2025 Skoda Scala Select review

It’s the European small car that’s flown under the radar since launching in Australia in 2020. But the Skoda Scala has a lot going for it in what is a crowded segment.

The Czech-built Scala shares much of its DNA with its Volkswagen Group stablemates and brings some European flair to the small car playground.

The Scala benefitted from a midlife update late last year that brought some mild exterior styling changes, an updated interior and a smattering of new features.

And thanks to some sharp drive-away pricing, the entry-level Scala Select remains a very affordable option, putting European styling within reach of more buyers at the budget-conscious end of the segment.

The Skoda Scala range comprises just two variants, the entry-level Scala Select we on test here, and the full-fruit Scala Monte Carlo.

Priced at $33,990 and $45,990 drive-away respectively, and while that might be a big jump up the pricing ladder, it’s worth noting the range-topping Monte Carlo is powered by a more powerful and bigger 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Powering the Scala Select we have on test here is a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine developing 85kW and 200Nm, matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission driving the front wheels.

Meanwhile, the Monte Carlo’s larger 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder makes 110kW and 250Nm, paired with the seven-speed auto and front-wheel drive.

The Scala Select replaces the outgoing entry-level model (Ambition), but has lost some equipment previously standard while gaining others.

New features bundled into the Scala Select include dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and push-button start, paddle-shifters, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, front and rear parking sensors, and a drive mode selector.

However, some deleted (or downsized) standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels (previously 18s), an 8.25-inch infotainment touchscreen (previously 10.25-inch), regular cruise control (previously adaptive cruise), lane-centring assist, carpet floor mats, door sill trims and an alarm system. All remains standard in the range-topping Scala Monte Carlo.

Other standard features include dusk-sensing LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, four 45-watt USB Type-C outlets, and an eight-speaker sound system.

There’s also a decent suite of advanced driver assist (ADAS) and safety technologies that we’ll detail later in this review.

The Scala isn’t short of rivals in this hotly contested segment, the most obvious the Volkswagen Golf Life that starts from $38,690 before on-road costs. It is, though, powered by the more powerful 110kW/250Nm engine also found in the Scala Monte Carlo.

The best-selling Toyota Corolla range gets underway at around $36,000 drive-away ($32,110 MSRP) for the Ascent Sport Hybrid, while the Mazda 3 line-up starts from $30,470 (around $35,000 drive-away) for the G20 Pure.

That places the Scala squarely in the frame for buyers in that $30–$35,000 price bracket – not a bad place to be.

And if you want to check out the Scala in the metal, head on over to your local Skoda showroom. You can find your nearest Skoda dealer here.

The Skoda Scala fits the imaginary template for a small hatchback in Australia. Measuring in at 4362mm long, 1793mm wide, 1471mm high and on a wheelbase of 2649mm, the Scala is smaller than most of its immediate rivals.

The Mazda 3 G20 Pure is longer (4460mm), wider (1795mm) but not as tall (1435mm) as the Scala. The Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport is also marginally longer than the Scala (4375mm), but not as wide (1790mm) or as tall (1435mm).

Only the Volkswagen Golf stops the tape short of the Scala, measuring in at 4282mm long, 1789mm wide and 1480mm tall.

The big difference, however, lies inside where the Scala, despite giving away crucial millimetres in some key areas, feels more spacious in terms of passenger comfort and is measurably bigger in one key area important to a lot of buyers – boot space.

Whereas the Corolla’s luggage-lugging shortcomings are legendary (a paltry 217 litres), the Scala enjoys a boot capacity of 467L with the second row in use, expanding to a massive 1410L with row two folded away.

Only the smaller Golf comes close with 374L, while the Mazda 3, although bigger in the boot than the Corolla at 295L, is significantly smaller than the Scala.

It’s one of the Scala’s strong selling points – a commodious boot in a segment not known for them.

The rest of the cabin follows the broader Skoda style guide, being cleanly laid out and with just enough interesting features to feel just a little special.

Yes, the entry-level model is fitted with cloth seats, but Skoda’s interior designers have a done a good job by adding some visual and tactile interest via grey fabric inserts on the seats and on the dash.

