The new Mazda CX-3 - a Yeti sized competitor

[Hirundo]

Nah I like that image you did. The scale is not what it's about here - even though I pointed it out. It's the blandness if all those designs that it shows. Keep adding to it in the black and white as you do and in any scale. I approve.

 

 

Well I think your photo-montage is excellent!!

Stuff the nay-sayers!! 

 

Thanks! 

[Ryeman]

The only other model I would look at in comparison to the Yeti is the Freelander, and guess what? It isn't elephant flattened at the back and has nice BIG windows. (and doesn't appear in the list earlier!)

Even the new Discovery Sport has a full almost square shape, but is too big for my liking.

Isn't the Disco Sport replacing the Freelander.

I'm sure I read that.....strange if true and not happy.

[Llanigraham]

Isn't the Disco Sport replacing the Freelander.

I'm sure I read that.....strange if true and not happy.

 

Yes it is, but it has a slightly longer wheelbase, and is a seven seater.

It looks very good, has got some nice features and should be great off-road, but I expect it to be more than I'm willing to spend.

[Ryeman]

Yes it is, but it has a slightly longer wheelbase, and is a seven seater.

It looks very good, has got some nice features and should be great off-road, but I expect it to be more than I'm willing to spend.

The rumour starts here.....

They're secretly designing a clean sheet new Freelander :-)))

[Ryeman]

Yes it is, but it has a slightly longer wheelbase, and is a seven seater.

It looks very good, has got some nice features and should be great off-road, but I expect it to be more than I'm willing to spend.

The rumour starts here.....

They're secretly designing a clean sheet new Freelander :-)))

Ps if this comes up as a duplicate it's cos of my basic ADSL I suspect......it says "......posted too quickly"?!

[Llanigraham]

Freelander is no more!

 

New LR model range will just be:

Defender, LWB and SWB

Discovery including the Discovery Sport

Range Rover including Sport and Evoque

 

I had a good look at the Disco sport at the Emergency Services Show at the NEC recently, and it is very nice, but it is much bigger than the Freelander, with a third row of seats that folded very neatly into the floor. It should be excellent off-road and I was most impressed by the 500mm fording depth! I'm surprised they aren't doing a SWB but I suppose the market wouldn't be that big.

 

Now I'm waiting for LR to invite me for a test drive day!!

[Ryeman]

For me, at least, it leaves a hand sized practical biased gap in LR's range. Evoque would be ok if it wasn't so 'look-at-me' styled.

[fastestlouigie]

The Honda HRV is already sort of detailed on the Honda UK website:

 

http://www.honda.co.uk/cars/comingsoon/hr-v/

 

But alas it will also only come with microengines...

 

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/paris-motor-show/honda-hr-v-crossover-reborn

 

The Chinese gets a FAR better looking one though (from behind) with the Vezel (it's name in other markets) having horrid huge rear lights:

 

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/08/new-honda-xr-v-is-chinas-hr-v-small.html

 

 

Vs:

 

If Honda have cottoned on to the fact that some drivers are over 5'7" tall and need a reasonable amount of headroom, then I might look at the HRV in a few years time. I am a long-time Honda owner and I really wanted to be able to buy a new Civic but it just wasn't practical for any driver that is above average height. Apart from the fuel economy, the Yeti ticks all my boxes for wants in a vehicle.

[Sad555]

When all the other manufacturers are heading in a similar direction to improve their looks to improve their chances of sales the yeti stands out like a sore thumb at being different which I think will let a great car lose sales,time and sales move on the yeti appears to be standing still.new customers new sales,I think if Skoda in particular the yeti don't start to move forward in design they will have cornered a very small market.i think the yeti is a great suv,a great car a joy to drive but things move on and as members keep drawing our attention to all the NEW LOOKING models available ,why can't a great car like the yeti improve in design as it has so many good features.?

[Ryeman]

Difficult to see how OAL, interior capacity and ride height could be maintained whilst following the herd on style.

I need to read the badge to identify others.

Maybe a Renault designer might mod the rear without a negative result.

[900000]

When all the other manufacturers are heading in a similar direction to improve their looks to improve their chances of sales the yeti stands out like a sore thumb at being different which I think will let a great car lose sales,time and sales move on the yeti appears to be standing still.new customers new sales,I think if Skoda in particular the yeti don't start to move forward in design they will have cornered a very small market.i think the yeti is a great suv,a great car a joy to drive but things move on and as members keep drawing our attention to all the NEW LOOKING models available ,why can't a great car like the yeti improve in design as it has so many good features.?

