The new ŠKODA interior concept follows the direction set by the ŠKODA VISION RS concept car. The new ŠKODA SCALA marks the first time this emotive design has been translated into a ŠKODA production model. The completely redesigned instrument panel blends seamlessly with the exciting exterior design. The free-standing display is positioned high up and framed by a design line that echoes the contours of the bonnet; below the display, it also creates an ergonomic wrist rest for operating the touchscreen. The instrument panel’s and door trims’ soft-foam surfaces feature large-scale design textures and a specific new grain. This emulates crystalline structures and will define the ŠKODA brand’s style in future.

Ambient lighting with a choice of white or red light as well as warm hues and contrasting stitching for the seat upholstery ensure a pleasant sense of space in the ŠKODA SCALA. As an option, customers can order seat upholstery made from the sophisticated Suedia microfibre. In typical ŠKODA style, the interior provides a tremendous amount of space. This is due to the car’s long wheelbase of 2,649 millimetres, which allows for a luxurious 73 millimetres of knee room on the rear seats, equivalent to that in the ŠKODA OCTAVIA. Rear headroom, at 982 millimetres, is the largest in its class. At 467 litres, the ŠKODA SCALA also boasts the biggest luggage compartment in this segment. With the rear backrest folded down, its volume increases to 1,410 litres.

Norbert Weber, Head of Interior Design at ŠKODA AUTO, says: “The new ŠKODA SCALA is the first production model to feature our new interior concept, introducing an updated design language alongside new colours and materials. Its premiere in the SCALA marks the beginning of a new brand identity for ŠKODA, which is as emotive as it is functional.”

The focal point of the interior concept in the ŠKODA SCALA is the display – with a size of up to 9.2 inches, it’s the largest in this vehicle segment and perfectly positioned in the driver’s and front passenger’s field of vision. This free-standing, central display is framed by a character line that echoes the emotive contours of the bonnet. Below the display, this line also creates an ergonomic wrist rest for operating the touchscreen.

The controls for the air conditioning in the centre console and the buttons for the start/stop system, Driving Mode Select and Park Assist right in front of the gear shift lever are likewise well placed and within comfortable reach. The lateral air vents extend into the doors and amplify the visual impression of width, adding to the generous sense of space.

The dashboard and front door trim panels feature a sophisticated soft-foam surface with a specific new grain texture. This emulates crystalline structures and will define the ŠKODA brand’s style in the future.

With the SCALA, ŠKODA is presenting the new emotive exterior and interior design language for the first time in a production model. It already attracted attention at the Paris Motor Show with the VISION RS. With the new model, the long-established Czech brand has also taken a big step in terms of technology. The name SCALA, which comes from the Latin meaning ‘stairs’ or ‘ladders’, therefore fits perfectly. With the SCALA, the ŠKODA brand has climbed several rungs on the development ladder. It perfectly embodies a set of brand values which can be summarised very well under the term ‘smart understatement’.

New sculptural shapes, dynamic elements and precise features lend the vehicle an emotive and authentic appearance with a strong identity of its own. As the first ŠKODA model, the new ŠKODA SCALA is characterized by the next development stage of the ŠKODA design language, which will be also present in all future ŠKODA models. The new SCALA is also the first ŠKODA production model in Europe to bear ‘ŠKODA’ in block lettering on the tailgate instead of the ŠKODA logo.

Despite its compact dimensions, the ŠKODA SCALA offers a generous amount of space in the interior for a vehicle in the compact car segment. The new compact model measures 4,362 mm in length, is 1,793 mm wide, and 1,471 mm high. The long wheelbase of 2,649 mm gives the ŠKODA SCALA very good driving characteristics.

In terms of interior dimensions, the ŠKODA SCALA leaves nothing to be desired and is getting closer to the ŠKODA OCTAVIA. The kneeroom is 73 mm (73 mm for the ŠKODA OCTAVIA), elbow room in the rear is 1,425 mm (1,449 mm for the ŠKODA OCTAVIA) and head room in the rear is 982 mm (980 mm for the ŠKODA OCTAVIA). And in typical ŠKODA style, the ŠKODA SCALA has one of the largest boots in its segment with a capacity of 467 litres. With the rear seats folded down, the volume increases to 1,410 litres.

To complement the ŠKODA SCALA’s modern look, the latest digital technology is also integrated into the car. The ŠKODA SCALA is best in class in terms of display size. The customisable Virtual Cockpit for instance, available as an option, measures 10.25 inches and allows drivers to choose between five different views. The available infotainment systems, based on the latest-generation Modular Infotainment Matrix, come with a touchscreen measuring up to 9.2 inches that’s positioned high up on the instrument panel, in the driver’s immediate field of vision.

