Alternative review of Skoda Yeti

I quite like the idea of owning a car named after a mythical beast. Surely it can only improve your standing with casual acquaintances when dropped into conversation. It has to be the right mythical beast of course. You'd look like a right idiot calming to have a Mitsubishi Loch Ness Monster in the car park or offering people lifts in your MINI Wolfman. Yeti has the right degree of gravitas and cuddliness about it in my opinion, though I doubt a little cuddle would be the first thing on your agenda if one loomed up out of the mist on a Tibetan mountain side. Just, one imagines, like its abominable snowman namesake, the Skoda Yeti is bigger than you imagine on first acquaintance. It's the Czech brand's first 4x4 but it hasn't entered the market with a softly, softly approach. The Yeti is dimensioned to lock horns with the compact SUV elite and has a range wide enough to wrest sales from rivals right across the small 4x4 sector. Whether the Skoda brand has enough lifestyle kudos to carry the Yeti in the minds of image-conscious buyers is open to question but first impressions of the car are good, so we'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

It's on the large side by compact 4x4 standards but this certainly isn't a huge gas-guzzling off-roader. With its 4,233mm length and 1,793mm width, it's a manageable size for getting about town in. It has the key 4x4 styling cues sorted as well, from its front spotlights that overlap the main light clusters to its deep front bumper and rear skid plate. It looks pretty purposeful which is half the battle in convincing many SUV customers. There are modern Skoda design touches too such as the unapologetic chrome-topped grille and the blacked out roof pillars. The interior is roomy with Skoda having done a lot of thinking about how to make the most of the space. A trio of tall adults can be accommodated in the rear and there's a 410-litre boot as well. The seats are of Skoda's VarioFlex persuasion and can be folded or removed completely to open up further load carrying options. They also slide fore and aft to adjust the amount of legroom and boot space on offer. It's not the easiest system to use and the seats are heavy to lift in and out but it does add versatility to the cabin. Lift them all out and as compensation for your new hernia, there's 1,760 litres of capacity in the Yeti, which might be enough to persuade buyers against going for a full size 4x4. Quality dashboard materials and neat design top off a very accomplished cabin.

The Yeti is predominantly designed for use on the road and even with the 4x4 system fitted, it will operate in front-wheel drive mode until it detects wheel slip. Lots of the elements that drivers have come to appreciate in 4x4 vehicles are evident in the Yeti, such as the elevated seating position with its enhanced visibility and easy access. The wide body takes a little bit of getting used to when squeezing through gaps in traffic but the turning circle is tight enough and the car is generally easy to drive. A good range of engine options is available with the Yeti. There's a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol to open proceedings and a 2.0-litre TDI diesel with 110bhp. These units are offered with the front-wheel-drive transmission but if you want a go-anywhere Yeti, you'll need either that less powerful diesel or one of the meatier engines. 140bhp and 170bhp versions of the 2.0-litre diesel are offered as is a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol. The 4x4 set-up is a Haldex system similar to that in Skoda's Octavia 4x4 model.

There are so many 4x4s to choose from these days, it's hard to keep track but the Skoda Yeti is worthy of a place near the centre of the scrum. It's spacious, has a good and varied engine range, looks the part and is comfortable on the road. Getting noticed by buyers will be half the battle but at least with a name like Yeti, it'll be hard to forget.

TOP 4 YETI DEALS

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Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI CR [170] Elegance 4x4 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £21,154 Read Yeti Reviews	Save £2,511
Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI CR [140] SE 4x4 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £18,743 Read Yeti Reviews	Save £2,052
Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI CR [140] Elegance 4x4 5dr DSG Diesel Estate
Price £21,514 Read Yeti Reviews	Save £2,561
Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI CR [140] Elegance 4x4 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £20,453 Read Yeti Reviews	Save £2,377
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