Car of the Year Awards 2025: Best family car for value
There are several types of family car, but here we’re looking at traditional hatchbacks: large enough to be practical, yet compact enough to be easy and enjoyable to drive...
Skoda Scala 1.0 TSI 95 SE Edition
It's not unusual for first-time home buyers to head to Ikea when they’re getting their new digs set up. And as it happens, the Swedish flat-pack specialist has a lot in common with the Czech champion for family cars value: the Skoda Scala.
The Scala may not be as finely crafted inside as the BMW 1 Series, but like Ikea furniture, it looks contemporary and is impressively robust, as well as extremely practical. The Scala encroaches on its larger, pricier stablemate, the Octavia, when it comes to rear seat space, and its boot easily eclipses those of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.
Our recommended SE Edition trim is well equipped; standard equipment includes bright LED headlights, a rear-view camera, dual-zone climate control and a crisp 9.2in infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay phone integration. And, just like in Ikea, you’ll be pleasantly surprised when it comes to paying for the Scala; you’d have spent a lot more for a similar pile of goodies if you’d gone somewhere else.
No, the Scala isn’t as efficient or comfortable as the Toyota Corolla, but it’s a great budget alternative.
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