Skoda Scala Review 2025: Price, specs & boot space

Written by Phill Tromans
Quick overview
Pros
- Comfortable and secure on the road
- Roomy cabin and a big boot
- More affordable than most of the competition
Cons
- Some clever features are only options
- Early entry-level cars are sparsely equipped
- Not particularly involving to drive
Verdict: Is the Skoda Scala a good car?
"The Skoda Scala is a very affordable car, but it gives you a very solid impression of the firm's larger, more expensive models. It's comfortable and feels solid to drive, and it's available with a lot of tech that you'd normally find on larger, pricier machines. There are cars of this type that we rate more highly in certain areas, but the all-round appeal of the Scala means it should feature on your shortlist."

Skoda has developed a well-deserved reputation over recent years for producing cars that focus on the most important aspects that a customer wants. The Scala is the second smallest car in the Czech brand's range (it's slightly bigger than the Fabia), and it very much follows the same philosophy as larger models, such as the Octavia and Superb. It's not trying to be sexy or scintillating to drive, or to be crammed with the latest gimmicky tech – rather it wants to nail the basics and add a few more treats that make the everyday motoring experience as straight foward. as we'll find out in this review.
You'll want to consider the Scala alongside myriad established rivals, such as the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra, the Volkswagen Golf and maybe even more premium options like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Where the Scala excels is in its size, with loads of interior space and a sizeable boot, and in its pricing, with purchase prices that undercut much of the opposition.
Early Scalas were a little on the under-equipped side as standard, meaning you'd want to avoid the entry-level S model unless you were really on a tight budget. But the Scala was given a facelift in 2024, giving it a more up-to-date look with new, slimmer headlights, LED fog lamps and redesigned grille and foglamps.
At the same time, the trim levels were slimmed down so the current entry-level model – the SE Edition – now has more standard equipment than before, while higher trim levels have more advanced features, such as matrix LED headlights.
To drive, the Scala doesn't have the feeling of agility that you'll get in a Ford Focus or a Vauxhall Astra. Rather, it gives you a more mature, comfort-focused experience. If you want something a bit more dynamic then the top-spec Monte Carlo Edition model adds a hint of sportiness, but it's no hot hatch. That said, the Scala feels confident through corners and stable on the motorway.
The engine line-up is straightforward, with a selection of efficient petrols with new cars, while used buyers have the added option of diesel engines. There's a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes, too, but there's no electrification here, which some rivals will offer but it does help to keep purchase costs down.
You’ll enjoy fantastic all-round visibility from the driver's seat, the user-friendly nature of all the various controls, plenty of space, and the peace-of-mind you get from its five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. Essentially, the Skoda Scala is an exceptionally good all-rounder.
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Is the Skoda Scala right for you?
Are you looking for as much car as you can possibly get for as little cash as possible, and don't really have much interest in a sporty driving experience? Then the Skoda Scala could well be the car for you. This is one of the roomiest cars in the class, one of the most affordable, and since its 2024 facelift it's got more kit than ever.
However, Skoda already covers this area of the market with the excellent Octavia, so why consider the Scala? While the Octavia is an even roomier, slightly pricier and more upmarket offering, the Skoda Scala is designed for those who don’t need quite so much space, and are operating on a rather tighter budget. And on that score, it does a fantastic job.
What's the best Skoda Scala model/engine to choose?
For our money, the Skoda Scala makes most sense with a petrol engine (badged TSI), and it’s the 116PS version of the 1.0-litre that impresses us most as it’s impressively smooth and punchy. With the post-facelift Scalas, Skoda claimed to have boosted power to 116PS rather than 115PS, but don't be fooled – the power is the same, they just rounded up rather than down. However, the engines in the post-facelift car are slightly more efficient than earlier models. With the facelift, Skoda also ditched the diesel engines from the line-up.
When it comes to your choice of trim level, pre-facelift S models are rather spartan, and while the ones at the top of the range are better, there are some features that you'd expect as standard that buyers are required to pay extra for. Things are better in the post-facelift models sold from 2024 onwards, but in the end, our recommendation for both versions is Skoda Scala SE (later revamped as the SE Edition), which gives you most of what you really need without taking purchase prices too high.
