Skoda Scala

It’s usually a bad idea to apply a hard-to-say-quickly name to a car. Skoda Scala. Go on, say it quickly several times. Actually, don’t. You might bite your tongue then blame me and I have enough on my plate. Adding irate readers with a newly self-inflicted speech impediment to the list will not help.

When the Scala popped up in my booking calendar I was quite pleased. I recalled that I had driven the Scala soon after its arrival in Australia that my brain convinced me was 2019 rather than when it actually arrived, just over a year ago. It had to be then because that’s when the story is dated and the car I drove was the Launch Edition.

Much has changed since then and that includes the addition of the stylish-sounding Monte Carlo specification level of this Golf-sized hatchback.

Pricing and features

For 2022, the Monte Carlo’s price tag carries a $38,990 drive-away figure, which used to be pretty stiff for a small hatchback but is now almost routine. For some, it’s probably not very enticing when there are lots of other hatches and SUVs to choose from around and under that price but Skodas have an allure all of their own.

Adding to the pricing dilemma is the fact that there are also a few missing bits and pieces because of the wretched semiconductor shortage.

For your money, your Czech-made Scala Monte Carlo has 18-inch alloy wheels, an eight-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, Monte Carlo-specific cloth seats, a reversing camera, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, glass sunroof, auto LED headlights, powered tailgate, leather steering wheel, auto wipers, folding heated power mirrors and a space-saver spare.

Standard on the Monte Carlo is an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is clear and easy to use, if not exactly bang up to date, but given what’s happening elsewhere in the VW Group, I’ll take it. You can upgrade to the larger 9.2-inch screen and fresher software if you’re keen.

The safety package has taken a hit as a result of the semiconductor shortage, with MY22 cars missing out on blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. You do still get seven airbags (including a driver’s knee airbag), the usual braking and stability controls, multi-collision brake, forward auto emergency braking, adaptive lane assist, two ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors.

However, it appears that you can still add the $4300 Travel Pack that comes with the 9.2-inch screen, park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, heated front and rear seats, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Scala scored five ANCAP stars in 2019 via its agreement with EuroNCAP.

Comfort and space

Not all small hatches are created equal and the Scala certainly has a lot of room packed into its hatchback footprint.

Based on the VW Group’s excellent MQB platform, front-seat passengers have a ton of room. The Monte Carlo’s cloth-covered seats are the best in the range, as it happens, and are very comfortable and look quite racy too. As is standard for a Skoda, it’s a very clean dash design, with everything you need close to hand.

You get that weird VW Group three cupholder arrangement in the front, with two coffee-cup-sized parts overlapping with a third mid-section that looks tailor-made for those small energy drink cans.

The front door bins are big and will take decent-sized bottles and the four USB-C outlets are equally divided between front and rear. Your phone goes under the centre stack and will charge there too if it’s wireless-equipped.

And the in-door umbrella holders remain one of the great joys of Skoda ownership.

The back seat is a nice comfortable space with an impressive among of legroom and headroom for a small hatch. There’s not a great deal of shape to them but that does mean three across the back is doable if the middle passenger is short.

Although the door pockets aren’t huge they will take a bottle but the lack of armrest and therefore cupholders is a bit of a drag. It does have rear air vents though, so it’s not all bad. The view out of the big windows is good, too, as is entry and egress through the wide door apertures.

The powered tailgate gives you access to a whopping 467-litre boot with a reversible floor that’s carpet on one side and rubber on the other. There are also nets everywhere for tying things down, a couple of bag hooks, a 12-volt power socket and underneath the floor is a space-saver spare wheel.

Put the rear seats down and remove the parcel shelf to liberate a pretty impressive 1410 litres of space.

On the road

Before I start talking about the engine, I’m going to tell you that I really like the way the Scala drives. It’s really well tuned up for city driving, with quick, light steering, a taut but comfortable ride and handling balance and plenty of vision in all directions.

A few years ago, that would have been enough for me to tell you to get out there and buy one. But as this part of the market has shrunk and prices risen inexorably, the segment’s protagonists have lifted their game.

The current Mazda 3 is a belter of a car to drive and at this price, you’re getting a high-spec one with the 2.5-litre engine. The Scala’s predecessor, the unloved Rapid, traded on being quite cheap and reasonably cheerful. At nearly forty grand, the Monte Carlo has to be a good car or it’s going to sink, er, Rapid-like.

Under the bonnet is a 1.5 four-cylinder turbo, mustering up an entirely reasonable 110kW at 6000rpm and 250Nm between 1500 and 3500rpm. As you might expect, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sends the power to the front wheels.

While there’s a slight hesitation from a standstill – a bit of turbo lag and a bit of standard dual-clutch dithering – things improve on the move. There isn’t a stack of power but you can still get up a decent head of steam and ride the torque.

The Scala is the kind of car you gravitate towards no matter how short the drive. It makes the most of its 15mm drop in ride height and attendant tweaks to the static dampers with a sharper front end and a sportier feel all round.

The ride may not be to everyone’s taste but the Monte Carlo is a Kia Cerato GT-Line equivalent in the Skoda range and it does the job.

On smooth surfaces, it’s a very easy car to live with and when things get a bit rougher, it’s just a little firm – which is why it will come down to taste rather than there being a specific problem.

The first Scala I drove had the adaptive damping and, honestly, I suggested leaving it in Normal mode because the Sport setting was a bit too firm. I think the Monte Carlo's static set-up is better than both for someone keen to crack on.

Ownership

Skoda offers a five year, unlimited-kilometre warranty with a year of roadside assist thrown in.

You need to service the Scala every 12 months or 15,000km as part of the capped-price servicing regime. The first service is $314, the second $481, the third $462, the fourth a knee-weakening $800, the fifth back down to $462 and the sixth up again to $562 for a total of $3081 over the first six services, or about $513 per year. Not cheap but not hugely outrageous either.

You can pre-pay for seven years of servicing – and extend your warranty to the same length – and Skoda says you’ll save roughly the first three services’ worth or about $1300 give or take.

VERDICT

While the warm hatch vibe is restricted to chassis tweaks and the seats, in the context of the Scala it’s worth a few more bucks for even more fun.

Not everyone is going to be beating a path to a Skoda dealer for a Scala, let alone drop nearly forty thousand on a Monte Carlo.

But with ever-narrowing choices for the buyer of the once-dominant small hatchback segment, it’s cool that the Scala is here and that it even exists in the first place.

If you don’t want or need the sportier chassis, the base Scala is better value for money because it still has all the things that make the Scala an excellent hatch.

There aren’t many European hatches left, so the Scala Monte Carlo stands out just for that. But it backs it up with a fun chassis, plenty of equipment and that if-you-know-you-know vibe that Skodas are so good at.

And you’ll always have an umbrella handy.

2022 Skoda Scala Monte Carlo specifications