Skoda Yeti - WATCH VIEDO
 | | Skoda Yeti |
IF THERE'S ever an award for the coolest new car name then the Skoda Yeti has to be a serious contender.
And this is one car that will never be described as abominable. The adorably chunky Yeti is the fifth model in the Skoda range - and probably its most family friendly, with a deep 416-litre boot, three tumbling removable rear seats and, in higher specs, snow-busting four-wheel drive.
 | | Skoda Yeti |
The Yeti's basic shape might look a little familiar to anyone who's strolled around a Skoda dealership in the last year or two - but on closer inspection the newcomer is slightly bigger all round than the Fabia-based Roomster. And with squarer lines, a deep, aggressive grille and round driving lamps, the Yeti cuts a far more purposeful stance.
Prices start from £13,990 for the interesting petrol-powered 1.2 TSI front-wheel drive E model, which also sits in the very attractive group 3 insurance bracket. But if you're going to opt for front-wheel drive you might as well stick with the only-slightly-smaller Roomster.
The Yeti really should be sampled with four-wheel drive - especially given the ever-colder winters affecting the UK recently.
Trouble is, the system, linked to a bigger 110bhp 2.0 TDI diesel engine, rockets the price up to £17,580 for the S specification model - which, over and above the entry-level E, includes alloy wheels, a driver's knee airbag in addition to the standard six, those impressive-looking front fog lights, rear electric windows and a host of safety driver aids, including electronic stability control. The range-topping Yeti Elegance 4x4 with a 170bhp 2.0 TDi engine can be yours for £22,635 - almost £10,000 more than the basic two-wheel drive model.
Stick with the middle-range models and it's here the Yeti makes most sense. Its hi-tech four-wheel drive system channels 96 per cent of power to the front wheels on dry roads but can divert up to 90 per cent to the rear if the system senses any loss of traction. An optional "off-road button" which comes as standard on Elegance models takes things a step further - offering Land Rover-like tricks like downhill assist.
Add to these abilities a great view thanks to the raised ride height, an informative feel through the wheel and a firm, yet comfortable ride quality and the Yeti continues to impress. The test car came with the 140bhp version of the engine seen across the whole of the Volkswagen Group - including cars wearing the Audi badge. It's not the quietest diesel on the market but with 319Nm of torque it's gutsy and, at over 45mpg over a mixture of roads, reasonably economical - especially as its hauling around the heavier 4x4 running gear.
At 4.2 metres long the Yeti doesn't ever feel like a big car once you're on the move - yet thanks to a high roofline, space inside never feels cramped. However, if you have three children, space across the rear seats is noticeably narrower than in the Yeti's close rival, the bigger but more expensive Peugeot 3008 - so take the kids along if you plan to regularly load up the Yeti to the max.
Being part of the Volkswagen Group pays dividends when it comes to interior build quality and the Yeti continues to excel here too, thanks to top quality soft-touch plastics and a clear, sensible dashboard layout.
But there is one quirky, frustrating and frankly mysterious thing about the Yeti - and that's the absence of clear 30mph and 70mph markings on the speedometer - with not even a bolder line on the dial for the driver to easily pinpoint the gap between the marked 20mph and 40mph increments and the 60mph and 80mph readings. All this doesn't take too much of the shine away from the Yeti, which is good looking - in a Tonka toy sort of way - immaculately built and, if you go for the 4x4 version, superbly adept at dealing with the white stuff.
Skodas just keep getting better and better and its latest offering is quite simply one of its most appealing cars yet. - Neil Greenfield
Skoda Yeti Elegance 2.0TDi CR 140 - from £21,320
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