What other cars are similar to the Skoda Scala?
The Skoda Scala has no shortage of competitors, as this is one of the most fiercely-fought sectors in all of motoring. Sitting at the more affordable end of the family hatchback scale, the main competition comes from cars like the Ford Focus, Hyundai i30, Kia Ceed and Vauxhall Astra.
The Volkswagen Golf costs buyers a little bit more, and bridges the gap to more premium offerings like the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class. You also have dozens of small SUVs competing for the same cash.
Comfort and design: Skoda Scala interior
"The interior of the Scala is smart if rather understated, although it's a little jazzier on the post-2024 facelifted model, with fabric upholstery on the dashboard to create a cosier feel. The dash is appealingly simple and easy to use."

While many car makers are looking to cut down the number of physical switches and buttons, cramming all functions into a touchscreen, Skoda has sensibly kept key controls more traditional. So, the ventilation and air conditioning controls are separate and logical to use without tapping through sub menus, and the Scala is all the better for it.
Happily, visibility is better than it is in the majority of the Scala’s rivals. The slender windscreen pillars mean your view isn’t blocked at junctions, and thanks to similarly skinny pillars at the rear, either side of a large, square rear window, your rearwards view is also impressively clear.
The driver’s seat is fairly supportive, although some might welcome a bit more side support, which you'll get from sports seats if you go for the top-spec Monte Carlo model. There’s bags of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel to help you find a comfy driving position.
Quality and finish
The savings made while trying to keep the Scala's price down are perhaps most evident in the materials used, but you do have to look quite hard to find them. Some of the plastics used are rather hard and less tactile than in several key rivals, but then Skoda has done well to restrict these to areas lower down the car that you're less likely to touch.
Premium-feeling it might not quite be, but it's certainly not bad, and it's better in the facelifted car, where clever use of fabric on the dash, plus the improved tech on offer, makes it feel more upmarket than before. The Scala's interior also feels very robust and well bolted together, which makes it feel like a quality product that's built to last.
That said, while the materials aren’t the last word in plushness, they do look and feel incredibly robust, and the substantial way in which they’re bolted together also helps give the Skoda Scala a built-to-last feel.
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, sat nav and stereo in the Skoda Scala
The nature of the infotainment system you get depends on the grade of car you choose, and whether you go for a pre- or post-facelift model. We’d avoid the pre-facelift entry-level Skoda Scala S on this score, because it gets a very basic system with a tiny 6.5-inch touchscreen system. It comes with Bluetooth, DAB radio, four speakers and a couple of USB-C ports, but that’s about it.
Upgrade to the pre-facelift Scala SE, and you get a bigger 8.0-inch screen with eight speakers, but the biggest difference is that it comes with Smartlink, a system that rolls up Apple Carplay, Android Auto and Mirrorlink – the most common smartphone integration systems – into one package. So, whatever phone you have, the Scala should be able to work with it, and it means you can use your phone’s navigation functionality through the car’s screen. In post-facelift cars the Smartlink system is wireless and you also get 4 USB-C charging points for your various devices, witrh faster charging than earlier cars. Later cars also get a digital instrument panel as standard, in place of traditional analogue dials.
The Skoda Scala SE L and the Monte Carlo both get a system with a bigger 9.2-inch screen and built-in navigation, although unlike the rest of the infotainment system, we found the nav rather unintuitive to use. Honestly, we recommend just connecting your phone and using navigation apps that way instead. The SE L and Monte Carlo also get a larger digital instrument panel, called Virtual Cockpit.
Each touchscreen system uses the same basic user interface, and it’s pretty intuitive and easy to find your way around. Being a touchscreen, it’s a little more distracting than some other types of interface because you have to stare at the screen so intently to make sure you hit the right bit, but as touchscreens go, it’s not bad at all.
Now, on to the latest facelifted Scalas, the entry point SE Edition has the 9.2-inch touchscreen as standard, along with the 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit main dash display. Wirless Smartlink hooks up the infotainment screen to your phone.
