first drive Skoda Yeti | First Drive

The best
‘The Yeti feels as tough as a
trekking boot on the outside, but
soft and comfortable on the inside.’

Skoda Yet-i?
It’s everything a Skoda stands for, plus the
substantial appeal of a tough-as-nails compact 4x4.

s
quick fact
kh (est),
Price Rs 16 la, Delhi
ex-show ro om
ber 2010
On sale Novem

approach. Look at VW’s cars and
FIRST VERDICT you can almost tell that each has
The ideal urban SUV gone through several long-drawn-
HHHHHHHHHI out committee meetings where
individuality, character and standout
They may be siblings and details are systematical pared
photography Ashley Baxter
Case in point is the Yeti, which
is brimming over with individuality
and ‘look at me appeal’. There really
is nothing like it out there. This is
a crossover in the true sense of the
word. The first time you see the car

share a lot of important mechanical
bits, but both Skoda and big sister
Volkswagen have their own unique
individual approach to design.
While VWs lean towards being
safe and non-controversial, Skoda
has more of a well . . . Bohemian
down to a minimum. At Skoda, it’s
apparent that there are no rigid
rules being enforced on the
designers, no narrow perfectly
defined pathways along which they
must march. Skoda clearly believes
that normal is boring.
in the flesh, you think, “Ok, there’s
plenty of SUV here but what else am
I seeing?” Soon, however, you stop
questioning and start appreciating.
And there are so many really good
bits to take in. The manner in which
the round headlights bulge out ◊

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First Drive | Skoda Yeti
Neat and clean design of the Yeti’s dashboard is quite attractive, with lots of familar bits from the Laura. Build quality and door shut are as solid as ever.
∆ and overlap so many surfaces, that
very attractive angry SUV underbite
of the scruff plate, the way the
squared-off wheel arches deliver a
well-planted stance, and even the arc
of the window line that curves upto
the roof. And the Yeti looks attractive
from the rear as well.
What you may not notice though,
distracted by all the SUV details,
is that the Yeti isn’t very long.
Taxonomically speaking, this after
all is Offroadus Urbanis. So, to give
its urban off-roader agility and
compactness on tightly packed city
Standard boot capacity is 415 litres and. . .
. . . with the seats removed, 1,665 litres.
www.autocarindia.com
streets, Skoda has given this car a
length of just 4.2 metres. As a result,
squeezing into tight parking spaces,
something all SUV buyers in India
are stressing on more and more
today, is no sweat at all. Visibility
from the driver’s seat is excellent, the
parking sensors do a stellar job and
there’s plenty of articulation in the
front wheels too.
But does this mean that space
for rear seat passengers and boot
volume are reduced? Not really.
Skoda has taken a leaf from tall boy
hatchbacks and has used vertical
With variable seats pushed back, legroom and comfort are CR-V-good.
space to very good effect. Using the
adjustable seating, you can slide the
rear seats back and fit one six-footer
comfortably behind another, and
that’s impressive. In fact legroom
in this way is as good as a CR-V.
The front seats are as large and
comfortable you’d expect of any
Skoda, door-shut and build quality
are tank-like and there are plenty of
high-quality bits on the dash. The
steering wheel and dials look similar
to those on the Laura, the central
console is traditional and there is
a neat horizontal line of separation
Leather seats are very supportive.
first drive
between the upper and lower dash.
As on the Laura, a few low-rent
plastics do exist but thankfully not
enough to spoil the cabin’s ambience.
The rear seats themselves are
beautifully built and well engineered.
There’s plenty of thigh support, you
are sat higher than the front seat
passengers and the backrests of the
seats recline as well. Then there is
the flexibility these seats offer. All
three rear seats can be removed
individually for variable luggage
space and flexibility, and you can
even uniquely place the two rear ◊
SEPTEMBER 2010 AUTOCAR INDIA 77
First Drive | Skoda Yeti first drive
∆ seats directly behind the front
seats by taking out the centre
seat. And all three passengers get
a full-fledged seatbelt. The only
hitch is that the rear air-con vents
intrude into the space of the middle
passenger a bit. Luggage space,
however, is pretty generous at 415
litres under the parcel tray. And there
are all sorts of nets, hooks and very
cleverly engineered extras that make
this a very user-friendly boot.
Even more impressive is the fact
that some of the Volkswagen Group’s
finest mechanical bits underpin the
Yeti. It’s built on the same platfrom
as the Skoda Laura (code PQ35),
and that for a start means it has a
highly sophisticated all-independent
suspension. The Yeti, however, uses
a full-time four-wheel-drive system.
Under normal conditions, it all but
functions like a front-wheel-drive car.
Up to 95 percent of its power is sent
to the front wheels, with more power
only sent to the rear wheels if any
slip is detected. What’s impressive
is that upto 90 percent of power
can be sent to the rear wheels if the
need arises, and it has a limited slip
differential as well, something that is
very handy in our slushy conditions.
To add to its off-roader credentials,
the Yeti also has generous ground
clearance at 180mm. While this may
not be as much as some hardcore off-
road vehicles, it’s enough for most
conditions. Say that trip to Ladakh
you’ve been planning to seek out its
namesake, the abominable snowman.
In fact the Yeti is surprisingly
capable off tarmac, taking to slushy
parts and rough roads with a
surprising amount of confidence.
However, don’t try and follow that
Pajero for this is clearly a couple of
rungs down on the ability scale. But
attacking dirt roads is serious fun.
And what comes as a bit of a surprise
is how well the Yeti drives when you
press on. The Haldex four-wheel-
drive unit has been placed in the
rear for better weight distribution,
there’s a tautness to the suspension
setup that makes the Yeti feel even
more agile and grip levels front and
rear are well balanced too. So well
balanced in fact that it goads you
into driving quicker and quicker, ◊

