A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
SMOTORINGKODA’S new Scala family hatchback is not to be sniffed at. Not only does it deliver remarkable fuel economy, it’s also designed to help drivers and passengers avoid hay fever during the heatwave.
As the first deliveries are being made in the UK, I’ve been out driving one over a few hundred miles and was quietly impressed. though Skoda describes the new Scala as a hatchback, it’s length means it’s more like a compact estate.
It’s fitted with a range of frugal turbocharged 1-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines and a 1.6-litre diesel. prices start from £16,595. It fills the space in the Skoda range left by the discontinued Rapid Spaceback.
I drove the 1-litre tSI, 115 horsepower, six-speed manual in SE L trim, which is available from the end of next month. It’s a decent drive in a ‘Race Blue’ metallic. But what amazed me was no matter the fuel how consumption. energetically For I drove on motorways it — on country — the average lanes and fuel consumption refused to go below 47 mpg, and was usually closer to 49 mpg. the claimed fuel economy figure is between 44.8mpg and 49.6mpg, so it’s bang on the money. Good news for families on a budget.
the basic price of the car I drove was £20,385, for which you get a good range of kit, including satnav with a 9.2in touch screen, 17in alloy wheels, cruise control, lane assist, hill-hold control, privacy glass, rear parking sensors, an umbrella and lots more. It came with nearly £6,000 of optional extras, bumping the price up to £26,510. these extras included an electrically operated boot (£400), driver fatigue sensor (£55), park assist (£500), a rear view camera (£300), electrically adjustable driver’s seat with memory (£70) and sport chasis control with drive-mode selector (£495). All Scalas ( and selected Skodas) feature a ‘Climatronic’ air- conditioning system that filters pollen out of the car. Skoda says: ‘the technology defaults to an energy- saving recirculation mode and stops pollen entering the cabin, helping reduce symptoms of sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes. ‘Unlike normal systems, the Scala uses a special cabin filter and air quality sensor to filter out pollen. Once sneeze-inducing air particles are sensed, the system automatically shuts off the outside air inlet to stop particles entering the car.’