The SE L Edition has the same set-up as the SE, while the Monte Carlo Edition gains wireless phone charging for added ease of use.
Space and practicality: Skoda Scala boot space
The Skoda Scala is 4362mm long, 1988mm wide (including door mirrors) and 1471mm tall. That means it's slightly bigger than a Volkswagen Golf or Ford Focus.
Providing maximum space for minimum money has always been Skoda’s party piece, and the Scala is no different. Nobody’s going to struggle for space in the front seats, and there’s also more rear space than in most rivals, with generous headroom and loads of legroom that allows lofty passengers to stretch out. A pair of bulky child seats will be no bother, either.
The cabin is narrower than it is in some rivals, making it a bit more of a squeeze to carry three people across the rear bench, but any car in this class will have the same problem to a certain extent. At least the middle seat is wide and not too raised, and because the central transmission tunnel is relatively narrow, it’s not uncomfortable to sit with your feet either side of it.
With a massive for this class 467-litres of luggage space, the Scala's boot is also considerably bigger than you get in most rivals. The Octavia and Honda Civic have more still, but the Scala has almost every other rival beaten on this score. The space is also a regualr square shape, and the rear seats fold in a 60:40 split to allow you to boost your load-carrying capacity to as much as 1410-litres.
However, those seats lie at a slight angle when folded, and there’s a sizeable step between them and the boot floor, not to mention a sizeable load bit at the boot opening. This can be levelled off by using the variable boot floor, but it’s a bit disappointing that this is an optional extra on all versions.
Handling and ride quality: What is the Skoda Scala like to drive?
"The Skoda Scala's standard suspension does a really good job. It has a soft, forgiving set-up that keeps life impressively comfortable and cosseting, and that’s regardless of whether you're crawling along craggy urban streets or steaming along motorways. "

Despite the Skoda Scala's impressive comfort, there’s still enough control in the suspension to keep the body from bouncing up and down too much on undulating country roads, or from leaning over too much in bends, making the car feel secure and tidy.
Okay, it's not the sharpest-handling hatchback you'll ever drive – a Ford Focus will provide plenty more thrills for keen drivers – but its mixture of civility and security is arguably more important, and certainly worth the trade-off.
The Scala was offered with an adaptive sports suspension as an optional extra, which is standard on the post-facelift Monte Carlo. This changed its behaviour according to which driving mode you select. We’d avoid it. Regardless of the mode, it makes the ride quite a lot firmer and lumpier, and it doesn’t really make the car any more enjoyable in the corners. The option was dropped for the facelifted model, though there is a Drive Mode Select as part of the Convenience Pack for new Scalas.
What engines and gearboxes are available with the Skoda Scala?
Scala buyers going down the new car route have the choice of three turbocharged TSI petrol engines: a pair of 1.0 TSI three-cylinder engines with either 95PS or 115PS (labelled as 116PS on the post-facelift Scala), and a four-cylinder 1.5 TSI with 150PS. Post-facelift cars have engines that are slightly more efficient.
The 115PS is a proper little belter. With impressive low-down pull, it feels responsive and surprisingly strong from anywhere on the rev range, so not only is your progress adequately brisk, it’s also easy and effortless. The 95PS version needs to be worked a little more but is far from being a slow-coach.
The 1.5 TSI is a fraction quicker against the stopwatch, and has a similarly perky character. However, in 90 percent of driving situations, it doesn’t feel a whole lot faster than the smaller engine, so we’d probably save the extra it costs to buy.
A diesel choice was also offered on the pre-facelift car – a 1.6 TDI with 115PS. It gives you decent pace, but it doesn’t feel as lively or as eager as the petrol, and overall, it doesn’t suit the car as well. It cost quite a bit more than the equivalently powered petrol engine, too, and you’ll have to cover a lot of miles before its superior fuel economy overturns the difference that used versions command.
All engines are offered with a reasonably slick six-speed manual gearbox, while all but the 95PS petrol are also offered with the option of a seven-speed twin-clutch automatic. It slurs through the gears pretty effectively, keeping your progress smooth and responsive.
Refinement and noise levels
The smallest petrol engines may be three-cylinder units, but they do a good impression of ones with an extra cylinder, staying smooth at all times and not getting too thrummy or thrashy when you rev them hard.
