Mercedes-Benz A-Class vs Skoda Scala

What's the difference?

The new AMG C 43 may lack the drama and excitement we’ve come to expect from the German performance brand, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. Yes, it could be more extroverted and the ride could be improved, but this is still a sharp-looking sports sedan with loads of punch.

This is a car that speaks to its times, with ever-stricter emissions regulations making it harder and harder for car companies to produce loud, wild and charismatic cars. So Mercedes-AMG has worked within those boundaries and come up with a car that retains at least some of those core elements that has made the brand so desirable over the years.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The new Skoda Scala Select proves base models can be well-equipped and have a great price tag, which is not always the case at this grade level.

Its driving experience might not be as exciting as some rivals but it’s a great urban dweller nonetheless and it offers really good value overall.

Mercedes has created something of a problem for itself with its decision to introduce AMG styling packages for the majority of its range, including the C-Class.

It means the C 43 has to walk a fine line between looking like a unique AMG model, rather than just a C300 with a bodykit and not out-doing the C63.

To that end it has AMG’s now familiar grille with vertical bars, the unique and complex-looking 20-inch alloy rims and a small lip spoiler on the boot. But otherwise it is surprisingly understated for an AMG, lacking the more obvious and muscular stance of previous AMG offerings.

Inside, there’s a similar theme, with the typical Mercedes-Benz luxury appointments but with a sportier, AMG twist. The steering wheel is chunky and comes with AMG branding, metallic shift paddles and a pair of rotary dials/buttons that allow you to alter the various drive modes and settings.

The one on the right allows you to switch between the pre-set Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual modes, while the one on the left can scroll between the various individual aspects to tailor the settings to the conditions.

In typical modern fashion the design is tech-laden, with a digital display for the instrument panel (that can be switched between various graphics) and a large, tablet-style central multimedia touchscreen that controls the majority of the car’s non-driving functions.

The new Scala has had a minor facelift that sees a redesigned black grille with slim LED headlights, refreshed 17-inch alloy wheels and an extended rear windscreen.

The new Scala more than holds its own against its European rivals when it comes to looks and while it's more unassuming at the kerb side than its peers, there will be those who appreciate that it's not too cutesy-looking.

Head inside and there are similarities between its corporate cousin, the VW Polo with the sharply-designed dashboard and air vents but it’s softened by lovely grey fabric-accent panels and soft touchpoints that have been liberally scattered across the cabin.

The technology screens look premium, if small, and the black and grey cloth seats look a lot nicer than the standard black fabric you usually get in base models.

There's also a certain charm to seeing the traditional elements, like the gearshift and new physical buttons for the climate control. There's enough in the cabin to satisfy most.

The new C-Class has grown slightly in size compared to the model it replaces, most notably with a 26mm increase in the wheelbase which you can feel in the cabin.

The front seat space is good, with excellent adjustability for the power-adjustable seats and steering column. I had no trouble finding my ideal seating position which makes for a more enjoyable and uncompromised driving experience.

Rear space is a bit tighter (which is typical for this segment/size of vehicle), but thankfully the standard seats do have very deep sculpting in the backs which allow for more knee space and foot room.

However, at approximately 180cm (six-foot), I wouldn’t like to sit behind my seating position for long periods as my knees were touching the seat back, and headroom is compromised with the panoramic glass roof.

In terms of small item storage there’s a lidded console box in between the front seats as well as a pair of cupholders and a small tray where you can place your mobile phone.

It’s worth noting, though, that early examples of the C 43 in Australia do not have a wireless smartphone charging pad, with that reportedly being introduced from February production.

While that’s good news, it’s not really competitive in this day and age to offer a car costing six-figures without such technology.

There’s also only a single USB-C power outlet in the front, which is another disappointment, but there is a pair in the back.

Mercedes does win some points back for a respectable 455-litre boot, which has a nice wide load opening that will make packing luggage easier.

Ooh, the cabin of the new Scala offers fantastic practicality because it's class leading when it comes to space. There is no 'sardines in a tin' experience here, front and rear passengers get stacks of head- and legroom.

The only stumble on this front is the elbow room up front as you can at times jostle a co-pilot on the annoyingly sloping armrest.

Access is easy enough and you surprisingly don't 'fall in' or grunt when getting out, despite the low 149mm ground clearance.

