We're spent plenty of time in the recent past talking about Skoda's SUV range. Indeed, one of them (the Kodiaq) was a finalist in our 2017 Car of the Year celebrations.
But there's a full range of interesting cars underneath the likes of the Kodiaq and Karroq. And the latest of the bunch of the newly revealed Scala hatchback.
Based on Volkswagen AG's A0 platform, the Scala sports design cues from the company's Vision RS Concept. European markets will have four engines available at launch; a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol available with either 70kW or 85kW, a 110kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol, or a 1.6-litre diesel that also develops 85kW.
There's no confirmation yet on what's likely to hit New Zealand, but don't expect to see that wheezing 70kW unit here any time soon.
None of that is particularly sexy, I'll admit. Perhaps neither is the Scala's form — edging more towards Skoda's familial styling than to any new ground. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Scala is its use of space.
Click here for our full road test of the Skoda Kodiaq
The MQB A0 platform upon which it's based is the smallest in the VW fleet, shared by the likes of the Volkswagen Polo and Seat Ibiza. But, the brainiacs at Skoda have somehow made the Scala quite large. It's bigger than the Fabia, and naturally quite a lot bigger than the Polo and Ibiza.
In fact, at 4,362mm in length, it's bigger than its brother-from-another-mother, the Volkswagen Golf.
And it's hard to see a drawback from using that smaller set of underpinnings. Boot capacity sits at an impressive 467L. And when the second row of seats are folded flat that number balloons to 1,410L — more than what a Golf can deliver.
Other clever toys include permanent 4G connectivity via a built-in SIM, plus an optional 10.25-inch infotainment system (standard models will get a 6.5, 8.0, or 9.2-inch job instead, depending on trim level). Those elements are combined with the clean-cut cabin styling you'd expect from Skoda.
The Scala has yet to be confirmed for the Kiwi market, but if the numbers are anything to go by it would be a worthy addition to the mix.