The front seats are comfy too, nicely cushioned and supportive, and in this entry-level spec are manually adjustable.

Storage amenities are a bit of a hodgepodge. The door pockets are generously sized and can take bottles, and while there are cupholders in the centre console, they are on the small side and only accept smaller cups and skinny drink bottles.

Similarly, the central storage bin is on the small side, while a cubby ahead of the gear lever is ideal for smartphones, although lacks the wireless charging function that is increasingly standard today.

The second row is a revelation in terms of space. The outboard seats feature an abundance of toe, knee, leg and head room, and nicely cushioned and comfortable like they are in the front.

The middle seating position loses a little gloss, thanks largely to the presence of a largish transmission tunnel that impacts on available foot space. And there’s no fold-down armrest either, which means no cupholders in the second row. The door pockets can take bottles, though.

There are air vents in row two, and two 45W USB Type-C charging outlets for phones.

For those with little ones, the outboard seats feature ISOFIX child seat mounts, while all three seat backs are fitted with top-tether anchors.

The second row folds away in 60:40-split fashion to liberate a generous cargo area (already touched on), and under the floor lives a space-saver spare wheel and tyre.

Skoda has downsized the infotainment screen in the entry-level Scala, now measuring in at 8.25 inches against the outgoing model’s 10.25 inches. It’s not an issue, the system as responsive and intuitive as it ever was, even if it’s bereft of meaningful features.

There’s no native satellite navigation, for instance, while radio bandwidths are limited to AM/FM, with digital (DAB+) conspicuous by its absence.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are new for this update and you can still, if you prefer, connect via a cable courtesy of two USB Type C outlets.

Connecting Apple CarPlay proved easy enough, although I did experience several drop-outs over my week with the Scala. I reverted back to connecting via a cable.

Other key elements not available in the Scala Select include wireless smartphone charging, which isn’t a big deal on the surface. But if a manufacturer is going to offer wireless smartphone mirroring, then it should probably also include charging as part of the deal.

The 8.0-inch digital instrument display is a good one, with good personalisation options and a decent array of data screens. With no native sat-nav, it does miss out on full-screen mapping as the system cannot cast route guidance from your smartphone like some set-ups can.

A big bouquet for Skoda persisting with physical controls for the air-conditioning system, as well as for volume controls and radio tuning. In an age where increasingly every vital function is buried inside multi-layered touchscreens, it’s refreshing to find tactile applications that are far easier to use, especially when on the move.

Skoda doesn't offer any connected services for the Scala – a feature commonplace in today’s landscape that allows owners to log in to their car remotely, check fuel levels, find the car’s location or lock and unlock doors.

The Skoda Scala was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating back in 2019, which means, under the safety body’s protocols, it will expire at the end of this year.

It scored an impressive 97 per cent for adult occupant protection when it did undergo testing in 2019, along with 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 81 per cent vulnerable road user, and 76 per cent for its safety assist systems.

Six airbags cover both rows of occupants, although it’s worth noting that Skoda has deleted the previously fitted knee airbags, which are no longer available across the Scala range.

The Scala’s list of safety technologies runs to autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and driver fatigue detection.

There are some quirks to the system, however. The driver fatigue detection system doesn’t rely on cameras to determine if a driver’s attention might be waning. Instead, the system detects erratic driving behaviours (such as wandering in your lane) to determine whether a wake-up call is needed.

The entry-level Select variant misses out on the more advanced adaptive cruise control and makes do with regular cruise control. And that means the Select also misses out on ‘travel’ assist which includes lane-centring.

My week with the Scala Select highlighted no glaring overeagerness, with all the systems nicely calibrated to fall well within the column of helpful rather than distracting.

Skoda’s seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty underpins the Scala range, provided you are a private buyer. Scalas pressed into service for commercial applications such as rideshare or delivery are still warranted for seven years, but with a 150,000km distance limit.

Service intervals are spaced at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first and can be prepaid at time of purchase. A seven-year prepaid maintenance plan asks for $3650.

