Skoda Shows Us A Camoed Scala For The First Time, Releases Details

Skoda is working on a new hatchback to replace the Rapid sedan and wagon. It will be named the Scala, and now the Czech automaker has released some preliminary details along with a smattering of photos of the vehicle (still disguised) undergoing development.

Based on the Volkswagen Group’s A0 MQB platform, the new Skoda Scala draws on the Vision RS concept unveiled at the Paris Auto Show just a month ago, introducing a new design language for the marque.

Buyers will be able to choose from five engine options, all of them turbocharged and direct-injected with stop/start system, particulate filter, and energy-recuperating brakes, running on gasoline, diesel, or compressed natural gas. There’ll be a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine and a 1.5-liter four, producing between 88 (66kW) and 147 hp (110 kW), and mated to five- and six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch transmissions. A dynamic suspension will be available as well, along with full LED head- and taillights, and all the active and passive safety systems the VW group can fit into its compact form.

At 171.7 inches (4,362 mm) by 70.6 inches (1,793 mm), the Scala will be a little shorter and narrower than, say, the Volkswagen Golf. However, it rides on a longer wheelbase of 104.3 inches (2,649 mm), and sit a little taller at 56 inches (1,471 mm). Yet it’ll offer similar interior dimensions to the larger Octavia and boast one of the biggest luggage compartments in the segment: 16.5 cubic feet (467 liters) with the rear seats up, or nearly 50 cubic feet (1,410 liters) folded down.

Inside we’ll find a 9.2-inch (or optional 10.25-inch) infotainment display with full connectivity, along with innovative features like an electrically retractable tow bar, an ice scraper in the fuel cap, an umbrella in the driver’s door, and an electrically operated tailgate.

“With the new Škoda Scala we are opening a new chapter in the Škoda compact car segment,” said CEO Bernhard Maier. “It is a completely new product which sets benchmarks in this segment with regards to technology, safety and design. The Scala perfectly embodies the Škoda‑typical smart understatement. We are convinced that the Scala has the best chance to redefine Škoda’s A-car segment.”

The Scala is set to enter production in the first half of 2019.