Even so, the four-cylinder 1.5 TSI is quieter and smoother still, with even fewer vibrations making their way through to the cabin. The diesel is the most rowdy engine of the bunch, with a distinct clatter at idle and when you pile a few revs on. However, it’s not too bad compared with the diesel engines in some rivals, and it settles down well enough once you reach motorway cruising speeds.
Next to many rivals, there’s more wind and road noise to be heard in the Scala at high speed, and you hear a fraction more from the Skoda’s suspension as it goes about its work. Still, while it lags behind its best rivals, it’s far from raucous. What’s more, its nicely weighted, consistent-feeling controls make the Scala easy to drive smoothly.
Safety equipment: How safe is the Skoda Scala?
It's a bit of a mixed bag here, if we’re honest. Importantly, the Scala scored the full five-star rating when it was tested by the safety experts at Euro NCAP, and its individual section ratings also look reasonably good as well.
The safety kit you get as standard includes a very run-of-the-mill six airbags, automatic emergency braking, lane assist and automatic emergency calling. However, lots of other stuff that rivals might provide as standard cost extra on the Scala – a driver’s knee airbag and rear side airbags are part of an options pack in all models, and so are front parking sensors for the SE Edition.
Buyers also have to pay extra for adaptive cruise control and a self-parking function, and features like blind-spot detection is only offered as an option on the top-spec Monte Carlo model. A space-saver spare wheel is included on pre-facelift cars, but is only an option on post-facelift models.
MPG and fuel costs: What does a Skoda Scala cost to run?
"It’s no surprise that, according to the official figures, the diesel Scala will give you the greatest amount of range for every gallon of fuel you put in. The latest WLTP figures suggest that up to 60mpg is possible, dropping to around 56mpg if you add the automatic gearbox."

Before you buy, though, make sure you’re going to cover enough miles to make up for the considerable amount more you’ll pay for the diesel and it's fuel.
If you want a new Scala, then petrol is your only choice, as the diesel models were dropped with the 2024 facelift. In the pre-facelift Scala, the best of the petrols is actually the 115PS version of the 1.0 TSI, with a figure of 51mpg compared with the weaker 95PS version’s 50mpg.
Post-2024, however, the engines were tweaked for efficiency, and the 1.0 TSI, now labelled with 116PS, will deliver up to 55.2mpg, versus 55.7mpg for the 95PS model.
However, the 1.0-litre engine’s return drops to 48mpg if you add the twin-clutch automatic gearbox (52.1mpg post-facelift), while the 1.5 TSI delivers a best of 52.1mpg in manual form and a slight improvement of 52.6mpg as an auto in the facelifted model, or 52.3 and 52.1mpg respectively in the earlier version.
Skoda Scala reliability and warranty
Skoda might be a budget brand, but it shouldn't leave you stranded on the side of a motorway. It came fifth in the 2025 HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, behind the likes of Lexus, Toyota and Honda, so not bad company to be keeping.
We don't have a great deal of data on the long-term reliability of the Scala, but it shares engines and mechanical bits with a wide range of Volkswagen Group cars, and three of them rank among the top 20 most reliable cars according to our data. That means it ought to be pretty dependable, while sourcing parts shouldn't be an issue, either.
That said, we've heard numerous complaints – from Skoda customers and those of other Volkswagen Group cars – about infotainment software playing up and other electronic gremlins, so it's worth checking that any used model you get has had all the latest software updates from the main dealer.
Skoda Scala insurance groups and costs
If you’re buying a budget-focused car like the Skoda Scala, you don’t want to pay a king’s ransom to insure it, and the good news is that you won’t. Insurance groupings for the pre-facelift Scala range from 10 at the bottom of the scale to 21 at the top, with most versions sitting at around the 14 mark.
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a Skoda Scala?
Easy one, this. Whichever version of the Scala you pick, you’ll pay annual Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) of £191 per year from the second year of registration. That’s because it was introduced in 2019, after the Government had brought in a flat rate for petrol and diesel cars, and no version is expensive enough (even if you add all the optional extras it’s possible to add) to make it liable for the temporary surcharge of £425, applied to cars that cost more than £40,000 new.