Circular lamp design looks brilliant. Yeti to be sold only as a 4x4 for now. Unique pillar design works well.

www.autocarindia.com SEPTEMBER 2010 AUTOCAR INDIA 79

first drive Skoda Yeti | First Drive

Feature fest ∆ and that’s even when you have

When it is launched in November, the Yeti
will be available in two variants: Ambiente
and Elegance. Both the variants come with
a full-time four-wheel drive as standard.
Missing on the base variant, however, are
the cornering lights, automatically dimming
external rearview mirror and the Off-Road
Assistance, which includes special versions
of ABS, traction control, rear diff lock and
especially Hill Descent Control. The base
version also does not get climate control,
powered seats and steering-mounted audio
controls. Also not on the Ambiente are touch-
screen audio controls, a six-CD changer or
Boreal wood design, which are all there on the
higher Elegance version. Leather upholstery
however is standard on the Yeti, along with
a leather-wrapped steering wheel, gearshift
knob and handbrake grip.
Other standard equipment on both
versions includes Parktronic, ESP, a Hill
Holder Clutch, ABS, Brake Assist, traction
control and an electronic differential lock.
Dual airbags are standard on both versions,
but side airbags at front and curtain airbags
come only on the Elegance version.
limited traction on the dirt.
The Yeti’s agility on tarmac is
equally impressive. We would have
liked some more feel from the
electric steering, but it’s direct and
very accurate and this makes the
Yeti enjoyable on the highway too.
Straightline stability is also as good
or even better than on many cars. It’s
rock-solid even at speeds as high as
160kph and whatever little body roll
there is, the Yeti’s cohesive handling
takes care of without alarming you
in the least. In fact, so good is the
adjustability of the Yeti that the ESP
doesn’t cut in, even when you are
slipping around a fair bit.
Also impressive is how effort-free
the Yeti is to drive in city traffic.
You can dart in and out of gaps, the
brakes are progressive and feel just
right and you soon forget you are
chucking around a tonne and a half.
The downside of the taut suspension,
however, is a slightly revealing ride.
The Yeti isn’t as supple as something
like a CR-V in town and this is
especially true over short, sharp
intrusions.
The two-litre common-rail diesel
and the six-speed manual gearbox
are well up to the task in the city.
This new-generation 140bhp motor
is the same as the one that powers
the Laura and that gives it a very
impressive turn of foot. There is only
the slightest hint of lag from this
motor, after which you are smoothly
and briskly whooshed up to much Almost no turbo lag from this engine.
higher speeds with a very pleasant
slug of torque that stretches well into
the midrange. And it’s this light and SO good
responsive nature of the motor that n Lively performance
characterises the driving experience.