For context, the Toyota Corolla remains amongst the most affordable to maintain, with 12 monthly/15,000km visits to the workshop capped at $250 each. Things get slightly pricier in years six and seven, priced at $579.69 and $400.69 respectively for a seven-year total of $2230.38.

The Mazda 3 will set owners back $3251 over seven years or 105,000km, while the Volkswagen Golf is the most expensive to maintain, costing $3566 over five years or 75,000km.

Annual comprehensive insurance runs to $1556, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

That compares favourably against the Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport ($1874), Mazda 3 ($1608) and Volkswagen Golf ($1580).

Skoda claims the Scala Select and its 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol will use 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres of 95-octane premium unleaded petrol.

Our week with the little hatchback returned an indicated 6.7L/100km – a week spent over a variety of driving conditions including city traffic, suburban running around and highway cruising.

The fuel tank measures in at 50L, and based on our real-world indicated consumption number should return around 746km of driving from a single tank. Bear in mind, the Scala Select requires the more expensive 95-octane unleaded.

The updates to the Scala range focused on equipment and styling tweaks with the powertrain carrying over from the outgoing model.

That’s no bad thing, as the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine under the bonnet of the Scala Select is a little firecracker.

Outputs of 85kW and 200Nm might look meagre on paper, but out in the real world on the road, the Scala is perky enough for most driving situations.

That’s down largely to that torque number of 200Nm, which gives the Scala Select a decent kick from standstill and enough mumbo for rolling acceleration such as an overtake or freeway merge.

The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), which transmits the engine’s outputs to the front wheels, is pretty good but still suffers from that hesitancy that afflicts all but the most refined DCT. Take-off from standstill can be a little jerky as the transmission takes a moment too long to bite before punching the Scala forward. It’s a little frustrating, and equally so when reverse parking.

Once on the move, the DCT does a good job, smooth and refined in traffic, and with sharp and snappy downshifts when a burst of acceleration is needed.

The distinct engine note associated with three-cylinder engines is ever-present; a delightfully pleasant aural soundtrack that enhances driver engagement.

And ride comfort is commendable too, Skoda’s chassis engineers striking a balance between comfort and handling that’s hard not to like.

In everyday driving situations, the Scala does a good job of absorbing small bumps and lumps as well as settling quickly and easily over larger impediments such as speed bumps.

And while it’s no rocketship, there’s a level of enjoyment to be found when the right conditions present themselves, with the Scala a surprisingly nimble and agile companion on some rural twisties.

Here, the chassis tune keeps the Scala well planted, and with good communication through the steering wheel, you can really fling the little hatchback through some spirited cornering.

The steering itself feels nice and light – great for parking – but also direct and precise in its responses to inputs. There’s no guesswork here, the Scala going exactly where you want it to. Road noise does impact on the overall in-car experience a little, especially over coarser surfaces that transmit back into the cabin. It remains a blot on the driving experience that is otherwise charming, easygoing and even a little bit fun.

The Skoda Scala isn’t exactly the first choice for those who require some towing capabilities. Rated at 1200kg braked and 610kg unbraked, that might be enough to get you out of a hole for a box trailer run to the tip or for carrying a few bikes on a dedicated bike rack, but realistically, anyone needing to tow regularly should probably look elsewhere.

The entry-level Skoda Scala Select is easily the pick of the two-car range. Sharp drive-away pricing combined with a healthy list of standard features makes a lot of sense for budget-conscious buyers.

The three-cylinder turbo petrol matched to the Scala’s seven-speed DCT is, for the most part, an engaging combination let down only by signs of occasional hesitation when moving away from standstill.

And its interior packaging, which offers space beyond what the Scala’s dimensions suggest, is a big plus in a segment where roominess isn’t always a given.

Certainly, an entry-level hatchback at a pricepoint within reach of a lot of buyers imbues the Skoda Scala with plenty of appeal in a crowded segment.

Rob Margeit is an award-winning Australian motoring journalist and editor who has been writing about cars and motorsport for over 25 years. A former editor of Australian Auto Action, Rob’s work has also appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Wheels, Motor Magazine, Street Machine and Top Gear Australia. Rob’s current rides include a 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a 2000 Honda HR-V Sport.

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