The Skoda Yeti is a brilliantly useful car. Its interior is much more spacious than you might expect for a car of this relatively small size and it’s really practical, too. The back seats slide backwards and forwards, fold down or come out of the car entirely, so you can prioritise passenger or boot space as you need it. Most models are well-equipped, fuel efficient and great value. You also have the option of four-wheel-drive models that give you extra reassurance in slippery conditions. If you need a compact family car with an SUV look and feel, the Yeti could be ideal.
The Yeti was launched in 2009 as Skoda’s first SUV model. It was available until 2017 when it was replaced by a new model called the Karoq.
The Yeti is available with petrol or diesel engines and there’s a choice of manual or automatic gearbox. Some models have four-wheel drive and they’re surprisingly capable when driving over rough ground – you can spot them by the 4x4 badge on the boot lid.
Trim levels range from the value-focused S up to the luxurious Laurin & Klement, which is named after Skoda’s founders.
Many Yeti models have air con, Bluetooth, DAB radio and front and rear electric windows as standard. SE models also have cruise control and parking sensors. Elegance models add heated leather seats and the top-of-the-range Laurin & Klement model also has sat nav and a panoramic roof. Sat nav was a popular optional extra on most models, so you don’t necessarily have to go for the Laurin & Klement model to get it.
According to official figures, the Yeti can give you an average fuel economy of 35-51mpg with a petrol engine and 44-64mpg with a diesel engine, although keep in mind that models with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive are at the low end of those ranges. Annual Vehicle Excise Duty charges (car tax) range from £30 up to £330, depending on the model.
The Yeti is closest in size to small SUVs such as the Renault Captur but, when it was first sold, its more sophisticated feel meant it was compared to bigger SUVs like the Ford Kuga and Nissan Qashqai. The Ford feels better to drive and the Nissan generally has more standard features, but the Skoda’s practical, flexible interior and distinctive looks may seal the deal for you.
Though it’s not very long, the Yeti’s box-like body means it has a remarkable amount of passenger and boot space. Whatever size you are, you should be able to get comfortable in the front seats. In the back, the three sliding seats allow you to prioritise legroom or boot space to suit your needs.
The boot itself is a good size – bigger than you’d find in a hatchback of similar length – but it’s much more flexible and versatile than the boot in any other small SUV. That’s because the three back seats can also be individually folded down, tipped forward or removed entirely, each configuration freeing up more load space. With all the back seats removed, the Yeti has more load space than you find in many large estates.
The Yeti was Skoda’s first SUV model and, for most of the time it was made, the only SUV built by the Czech company. It’s only a few inches longer than the small Fabia hatchback, but its sophistication means it feels more like the bigger Octavia. The Yeti was replaced by the Karoq, which is a much bigger car.
Safety organisation Euro NCAP awarded the Yeti a full five-star rating. It should protect passengers very well in a crash but, because it was first sold in 2009, it lacks the more advanced driver safety features found on more modern cars, like automatic emergency braking. Still, it does have up to 10 airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control.
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