n Brilliant to drive
So driving in traffic is no chore, and
once the road opens out and traffic n Clever use of cabin space
thins, the Yeti displays impressive
pace too. The ratios are well spaced
no good
out for highway use and you can n
Looks small for its price
really keep up a good pace. n
Stiff ride quality
However, while the motor spins
past 5000rpm – high for a diesel
– you only want to pull it so hard if factfile
you’re trying to extract maximum
Two-litre 140bhp diesel is smooth and very responsive, and makes the Yeti a very capable performer. SUV styling means the car looks much larger than it is in the pictures. SKODA YETI
power and acceleration. This motor Price Rs 16 lakh (est, ex-showroom, Delhi)
Length 4223mm
Width 1793mm
Height 1691mm
Wheelbase 2578mm
Ground clearance 180mm
Kerb weight 1543kg
Engine 4-cyl, in-line, 1968cc, turbo-diesel
Installation Front, transverse,
all-wheel drive
Power 140bhp at 4200rpm
Torque 32.63kgm at 1750-2500rpm
Power to weight 90.73bhp per tonne
Gearbox 6-speed manual
Fuel tank 60 litres

‘The Yeti is so well engineered that Brakes (f/r)

it’s a treat to drive in the city, on
the highway and off-road as well.’
feels a bit strained spinning at that which takes 10.8sec. There is
speed and this means it’s best to however one quirk you need to get
short-shift. Flat-out acceleration used to. Since the Yeti pulls from any
as a result is more impressive than engine speed, you tend to lug the car
outstanding and 0-100kph and or drive it at low engine speeds a lot,
0-150 come up in 11.2 and 28.4 and this sometimes leads to a
seconds respectively. Which, of sudden stall.
course, makes the Skoda much If you are looking for a traditional
faster than something like a Toyota SUV, where the price-to-size ratio is
the appeal of an off-roader with the
convenience of a car built in. It’s a
car that’s comfortable off-road, and
a 4x4 that’s even more comfortable
on it. The interiors are exactly what
you expect from a car in this class,
seating is very flexible and, as ever, it
has that solid Skoda build we all love.
With prices expected to start at Rs 16
Tyre size
Spare
Ventilated discs/solid discs
215/60R16 tubeless
Full size
PERFORMANCE
Max speed in-gear (kph at rpm)
1st
2nd
45 at 5400
83 at 5200
3rd 127 at 5100
4th 186 at 5200
5th 188 at 5200*
6th 175 at 4000*
Acceleration (from rest)
Kph Sec
0 0.00
20 1.12
40 2.46
60 4.91
80 7.69
100 11.22
120 16.10
140 23.73
160 36.21
In-gear acceleration
20-80kph in 3rd 10.55
40-100kph in 4th 13.55
Braking
80-0kph 22.36 m

Fortuner, which needs 12.7sec
to reach 100, and only slightly
slower than the Nissan X-Trail
* Estimated
paramount, the Yeti is not for you. lakh, here’s yet another Skoda you what it costs
It just isn’t imposing enough. What are likely to see a lot of.
Price Rs 16 lakh (est ex-showroom Delhi)
this compact SUV has, however, is SHAPUR KOTWAL

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