Skoda Scala Select 85TSI 2025 Review

The 2025 Skoda Scala Select 85TSI is $33,990 drive away. There are five no-cost colours to choose from (Graphite Grey Metallic, Race Blue Metallic, Black Magic Pearlescent, Brilliant Silver Metallic and Moon White Metallic), while Velvet Red costs an additional $770.

Warranty runs to seven years/unlimited kilometres and while Skoda does not offer a capped-price service schedule, it does give you the option of a pre-paid $3650 service pack, which covers the first seven services and is bundled with roadside assist. Service intervals are pegged at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

The highlights on this entry-level Scala includes keyless entry and start, a leather steering wheel and gear knob, dual-zone climate control and 17-inch alloy wheels. For more on the key cosmetic and specification changes made to the Scala range when the refreshed model arrived late last year, click here.

Exterior features include power-folding and heated adjustable side mirrors (with dimming function on the driver’s side), rear spoiler and rear privacy glass, while inside there’s manual adjustment for front seat lumbar support and height, gearshift paddles, rear air vents, an auto dimming rear-view mirror and one-touch power windows.

There’s an 8.25-inch centre touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8.0-inch digital dash, four high-output 45-watt USB-C charging ports (two at the front, two at the rear) and an eight-speaker audio system.

The safety bundle in the Scala comprises autonomous emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, driver fatigue detection, front and rear parking sensors, rear-view camera, cruise control, front fog lights and cornering lights, dusk-sensing LED headlights and taillights, rain-sensing front wipers, tyre pressure monitoring and six airbags (front, front side and side curtain).

Adaptive cruise control, lane centring and a driver’s knee airbag present on the previous (now defunct) entry Scala (the Ambition) are missing in the new Select.

The Scala achieved a five-star ANCAP rating when tested in 2019, although it should be noted that was when a driver’s knee bag was fitted that is now absent. The Scala tested in 2019 scored a 97 per cent rating for adult protection, 87 per cent rating for child protection, 81 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 76 per cent for safety assist features.

The Scala Select 85TSI is powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that transmits power to the front wheels via a seven-speed DSG transmission.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, sure, but the 2025 Skoda Scala is a contemporary small hatch with crisp design. Inside, the chrome highlights and new flecked grey cloth material on the seats and dash make it seem more upmarket, if not quite luxurious.

Pairing a phone, running Apple CarPlay and other controls presented no issues on test; in fact, the use of physical dials/buttons for the climate control (rather than embedded in the touchscreen) is a good thing to reduce driver distraction.

The engine is responsive and seems much quieter and smoother than other three-cylinder units like the 1.2-litre turbo triple used by Peugeot. The DSG transmission’s gearshifts are slick and quick, while the steering-wheel-mounted paddles give you more control when needed.

Fuel consumption settled to 6.9L/100km in mostly urban driving, suggesting that the ADR combined figure of 5.4L/100km is at least close to achievable.

There is little doubt about where the front wheels are pointing and the ride and handling compromise is about where it should be for an entry-level small hatch, even though it’d be better with independent rear suspension instead of the Scala’s torsion beam.

The Select’s 205/50R17 tyres help blot out bumps where lower profiles just don’t and while not a hot hatch, the Scala is engaging enough to drive when joining the dots between point A and point B.

The cabin is spacious for the class, with ample room in the front and back as well as a large 467-litre boot area (1410L with the second-row seats down). There is a bunch of storage spots inside, with the bottle holders in the doors and Skoda’s signature ‘Simply Clever’ umbrella stored in the driver’s door among the favourites.

A road test is, by definition, one that usually occurs on public roads. So while we didn’t attempt plunging the active safety systems into a crash situation to see how effective they were, one thing was clear: unlike some other vehicles, the Skoda’s active safety systems did not deliver spurious warnings.

The Skoda Scala Select 85TSI’s steering wheel is rather large. The result is steering response off-centre feels slow. Possibly that’s better for high-speed driving safety, but in part it makes steering response feel a bit blunted.

But the main thing that takes some getting used to is the DSG transmission’s abruptness in slow moving situations, such as when parking.

The 2025 Skoda Scala is great value in this entry-level Select 85TSI trim, with not only most features you would want for not much money but in a package that also drives well and is comfortable.

The omission of some safety features such as a driver’s knee airbag and adaptive cruise control and the transmission’s abruptness at low speed are the only obvious downsides.

2025 Skoda Scala Select 85TSI at a glance:
Price: $33,990 (drive away)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 85kW/200Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 123g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five stars (ANCAP 2019)

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