The Scala is Skoda’s latest offering in the Focus-class hatchback segment – and there’s plenty to like about it.

Good looking, spacious and offering generous equipment levels, it’s an honest and likeable four door family car.

It’s also good to drive, more practical than many of its rivals and represents decent value for money.

The styling is pleasing on the eye, with a bold and assertive front grille flanked by sharply tapered headlights creating a good first impression.

Indeed, it’s a crisp piece of design work all round, with flowing lines and clearly defined surfaces.

If you opt for top spec, then the Scala is also the first Skoda to be made available with scrolling indicators and full LED head and tail lights.

Under the bonnet, engine options include a three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol, 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol, or a 1.6-litre diesel.

The smaller petrol unit, tested here, produces 113bhp, gets you up to 62mph in less than ten seconds and, during my week in its company, returned respectable average fuel consumption figures of around 40mpg on uphill, down dale Yorkshire roads.

For the size and type of vehicle, the 1.0-litre petrol felt like a ‘right sized’ engine, striking a nice balance between power and economy.

Once inside, the cabin is one of the best looking in the Skoda line-up, comparing favourably to some of those in much more expensive cars.

A high-definition free standing 9.2in display screen sits high up on the smartly sculpted dashboard, forming a striking centrepiece.

With it being mounted so high, it’s in clear view of the driver, making it more user-friendly.

There’s also the option of a 10.25-inch ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital instrument binnacle display.

When you glance around, there’s no shortage of design flourishes, notably the contrasting stitching on the seats and the ambient lighting. Generally speaking, the material quality and style of the interior, is a step up on anything Skoda has produced so far.

There’s a good deal of space in the cabin, with plenty of legroom and headroom for both front and rear seat occupants.

The car sits on the VW Group’s latest MQB-A0 platform and there’s no doubt that the long 2,649mm wheelbase helps to create more back seat leg room.

Indeed, Skoda says kneeroom in the rear is a whopping 73mm - the same as you’d find in the bigger Octavia.

The boot is also an impressive size, providing 467 litres of space, which is the best in its class. If that’s not enough, you can increase this to 1,410 litres by folding the rear seats.

Equipment levels are very much on the generous side, with this SE version coming with 16” Orion alloys, basic LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, Bluetooth, cruise control, DAB and much more.

On the move, it’s a relaxing experience, with car smoothing out the worst bumps and holes due to the supple ride.

Despite being designed for comfort and sitting on relatively soft suspension, body control is decent when cornering briskly.

If there was one criticism, it’s that there isn’t quite enough feedback in the steering for the driver to feel fully engaged in the process.

But that criticism might be missing the point somewhat, as this probably isn’t a car that people buy with pure driving pleasure in mind.

The cabin lets in some engine noise under heavy acceleration, but it’s a quiet and calm vibe once you get up to speed.

The range starts at around £17,000, with this version coming in at just over £18,500, which seemed to me to represent a good deal.

In conclusion, the Czech brand has come up with a car that offers value, practicality and efficiency, thereby representing Skoda’s most impressive attempt yet to crack the family hatchback segment.

And this week, Skoda announced it is expanding its Scala model series by introducing the Monte Carlo trim level, paying homage to the car maker’s successful rally history.

Skoda Scala SE

PRICE: £18,585 on the road

ENGINE: 1.0 petrol TSI producing 115PS

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

PERFORMANCE: Max speed of 125 mph and 0–62 mph: 9.8 secs

COMBINED MPG: 49.6 - 44.8mpg

CO2: 113g/km