The storage is good for a hatchback with the front getting a glove box that can fit more than just a manual, small middle console, two cupholders and a drink bottle holder in each door. As well as a sunglasses holder (always handy) and a medium-ish storage cubby in front of the gearshift that can accommodate a phone and wallet.

The rear enjoys two map pockets, two device pockets and a drink bottle holder in each door but misses out on a centre armrest and cupholders.

The boot is massive with its 467L of available capacity and we managed to fit luggage and golf clubs on a roadie this week without trouble.

There’s a temporary space saver tyre underneath the floor and while there’s no powered tailgate, it's not a difficult lid to operate. It even has a neat little toggle to help pull it down.

Other amenities feel well-rounded with two USB-C ports in each row, directional air vents, a 12-volt socket and reading lights.

The touchscreen multimedia system is responsive but looks tiny as it's almost the same size as my iPhone 15 Pro Max. This translates to smaller text and icon sizes as well as a smaller screen for the reversing camera.

There’s also not much in the way of customisation or extra features, like satellite navigation but the new wireless functionality for the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto makes it feel modern. Although the wireless function for the CarPlay drops in and out a lot.

There are two variants available for the Skoda Scala, and the Select on test for this review is the base model.

The Select replaces the previous base Ambition grade and is $1100 more affordable at $32,490, drive-away, and offers great value for money as it sits in the middle of its rivals, the Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport at $36,023, drive-away, and Volkswagen Polo 85TSI Life at $31,990, drive-away.

The features list has been reshuffled with a few previous extra cost options now included as standard fare, like front parking sensors, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, upgraded USB-C ports, keyless entry and start and dual-zone climate control.

However, previous standard items have been omitted from the list, like adaptive cruise control, floor mats and a 'Lane Centering Aid' while the previous 10.25-inch instrument panel has been replaced with an 8.0-inch screen.

Technology still feels well-rounded with the 8.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system that features a reversing camera, four USB-C ports, Bluetooth, AM/FM radio and an eight-speaker sound system.

The biggest talking point about this new car is the engine, with AMG downsizing from the old C 43’s six-cylinder to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.

But it’s not just any turbocharged four-pot, because it is fitted with technology that Mercedes claims has been inspired directly from its Formula One team.

While the F1 team engine facility is based in England, this engine was designed and developed by the Mercedes-AMG team at its Affalterbach headquarters, but the concept of the electric turbocharger reportedly comes from the engine that powered Lewis Hamilton to multiple world championships.

The electric exhaust gas turbocharger - to give it its official name - uses a small electric motor on the turbocharger shaft to spin up the blades without having to wait for any exhaust gases to pass through it first.

To power the electric turbo the C 43 is equipped with a mild-hybrid 48-volt electrical system.

Mercedes claims this means reduced lag and improved throttle response for a sportier driving experience. 

It also helps make this small engine produce big amounts of performance, with AMG extracting 300kW of power and 500Nm of torque from this 2.0-litre, which is more power than the previous six-cylinder C 43 managed.

The engine is paired to a nine-speed multi-clutch transmission, which isn’t a dual-clutch with a pair of clutches operating on every second gear ratio, but instead uses a “wet start-off clutch” for better take-offs and smoother shifting on the move (at least in theory).

Power is sent to the road via all four wheels thanks to Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel drive system.

The Scala Select is a front-wheel drive with a seven-speed auto transmission. It has a 1.0L three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces up to 85kW of power and 200Nm of torque.

At first glance you might think those outputs sound low and while most of its rivals have better outputs, there's plenty of oomph here to move the little Scala around. 

Despite the smaller engine you can hardly call the C 43 miserly, with a claimed combined urban/highway cycle rating of 9.1-litres per 100km. That’s only a 0.2L/100km improvement over the old six-cylinder.

On test, which included a return trip from Sydney to Bathurst via motorways and some dynamic back road driving, we saw a return of 11.8L/100km on the car's onboard computer.

While hardly hybrid-worrying, it’s impressive to think that driven modestly, such a potent engine can return a single-digit fuel figure.

The new Select has almost hybrid fuel efficiency with its official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel figure of 5.4L/100km. In comparison, its hybrid rival, the Toyota Corolla isn’t too far away with its 4.0L usage.

Based on its 50L fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of up to 925km, which is excellent for an urban dweller.

After doing a road trip combined with a fair amount of city-driving, my real world usage has popped out at 5.7L/100km. Which is a great result overall.