Thanks to a new generation of ŠKODA Connect mobile online services, passengers will have the option of locking and unlocking the car using their mobile phone and updating the software of the infotainment or maps ‘over the air’ – without the need to visit a dealership. All delivered ŠKODA SCALA cars are the first ŠKODAs to be always online thanks to a built-in eSIM: this provides a high-speed LTE internet connection with no need for an additional SIM card or tethered connection via a smartphone. As standard, this eSIM will support the functionality of Emergency Call and Proactive Service.

Other characteristics include the innovative optional full-LED headlights and tail lights. The new compact car is the first ŠKODA model to come with the rear dynamic indicator. Hidden beneath the rear bumper is an optional Simply Clever feature: an electrically retractable tow bar, which can be folded out using a button in the boot. Other features offered by the ŠKODA SCALA include the ŠKODA-typical umbrella compartment (incl. umbrella) in the driver’s door and the ice scraper in the fuel filler flap, as well as the optional electric tailgate incl. tip-to-close function.

The ŠKODA SCALA comes with a choice of five different engines, all of which comply with the Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. They include three petrol engines and one diesel, and later in 2019, an engine that runs on eco-friendly natural gas (CNG) will follow. All of the engines come with direct injection and a turbocharger as well as Stop/Start technology and brake energy recovery.

The 70-kW (95 PS) 1.0 TSI transmits its power via a manual 5-speed gearbox. The 85-kW (115 PS) 1.0 TSI is available with a manual 6-speed gearbox as standard or with an automatic 7-speed DSG as an option. The ŠKODA SCALA’s top-of-the-range petrol engine is the 1.5 TSI. This four-cylinder engine generates 110 kW (150 PS) and comes with a manual 6-speed gearbox as standard; a 7-speed DSG is also available as an option. All petrol engines are equipped with a particulate filter.

The four-cylinder 1.6 TDI with a power output of 85 kW (115 PS) produces 250 Nm of torque on the crankshaft; an SCR catalytic converter with AdBlue injection as well as a diesel particulate filter come as standard. It also complies with the Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. The efficient diesel engine is coupled with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, and a 7-speed DSG is available as an option.

The 1.0 G-TEC is the environmentally friendly way to drive the new ŠKODA SCALA. The three-cylinder is primarily designed to run on natural gas (CNG), which results in less CO2 and NOx emissions than conventional fuels. After the filled natural gas is used up, the engine can also run on petrol. The latest version of the CNG engine delivers 66 kW (90 PS), which is transferred exclusively by a manual 6-speed gearbox.

Even with the standard chassis setup, the new ŠKODA SCALA offers very safe and agile driving characteristics. The optional, new Sport Chassis Control, which offers two different tunings, provides even more individual options and sportiness. The chassis is 15 mm lower and, in addition to a Normal mode, also has a Sport mode with valve-adjustable shock absorbers that give the car a firmer ride. This provides a sportier driving experience and a more intensive connection with the road. Drivers can switch between the two settings via the Driving Mode Select menu.

Numerous driver assistance systems, working in combination with a variety of passive safety systems, ensure that the ŠKODA SCALA offers a very high level of safety. One of the enhanced assistance systems available in the ŠKODA SCALA is Side Assist. This optional system indicates to the driver when a vehicle is approaching from behind to overtake or is in the driver’s blind spot. While the familiar Blind Spot Detect has a range of up to 20 m, Side Assist can detect vehicles up to 70 m away and can therefore also effectively warn the driver of hazardous situations on motorways and dual carriageways. Rear Traffic Alert is an integral part of the Side Assist function. The optional Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is equally designed for use during long motorway journeys and works at speeds up to 210 km/h. Lane Assist and Front Assist form part of the standard equipment. Front Assist including City Emergency Brake uses radar to monitor the area in front of the car while driving in the city and thus helps to prevent accidents. The optional Park Assist conveniently lends the driver a hand when parking – it automatically manoeuvres the ŠKODA SCALA into and out of parallel and bay parking spaces.

For safer driving and better visibility in darkness and bad weather, the ŠKODA SCALA will offer full-LED headlights and tail lights. In the interior, LED ambient lighting creates a pleasant atmosphere. A variety of passive safety systems increase the level of safety even further. If a collision is imminent, the optional proactive occupant protection system Crew Protect Assist automatically shuts the windows at an early stage, and tensions the front seat belts. In the event of an accident, the ŠKODA SCALA protects occupants with up to nine airbags. In addition to the two front airbags for the driver and front passenger, the new compact model also features curtain airbags as well as the front seats side airbags; side airbags for the two rear passangers and knee airbag beneath the steering wheel are also available as an option. Following an accident, Multi-Collision Brake prevents the vehicle from rolling any further in an uncontrolled manner. Emergency Call will automatically call for assistance when the airbags or belt tensioners for the occupants of the front seats have been deployed; it can, however, also be operated manually at any time.