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 113bhp
SKODA has a reputation for building greatvalue cars, so here we’re testing the most affordable model in the Scala range: the 1.0-litre turbo petrol, with 113bhp and a manual gearbox, in SE trim. It’s the cheapest car here, at £18,585.
Design & engineering
THE Scala is an all-new model, and as you’d expect of any fresh product from a
VW Group brand, it’s based on architecture shared with plenty of other cars. In this case it’s the MQB A0 platform. This is an evolution of the architecture that underpins the VW Golf (and the Skoda Octavia), but the A0 denotation means it’s the version generally used for superminis. So the Scala is based on the same platform as the Polo rather than the Golf that it rivals, but this doesn’t affect its ability.
It has MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the back, which is the same as the Volkswagen in this specification; larger-engined Golfs have a multi-link set-up. However, every version of the Ceed uses the more complex multi-link arrangement.
The Scala shares its 1.0-litre petrol engine with the Golf here, so both have 113bhp and 200Nm of torque, and feature a six-speed manual gearbox.
Inside, the Skoda is great, considering that we’re looking at entry-level models in this test. Build quality is solid, and there’s enough soft-touch plastic in the right places to ensure it doesn’t feel as budget as the price tag suggests. Its simple design means the Scala is easy to live with, and the seats are comfy. It’s marginally less plush than the Golf, but not by much, and the Kia has more hard plastic than its rivals here.
An eight-inch touchscreen display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is standard on the Scala, which is excellent and adds to the Skoda’s value for money. SE trim also features lane-keep assist, parking sensors, cruise control and air-conditioning.
Driving
THE Scala’s supermini platform means that the car’s kerbweight isn’t high. At 1,165kg, it’s 51kg lighter than the Golf and 132kg less than the Ceed. That has benefits across many areas of the Skoda’s driving experience, starting with the ride.
It’s especially comfortable in SE form, because its 16-inch wheels have tyres with large sidewalls that help the Scala absorb bumps and potholes. It skips over ruts in the road better than either of its rivals here, which also means that the Skoda keeps its composure at higher speeds on bumpier roads.
Those tall tyres do take some precision away from the steering, though, so it’s not much of a driver’s car. But that’s not to say the Scala can’t be fun, because the steering is still accurate enough to place the model confidently, while there’s plenty of grip and the powertrain is effective and relatively refined, too.
The 1.0-litre engine is generally quiet when kept to low revs, but push harder and it’s punchy, with a typical three-cylinder thrum. Plus the six-speed manual gearbox is slick, precise and great to use, although the Scala’s rivals also have good gearboxes.
With the engine producing its maximum 200Nm of torque at 2,000rpm, it has plenty of shove. The lightweight Scala was the fastest car of the three
competitors from 0-60mph, taking 9.7 seconds. The Golf wasn’t far behind, clocking 9.8 seconds, and both beat the heavier Kia, which took 10.7 seconds.
The Scala was also faster than its rivals in our 50-70mph in-gear tests, taking 7.8 seconds and 10.1 seconds in fifth and sixth respectively, highlighting its flexibility. The VW matched the Skoda in fifth, but was 0.1 seconds behind in sixth, while the Kia took 10.1 seconds and 12.5 seconds to complete the tasks.
Wind noise is a bit more intrusive on the motorway in the Scala, because it isn’t quite as well soundproofed as the Golf or Ceed, but it’s not by much. The Skoda is still good for long trips, however, because the seats are comfortable and the engine is quiet – and economical – at a cruise.
Practicality
SKODA is known for building practical cars, and the Scala is no exception. Its hatchback boot opening is big and wide, so loading items is easy, and its 467-litre volume is much greater than its rivals’. The Golf has a 380-litre load bay and the Ceed offers 395 litres, so the Skoda has a big advantage if you need capacity.
Yet the Scala doesn’t sacrifice rear-seat space for this, because it’s also the roomiest car for passengers in the back. There’s enough leg and headroom for adults in the outer seats, due to the Scala having a longer wheelbase than the VW. All three models have plenty of room, but the Skoda is the biggest.
Ownership
EVEN in basic SE trim, the Scala comes with AEB, lane-keep assist and parking sensors. You can add blind-spot assist for a reasonable £525 (it’s £1,135 in the Golf as part of a pack) and a reversing camera costs £300 (it’s £345 in the Golf). A camera is standard on the Ceed, but not sensors, and you can’t add blind-spot assist to 2 trim. The Scala got a full five-star Euro NCAP result.
Skoda is a consistently high scorer in our Driver Power satisfaction survey, and finished fifth in the makers’ section of our 2019 poll. Kia beat it this year, though, in third place, while VW trailed in 17th spot.
Running costs
THE Scala highlighted its weight advantage by returning an average of 54.7mpg, against the Golf ’s 49mpg and the Ceed’s 42.9mpg. At current fuel prices, the Skoda will cost £1, 273 a year to run if you do 12,000 miles, the VW £1,421 and the Kia £1,623. But the Scala costs more to insure: our example driver will pay £456 a year, next to £400 for the Golf and £391 for the Ceed.