If you're buying your Scala new, you'll pay either £440 or £540 depending on which version you choose as road tax is calculated on the individual version's carbon dioxide emissions.
Company car users pay Benefit-in-Kind tax on 29- to 31% of the car’s value.
Skoda Scala price
"The Skoda Scala is priced to undercut its rivals, and it does. Compared with rivals like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, it undercuts them by a lot, and with rivals like the Kia Ceed and Vauxhall Astra, it undercuts them by less, but still by a useful amount."

A new Scala will cost you, at the time of writing in early 2024, from £22,960 for the entry-level 1.0 TSI 95PS SE Edition, up to £31,310 for a top-spec Monte Carlo Edition 1.5 TSI DSG. That's impressive value – the cheapest Ford Focus will cost you from £28,700, a Vauxhall Astra will cost you from £28,000 and a Volkswagen Golf starts at the same £28,000 point.
The even better news for used buyers is that the Scala doesn’t cling onto its value as well as most rivals, so prices for second-hand examples will be even lower. A check of the classifieds shows some high-mileage examples from around £8000, while cars with less than 60,000 miles start from around £10,000 – at least £1000 less than an equivalent Volkswagen Golf.
Trim levels and standard equipment
On top of the safety and infotainment kit we’ve already talked about, the pre-facelift entry-level Skoda Scala S comes with alloy wheels, LED headlights, manual air-conditioning, remote locking, four powered windows and electric door mirror adjustment.
We reckon it's worth upgrading to the SE for the better infotainment system alone, but doing so also earns you niceties including cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, front foglamps and rear parking sensors. The SE is the entry-level model for the post-facelift Scala, and comes with full LED headlights and LED rear lights and dual-zone air conditioning. From the second half of 2024, the SE was revamped as the SE Edition, adding metallic paint, a rear-view camera and an upgraded set of screens – a 9.2-inch navigation screen and a 10.25-inch driver display screen, which Skoda calls Virtual Cockpit.
The price jump to the Scala SE L gets you the top-grade infotainment system, privacy glass, two-zone climate control, cornering foglamps, LED rear lights, part-suede-effect upholstery and keyless start. On post-2024 cars it gets you an upgrade from 16-inch wheels to 17-inch units, dynamic turn indicators on the back lights and chrome window frame surrounds, as well as a rear centre armrest and automatic lights and wipers. However, you no longer get keyless start included, unless you go for the mid-2024-onwards SE L Edition, which gets keyless entry and start, metallic paint, heated front seats and a rear-view camera, as well as front parking sensors.
The range tops out with the Skoda Scala Monte Carlo, which adds sportier styling touches. On the pre-facelift model you get a panoramic roof and a few extra leather bits dotted around the cabin, while the post-facelift Monte Carlo gets cornering fog lights, keyless entry and engine start and a rear-view camera, as well as the Sport Chassis Control adaptive suspension. You'll also get matrix LED headlights, which cleverly maintain full beam while tracking oncoming traffic and keeping it in shadow. This maintains maximum visibility ahead without dazzling other drivers, and it works very well. It's an option on the SE L model.
The mid-2024-onwards Monte Carlo Edition model replaces the previous Monte Carlo, and adds metallic paint, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats, adaptive cruise control as standard, as well as wireless phone charging and front parking sensors.
All those features were previously optional, which goes some way to correcting our criticism of the earlier facelifted cars. The amount of stuff initially left on the options list, even on the range-topping versions, was a little surprising. Electrically adjusting seats were available on the pre-facelift cars but not on early 2024 models, and the same is true of part-leather upholstery. A reversing camera was only an option pre-2024, although it was then included on the Monte Carlo. Adaptive cruise control, wireless phone charging, front parking sensors and heated seats are all available, but no version had them as standard until the mid-2024 overhaul.
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
What is the Skoda Scala based on?
What is the best Skoda Scala to buy?
Is the Skoda Scala expensive to insure?
Which Skoda Scala has the best MPG?
Skoda Scala Alternatives
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