 

The Golf and Porsche 911 has been very successful in looking basically the same for decades. They sell due to that heritage. The Yeti sells well enough but as per my previous posts on this matter Škoda themselves hamper the car by building it in a tiny factory. They sell every single one they make and if they were to only build Yetis in that factory or start to be a bit more clever and import Yetis from the Russian and Chinese factories they can sell thousands more...  So it is not that it doesn't sell because it looks different. Nope it is Škodas factories being too small.

 

Look at the Juke.  Pig ugly but it sells by the boatload - mainly because Nissan is capable of making exactly as many as the market wants - not making as much as their puny factory can churn out. Of course it is fine for Škoda to have factories working at 100% rather than at 60% I guess, but still. They are shooting themselves in the foot.

 

So come Yeti II, should it look more akin the other clones in this segment? I don't think it should. Sadly Škoda will be following the herd here I suspect and make a fastback clone of the Nissan QQ and VW Tigaun II with Škoda badges. But I strongly feel they should:

 

1. Keep the distinctive boxy shape
2. Bring back the round fog lights - look even a BMW X5 has them albeit smaller!
3. Make it slightly bigger (the passenger accommodation and general size is ok but give it 100mm extra in the boot)
4. Build it in a new bigger factory or import some versions from Russia or China

[Sad555]

Well I wouldn't call the juke pig ugly, like many others I think it's a great design in fact I think it's more design than function,having been in one I found the lack of legroom and headroom in the rear a deal breaker for me,also to compare the design of the mk 1 yeti to two icons like the porche and golf or a beetle which you didn't mention as unrealistic as they are the few who have lasted the test of time of over 50 years and to put the yeti into that class is expecting a lot.whilst I personally think the fl model moved the car on and if it keeps a squarish shape I think a lot will be required to maintain sales of this great car with the way similar new designs are moving,as you know well johann as you keep drawing our attention to all the new models that have caught your eye.

[900000]

Well I wouldn't call the juke pig ugly, like many others I think it's a great design in fact I think it's more design than function,having been in one I found the lack of legroom and headroom in the rear a deal breaker for me,also to compare the design of the mk 1 yeti to two icons like the porche and golf or a beetle which you didn't mention as unrealistic as they are the few who have lasted the test of time of over 50 years and to put the yeti into that class is expecting a lot.whilst I personally think the fl model moved the car on and if it keeps a squarish shape I think a lot will be required to maintain sales of this great car with the way similar new designs are moving,as you know well johann as you keep drawing our attention to all the new models that have caught your eye.

 

Well what if I was to tell you this could be the next Juke? (Click on the pics as they are huge) Still think the current one looks good? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder I know and I'm glad the Juke exists, but pretty is not something I'd ever call the current Juke - whereas this one below looks great to my eyes.

 

 

From:  http://www.carscoops.com/2014/11/what-would-you-say-to-new-2017-nissan.html

[bilun777]

Nice colour though....

[Sporky McGuffin]

Personally I think the Juke is grotesque. Except in black, where all the weird Giger-esque bits disappear against the paint.

 

I'd rather the Yeti stays boxy and distinctive, as it then offers a more practically-shaped alternative to the competition. Given the waiting list, Skoda are clearly selling as many as they'd like to...

[900000]

I'd rather the Yeti stays boxy and distinctive, as it then offers a more practically-shaped alternative to the competition. Given the waiting list, Skoda are clearly selling as many as they'd like to...

 

No they have a waiting list BECAUSE their factory is woefully, woefully, woefully too small. That factory can only produce about 7,000 cars a month and that has to split between Superb and Yeti. And with the Superb being a dinosaur at present and them hardly selling any in huge numbers they could finally take the slack up in the factory and increase Yeti numbers. Come the next Superb you can be sure the Yeti will be throttled to death again.

 

Someone on here posted about wanting to buy a VW Golf SV and also going to look at that BMW MPV thing... can't remember who. The VW had a fair few months of waiting list and the BMW could be his in far less. So guess which one he bought? (If he did buy in the end I can't remember). 