Let’s start with the good news. The new Mercedes-AMG C 43 is a quick car. The engine may be small in size but the electric turbocharger does its thing and provides plenty of punch.

You can get a performance boost, too, thanks to the belt-driven starter generator, which acts as a mild hybrid and gives you a surge of 10kW for a brief period if you need a sudden burst of extra speed.

The chassis is well-sorted, too, at least from a dynamic point-of-view. The rear-wheel steering can provide up to 2.5 degrees of turning, which improves handling at speed and manoeuvrability when parking.

However, there are some less-impressive elements to the C 43, too. The obvious one is the drama, or rather the lack thereof.

As I said at the beginning, the C 43 has never been as wild or raucous as the V8-powered C 63, but when you buy an AMG there’s a rightful expectation that it will provide some thrills.

The C 43 simply doesn’t have that character about it. Yes, it’s fast, but it produces that speed with efficiency rather than excitement.

And it’s not an engine size problem, because even the 2.0-litre four-cylinder A 35 and CLA 35 offer more ‘wow factor’ than the C 43.

Yes, the engine makes noise under acceleration (and it can be altered between discreet and sporty) but even at its best it sounds muted and lacks the evocative tone of a V8 or six-cylinder engine. 

Another disappointment is the transmission calibration, with the gearbox awkwardly shifting out of first gear on multiple occasions during our test drive.

In the taller gears it felt smooth enough cruising along, but given its low speed shifts we’d like to spend more time in the urban environment before passing final judgement. 

The other notable element of the driving experience we struggled with was the ride quality. While fine on the smoother motorways, our test drive included time on some patchy country back roads and the C 43, even in the ‘Comfort’ suspension setting, was simply too firm.

Riding on low profile tyres, the adaptive dampers struggled to isolate the cabin from the imperfections in the road, leading to a fussy ride at times.

Overall the C 43 is a good car, but it feels like there are still some areas where Mercedes could improve it to make it really live up to the AMG badge.

Hatchbacks are always a bit of fun to drive because of the dodgem car-esque handling and when the Scala is in Sport mode, it has enough pep to earn it a fun badge.

Out of Sport mode, the power delivery is still responsive enough for it to be a pleasant open-roader but you won't whoop with joy when you accelerate.

The steering is light without feeling loose and the Scala is nimble when cornering or in tight turns.

The ride comfort is very good and despite hitting some bad weather the Select didn’t miss a beat. It's a confident on-road experience because of its surefootedness.

There's a bit of road noise although its pretty quiet in the cabin, which also makes it a refined open-roader.

The visibility is decent and it’s easy to feel the dimensions of the car when you're in a skinny city laneway.

The Select gets a reversing camera with dynamic reversing guidelines and a clear quality feed but its tiny in the little screen.

The additional front sensors round out the parking experience considerably. You shouldn’t have any issue in parking this one!

The Scala has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2019 and scored well across the four assessment areas.

It rated 97 per cent for adult protection, 87 percent for child protection, 81 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 76 per cent for its safety assist systems.

However, this car only features six airbags, which is low in our day and age but you get a decent number of safety features included as standard, including biggies like rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and forward collision warning.

The base model also comes with a Lane Keeping Aid, lane departure warning, LED DRLs, driver monitoring, safe exit assist, seat belt reminders and front/rear parking sensors.

The Scala Select is no longer offered with adaptive cruise control, you just get the standard type, or a driver's knee airbag, either.

The rear seat features two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.

It has AEB with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection which is operational from 4.0-250km/h.

The C 43 is covered by Mercedes’ five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which has become the new standard for the luxury car market.

Service intervals for the car are at 12 months/25,000km, which is on par with industry standard.

Mercedes-Benz Australia will offer a service plan for the C 43, prices were yet to be confirmed at the time of publication but the company has indicated it will be similar to the C300. 

That means $550 for year one, $900 for year two, the third service costs $1000 and the fourth year service costs $2450 - for a total of $4900 for the first four years of ownership.

The Scala is offered with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which is good for the class and you can pre-purchase a seven-year/105,000km servicing program for a flat $3650, which is competitive.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12-months or 15,000km. You also get roadside assistance as a part of your servicing pack if you service on schedule. 

The Scala likes to drink the good stuff, though, and Skoda recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded petrol be used.