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 and 147 hp,
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 4,362 mm by 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 2,649 mm, and
sit a little taller at 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: 467 liters with the rear seats
up, or nearly 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.
The Scala is set to enter production in the first
half of 2019.
