New Skoda Scala hatch here in a year

The all-new Skoda Scala hatchback will be the next all-new model to arrive in Australia from the Czech brand, in the second quarter of 2020.

Skoda’s second attempt at a direct rival for the Australia’s top-selling small car, the Toyota Corolla, replaces the Rapid Spaceback and will again be positioned between the Fabia light hatch and wagon (from $16,890) and the Octavia (from $23,890).

However, in a move that Skoda Australia admits could lead to sales cannibalisation of the larger Octavia and perhaps even the Volkswagen Golf (from $25,290), both of which will also be replaced later next year, Scala pricing will start from above $25,000.

Australian specifications are yet to be finalised but of the five Euro 6-compliant turbocharged powertrains on offer in Europe, just one will be available for the Skoda Scala in Australia.

Our Scala will be powered exclusively by the Volkswagen Golf’s 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder 110TSI engine, matched as standard with a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The combination consumes just 5.0L/100km of 95 RON unleaded, emits 113g/km of CO2 and can hit 100km/h in 8.2sec on its way to a 219km/h top speed, says Skoda.

As in Europe though, there will be just two well-specified equipment grades available Down Under – Emotion and Style – but almost certainly no manual gearbox, diesel engine or entry-level 85TSI variant.

And unlike the outgoing Skoda Rapid, there will be no sedan version of the front-drive Scala, which means ‘stairs’ or ‘ladder’ in Latin and moves significantly upmarket from its more ambitiously named predecessor not only in terms of price, but size and equipment.

First launched in Australia in May 2014, the Rapid hatch was originally priced from $18,990 plus on-road costs before the 82TSI manual was dropped and the range culled to just the 1.4-litre 92TSI DSG at $23,990 drive-away in August 2017.

Emerging almost identical to the handsome Skoda Vision RS concept at the 2018 Paris motor show, the Scala debuts the VW Group brand’s more dynamic new design language featuring triangular headlights and the introduction of bold SKODA lettering on the mostly-glass rear hatch.

The heavily sculpted five-door body is claimed to have a very aerodynamic 0.29Cd drag co-efficient thanks in part to underbody covers, front bumper air curtains, roof spoiler finlets, optimised wheel designs, separation edges on the tail-lights and water channels on the windscreen.

At 4362mm long, 1793mm wide and 1471mm high, the Skoda Scala is a whole 107mm longer, 30mm wider and 30mm higher than the current Volkswagen Golf -- despite being based not on its MQB platform but the MQB-A0 chassis that underpins the smaller VW Polo.

Riding on a 2649mm wheelbase (12mm longer than the Golf’s), the spacious hatchback is claimed to have the longest interior in its class, resulting in a class-leading 982mm of rear head room, as much rear knee room as the Octavia (73mm) and a sizeable 1031mm of front head room. Elbow room is generous too, at 1439mm (front) and 1425mm (rear).

The Scala is also said to have the biggest boot in its segment, measuring a massive 467 litres and expanding to 1410 litres with the 60/40-split rear seats folded.

As with all Skodas, storage is a highlight with large door pockets, a dashboard oddments compartment and up to three nets, plus four tie-down points and ‘curry hooks’ on both sides of the huge boot, which also features a 12V power outlet, double-sided floor, barrier net and illumination.

Joining the usual Skoda convenience items like an umbrella compartment (with umbrella) in the driver’s door, front seat back tray tables and a ticket holder in the A-pillar are an ice scraper with tyre tread depth gauge hidden inside the fuel filler cap and a funnel integrated into the lid of the windscreen washer tank.

New cargo options include a folding front passenger seat to stow items up to 2.5m long and, for the first time in the small-car class, a powered tailgate and an electrically retractable tow bar.

As with the new Volkswagen Touareg, at this stage the latter doesn’t been Australian design laws, and nor is Skoda Australia likely to offer the European option of personalised tailgate lettering.

In the cabin, a scalloped character line on the dashboard, which also features a contrasting-coloured textured bronze insert, echoes the grille design and doubles as a hand rest for operating the central touch-screen.

The Scala is the first Skoda to come standard with LED headlights and tail-lights, as well as the combination of Front Assist (including City Emergency Brake and Predictive Pedestrian Protection autonomous emergency braking, or AEB) and Lane Assist lane-keeping. There’s also Side Assist, including Rear Traffic Alert and a new-generation blind-spot monitor that detects objects up to 70m away.

Other standard equipment will include a 6.5-inch ‘Swing’ infotainment touch-screen with Bluetooth connectivity and voice control. All Australian models will ride on either 16-, 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels, but in Europe base models ride on 15-inch steel wheels.

Upgrading from the Emotion to Style model grade will also bring an 8.0-inch ‘Bolero’ multimedia system and dual-zone climate control, but among the host of multimedia options will be VW’s big free-standing 9.2-inch ‘Amundsen’ infotainment array with 405 Watts and eight speakers, and the customisable 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster.

Further tech options will include Wi-Fi hotspot via inbuilt SIM, 3D satellite-navigation, ‘Phone Box’ inductive charging, 64GB of internal SSD storage, downloadable apps, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, DAB+ digital radio, an extra two rear backlit USB-C ports, keyless start, full bi-LED headlights with cornering lamps and – for the first time in a Skoda -- Audi-style dynamic rear indicators.

Other optional extras more commonly seen on larger cars include a full-length panoramic sunroof, ‘Suedia’ microfibre seat trim, sports front seats with integrated head restraints and power adjustment, stainless steel pedals, black wing mirror caps, multi-function steering wheel and a heated windscreen, steering wheel and outboard seats.

The European options list extends to safety features like Adaptive Cruise Control (which can accelerate and brake at up to 210km/h), Park Assist (semi-auto parking), Auto Light Assist (auto high-beam), Driver Alert (drowsiness detection), Crew Protect Assist (which automatically closes any open windows and tensions the front seat belts in the event of a collision), Multi-Collision Brake (post-accident braking), reversing camera, driver’s knee airbag and -- for the first time in a small car, says Skoda -- rear side airbags for a total of nine.

Completing the extensive options list are 12mm-higher road-road suspension and 15mm-lower Sport Chassis Control packages, the latter including stiffer springs and two-stage dampers controlled via Normal and Sport modes in the Driving Mode Select system.

There is no electric handbrake, but braking is via discs all round – except for rear drums on the three-cylinder models not coming Down Under.

All of the Skoda Scala’s petrol engines run on 95 RON premium unleaded and are equipped with a petrol particulate filter, but that’s unlikely to be fitted in Australia due to our fuel’s high sulphur content.

Twelve vivid paint colours will be available, including blue, red, white and grey solid hues for no extra cost, plus eight metallic hues led by Race Blue and Audi RS5-style Rally Green.