Autocar UK – 31 July 2019

0 10s 20s

110mph

28.9s

30mph 40mph 50mph 60mph 70mph 80mph 90mph 100mph

3.2s 4.9s 6.5s 8.8s 11.3s 14.1s 17.4s 22.7s

30mph-0 50mph-0 70mph-0

8.4m 24.2m 47.8m

0 10m 20m 30m 40m

0 10s 20s

110mph

27.9s

30mph 40mph 50mph 60mph 70mph 80mph 90mph 100mph

3.0s 4.3s 6.1s 7.9 s 10.4s 13.1s 16.6s 21.5s

30mph-0 50mph-0 70mph-0

8.6m 23.4m 45.9m

0 10m 20m 30m 40m

Tra ck n otes

ROAD TEST

3 1 JULY 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 39

agile in a class that contains the

Ford Focus among others, but it’s

certainly willing enough. Although

steering centre-feel could be better,

motorway stability is more than

adequate, making this an easy car to

drive at sustained speed. It’s when

the surface of the road deteriorates

that the car’s suspension begins to

c ome up shor t of f i ne de x t e r it y, a nd

at that point the consistency of the

connection between tyre and Tarmac

can quite quickly disappear, making

the car seem a bit skittish – although

generally always stable.

COMFORT AND ISOLATION

AAACC

It’s here that the shortcomings

associated with the Scala’s extended

supermini platform and basic torsion

beam suspension architecture

begin to make themselves felt.

While it rides in a largely composed

and controlled enough fashion on

smoothly surfaced motorways and

A-roads, on faster country lanes this

c i v i l it y s t a r t s t o f a l l shor t.

There’s a perceptible lack of finesse

to the way the Scala deals with

rippled, pockmarked Tarmac, on

which the rear axle in particular not

only becomes noticeably animated

a s it bat t le s t o a b s orb a nd c ont r ol

the resulting shocks and intrusions,

but noisy too. While it would be

heavy-handed to say this heightened

secondary choppiness is a deal-

breaker, it’s a plain example of an

area where the Scala falls short next

to the Golf and the Focus, with their

more grown up platforms and multi-

link suspension systems.

It’s not all bad news, though. While

the Scala might lack some of the

composure of its VW Group siblings,

it isn’t deficient in terms of seating

comfort. The front pews offer modest

bolstering both for thighs and torso

and can be adjusted for height. The

steering column can be adjusted for

both rake and reach, while visibility

out of the cabin itself is perfectly

agreeable. Rear parking sensors

come in handy when manoeuvring

into tight urban car parks, too.

BUYING AND OWNING

AAAAC

True to Skoda’s core philosophy, the

Scala undercuts most of its rivals

on price. In fact, despite offering

comparable levels of space and

performance, it costs so much less

to buy than a Volkswagen Golf

t h at it c ou ld w e l l h av e e x i s t e d i n a

different class, and you’ll also part

with substantially more for similarly

equipped established rivals such as

the Ford Focus.

Specification is generous. Even

the entry-level Scala S, which

s t a r t s at le s s t h a n £17, 0 0 0, c ome s

equipped with DAB, cruise control,

electric door mirrors and automatic

headlights and windscreen wipers.

L a ne -k e e pi n g a s si s t i s a l s o s t a nd a rd-

f it , t hou g h y ou’ l l ne e d t o op t ion

blind-spot monitoring, too.

This being one of the Volkswagen

Group’s newer engines, the 1.5 TSI

also scores reasonably well for fuel

economy. We managed 52.9mpg at a

cruise, equating a touring range of

456 miles – a fine complement to its

strong performance.

Where the Scala proposition falls

down slightly, and particularly for

those looking for cheap personal

c ont r a c t pu r c h a s e de a l s , i s t he

relatively pronounced depreciation it

is forecast to suffer. After three years

and 36,000 miles, our test car is set

to hold 38% of its value while the

comparable Golf and Focus models

e a c h m a n a ge mor e t h a n h a l f. ◊

It proved a little beyond the abilities

of the Scala’s chassis to deal with

the biggest gradient changes and

toughest surfaces of Millbrook’s Hill

Route with either the composure

of a Volkswagen Golf or the poised

immediacy of a Ford Focus.

On smooth surfaces the Skoda

handles fairly well, with greater

directness and zest than an Octavia

typically has, although not entirely

without body roll. Grip is respectably

high and remains well balanced

between the car’s axles as you

progress through a corner. Meantime,

the car’s electronic stability and

traction aids act quite subtly and

progressively when they intervene,

a n d s o u n l e s s yo u’r e ve r y a g g r e s s i ve

or ambitious with the car, you’re

unlikely to notice their intervention.

Over broken surfaces and the

Hill Route’s transmission bumps,

however, the Scala’s suspension

proves to be quite easily disturbed

and, after bigger inputs, a little under-

damped for rebound.

ACCELERATION

Vo l k swa g e n G o l f 1. 5 T S I R - Li n e 20 17 (2 4 d e g C , d r y)

Skoda Scala SE 1.5 TSI 150PS DSG (11deg C, dry)

BRAKING 60-0mph: 2.78sec

Vo l k swa g e n G o l f 1. 5 T S I R - Li n e 20 17 (2 4 d e g C , d r y)

Standing quarter mile 16.7sec at 88.2mph, standing km 30.1sec at 111.7mph, 30-70mph 8.1sec, 30-70mph in fourth 12.0sec

Skoda Scala SE 1.5 TSI 150PS DSG (11deg C, dry)

Standing quarter mile 16.4sec at 89.2mph, standing km 29.5sec at 111.9mph, 30-70mph 7.3sec, 30-70mph in fourth 9.3sec

START

FINISH

z Bigger compressions

and crests towards the

end of the lap test the

vertical body control

quite sternly and find it

a little bit wanting.

z Turns in tidily for T2 and isn’t so soft that

it can’t be kept fairly tight to the apex, even

though there is some roll to contend with.

z Torsion beam copes less well with fast

off-camber bends than an independent

rear might, but it keeps the car stable.

T7

T4

T3

T6

T1

T5

T2