What’s hot?
- Smart new family face lends a premium, if a little bit of a US SUV, image with body coloured bumpers and wing mirrors on the new Yeti while the Yeti Outdoor has rugged appeal including extra plastic undercarriage bash-plates.
- Interior improvements echo the premium feel with a new three-spoke leather multi-function steering wheel and a selection of optional trims, fabrics, leather and seats combinations.
- There’s a nice range of engine choices at launch from the sparky 1.2-litre TSI that provides a lively drive from just 103bhp with a 0-60mph sprint of 11.4secs in the lighter two-wheel drive Yeti crossover, the similarly powered 1.6-litre TDI boasting 119g/kms of CO2 emissions and a claimed 61.4mpg to the range topping 2.0-litre TDI with 137bhp and 167bhp versions.
- Gearbox options include five and six speed manuals and seven-speed double clutch auto for the 1.2 TSI and a six speed version for the torquey 2.0 TDI.
- Fifth generation Haldex rear axle four-wheel-drive system is smaller, simpler and also reduces CO2 emissions on all models while increasing the towing capacity for the 2.0 TDI by 100kgs to 2100kgs – good news for caravan and horse-box owners.
- Skoda’s Varioflex seating system allows for a multitude of different seat configurations and liberates a class leading 1760-litres of luggage space with the rear seats folded.
- Semi-serious off-roaders will appreciate the Outdoor’s off-road button which provides several special traction benefits including hill launch assist, downhill decent assist and modified ABS to optimise braking on mud and snow.
- Prices start from as little as £16,600 for the 1.2 TSI with a 2013/14 company car tax rating of 20% and P11D value of £16,405 rising to £26, 625 for the range-topping Laurin & Klement 2.0 TDI 170PS with company car tax at 24% and a P11D value of £26,430.
What’s not?
- Off road, the street-focused gearing is too high for really difficult conditions and will spin wheels/stall the engine too readily if the going gets very challenging.
- Some may dislike the more corporate ‘grown-up’ face of the new Yeti compared to the out-going model’s quirky individuality.
- Oversize B-pillars can restrict side vision for some smaller drivers.
- During the test the claimed fuel economy was nowhere close to ‘real-world’ driving figures which saw 35mpg for the two-wheel drive 1.2 TSI and 47mpg for the 1.6 TDI although this is a common complaint with many manufacturer figures.