 

So my point is they can sell many, many more Yetis if they just get to just building them (somewhere). The Juke sells due to its uniqueness I'm sure.  The Yeti will too (because it is unique too in being boxy!) if it had been given more media attention in terms of ads and Škoda could be bothered to make more. Škoda (or more precisely VAG) are not bothered, so the Yeti will forever sell in the tiny numbers it does now. And that is not due to its looks at all. It is 100% due to lack of supply. 

[Ryeman]

After the fire sale runout of the never advertised original Yeti, which was simply not known about in Oz, the FL is appearing on TV ads at a more competitive price.

[manxskoda]

Johann, if my memory recalls it was Kibby who bought a VW Golf SV not so long ago.

Tony

[Sporky McGuffin]

No they have a waiting list BECAUSE their factory is woefully, woefully, woefully too small.

 

Škoda (or more precisely VAG) are not bothered, so the Yeti will forever sell in the tiny numbers it does now. And that is not due to its looks at all. It is 100% due to lack of supply. 

 

That's what I said though; they're selling as many as they want to. If they wanted to sell more Yetis they'd build another Yeti factory and then build more Yetis.

 

I'm not sure the next Superb will impact the Yeti much - won't it be MQB and therefore require a new production line?

[900000]

That's what I said though; they're selling as many as they want to. If they wanted to sell more Yetis they'd build another Yeti factory and then build more Yetis.

 

I'm not sure the next Superb will impact the Yeti much - won't it be MQB and therefore require a new production line?

 

True...  it is what you said.  

 

The Superb will be MQB and like any "platform" (there is NO such thing by the way - it is always just a bit of kit plonked together in a mix and match fashion) - it can be built on any production line with any other line alongside or with it.

[lfc958]

How about a Land Wind X7

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2846676/Fury-China-unveils-14-000-copy-Range-Rover-British-company-legal-action-little-known-manufacturer-launches-brazen-copy-roader.html

 

Dont just p155 off Landrover for the blatant copy, but also add BMW for using X7 ( which i bet they have already staked a claim on based on the X 1, X5, X6 etc )

[Sad555]

If you want square with big round fog lights,it's already arrived

[oldstan]

If you want square with big round fog lights,it's already arrived

 

Very much agree but Kia isn't (yet?) what I think you call a "premium" brand and it's a small car yet retails at up to £25,550 and that's without any options.  The running costs aren't especially economical either.  If it was better "value for money" and cheaper to run I'd have bought one before now.  However we both like the look of it...it looks a bit different... and, despite the doubters, I still like the idea of that warranty.

[prodata]

What this thread (and other similar ones in the recent past) is highlighting is that there is a dearth of true Yeti-class - which, throwing the very marketing-orientated motor industry classifications out of the window, I'd describe as a compact SUV and absolutely not a crossover - competitors out there.

 

I'm travelling a similar road to various other Yeti owners here. I've had mine for 4 years plus now. Broadly speaking (other than that time it cut out and failed to restart in the very busy #1 loading lane of the IOW ferry), it's served me well and I've been pleased with it as coming closer to what I require out of a car than anything else I've owned. But I've always liked the idea that each new car I buy should be better than the one before, so in the perfect world I'm looking for a Yeti-type car (ie a 4.3-4.4m compact 4wd that has decent storage and visibility and can serve as an all-rounder) but with:

 

1. Distinctly better refinement;

2. Less clunky and more ergonomic 'infotainment' to use that horrible word, more than anything a more ergonomic satnav than Columbus;

3. More powerful engines, especially a lower CO2 petrol, though a CR184 diesel (available in other VW models) would also be in the frame;

4. A bit more money spent on seats - Yeti isn't bad, but more quality and generosity all-round would be good;

 

But I can't find even one other option that really meets this general spec. Perhaps the Discovery Sport comes closest but that's a 4.6m car with an engine of only moderate power (for the size/weight of the car). Obviously those of us who like Yeti's and are prepared to accept the van-like silhouette are not considered to be a large enough fraction of the car buying public to be worth targeting. As has been observed here many times, all manufacturers seem to be stampeding down the 'let's pretend it's not an SUV' road and disguising the shape to the detriment of storage and visibility with all sorts of swoopy curves.

Edited 26 November, 2014 by prodata

[Sporky McGuffin]

The next Defender might well be a Yeti-like shape.