Yeti to V40 Cross Country via an Octy III

[The Plumber]

Been almost 18 months now since I rather foolishly traded in the last Yeti 110 4x4 for an Octy III (in hindsight) and as some will remember the Octy experience only lasted 6 months, due to ever growing physical discomfort with it. The result being a rather hurried switch to a Spaceback.

 

However recent long trips made me realise I was missing a car with a bit more go when fully loaded, than either of our 1.2 TSI's could offer, so while stopping for fish & chips I made the mistake of going to look at the Volvo dealers forecourt next door

 

Result is we now have a 5 month old Volvo V40 Cross Country SE Nav D2, which has very similar performance to the aforementioned Yeti but being 2wd and slightly more streamline, is giving around 60 mpg against 45 with the old monster and its also free of VED

 

However the downside of that streamlining is the lack of ground clearance, which is around 144mm compared to the Yeti at 180mm, making it more a road car than its rather fancy name would suggest.

 

Early days with it but I'm already beginning to appreciate some of the additional engineering detail this car has and as Skoda would put it simply clever features, like the rear headrests that fold out of the way instead of having to remove them when folding the seat down. Its also very quite, which I put down to the number of door seals, tight fitting side window seals and sound deadening materials around the wheel arches, both internally and externally.

 

Mind despite its length and width being very similar to a Yeti, inside its more like the Rapid Spaceback for space, so nowhere near as flexible as the Yeti and certainly not a car for a young family. The rear seating is even more focused on two occupants than the Yeti, with the two outer seats slightly set more inwards, leaving the centre 'jump' seat about the width of the standard armrest.

 

With the car being ex Volvo UK its well spec'd for an SE, including a heated front screen which I missed from both the last Yeti and Octy III, plus its got more collision avoidance tech than a stealth fighter, with three radars, a laser and camera, plus another camera for high beam assist. Mind this does sometimes have drawbacks, as the car got that carried away with itself leaving work the other day, the tech sensed the movement of the car park barrier as I slowly drove up to it and promptly slammed on the brakes 

 

 

 

Couldn't get a decent shot of the front being on the drive.

 

Oh and yes those are proper twin tail pipes; on a 1.6 TDI   

 

 

 

TP

[33q]

Tim....nice colour....and a nice car

 

I seems fewer and fewer Yetiists are left from that meet around 2 years ago.

[g6zru]

Nice car Tim, manual I presume?

 

Fred

[The Plumber]

Yes should have stuck with the last Yeti but got these daft ideas about the Octy III being a more up to date motor

 

To answer Fred's question, yes 6 speed manual with an illuminated gear knob to boot

 

(Part of the winter illumination pack, which includes the heated front screen plus corning xenon's)

 

 

TP

[dbg400]

Tim....nice colour....and a nice car

 

I seems fewer and fewer Yetiists are left from that meet around 2 years ago.

 

^^^^^

I agree with this - that's a really good colour, and a very distinctive car

 

I still have my Yeti from that Wolds mini-meet - though more Yetis there than at the Briskoda national meet this year (only six including Richard's 500 bhp monster). It's now three years old and just off 40K but I don't know what I'd swap it for even if I was in mind to change it. MarieK has bought the only other car that's come onto the market since - the Renegade - that I've been interested in, but it's still not enough to become Yeti-less!

 

Enjoy the car, Tim, and I hope this one doesn't give you any back trouble - that was a real shame about your O3.

[Cumbrian28]

I think the V 40 s are really distinctive in a good way. I believe Volvo seats are still some of the most comfortable you can get ( my old 850 estates were brilliantly comfy and supportive) so you shouldn't suffer any bad back now. If you are happy with the amount of space available I think you will love it, good luck.

Steve.

[Ryeman]

Is it the four door version of the C30 which a times tempts me as we don't need the back ones anymore?

[The Plumber]

As I understand it the current V40 is the last Volvo - Ford collaboration before the Chinese firm took over ownership, so shares some of its DNA with the Focus and our D2 is one of the last ones with the PSA - Ford 1.6 TDI, which to be fair seems a decent motor.

 

Volvo have recently switched to a new in-house 2.0 litre 4 pot in various states of tune/turbo configuration, to replace both the 1.6 and their old 5 pot diesels to meet euro 6; would have liked one of those, lots of low down torque. However when we called in to the local dealers, the only used example in our budget with a manual box was in metallic black with a very light colour fabric interior; would have been a nightmare to keep clean, inside and out.

 

 

TP

[manxskoda]

Ryeman, the C30 was discontinued in 2013.

Tony

[Ryeman]

Ryeman, the C30 was discontinued in 2013.

Tony

'Twas a pity but the V40 has 'overtones' to me at least.

[DonjSZ5]

I live close to a Volvo dealer and very occasionally stop to look at their stock.

 

The CX90 is a very nice but expensive bit of kit.

 

Using the Volvo configurator I managed to get a CX90 up to £87,500. It included white paint £1000, £4,750 alloys (2 styles at £1450 + £3300) and 2 x Towbars at £995 each. So it's not only Skoda who have a poor configurator.

[x19]

The white one parked next door looks more like my kind of cargo hauler - inter alia the reason I changed my Yeti.

[g6zru]

I live close to a Volvo dealer and very occasionally stop to look at their stock.

 

The CX90 is a very nice but expensive bit of kit.

 

Using the Volvo configurator I managed to get a CX90 up to £87,500. It included white paint £1000, £4,750 alloys (2 styles at £1450 + £3300) and 2 x Towbars at £995 each. So it's not only Skoda who have a poor configurator.

2 towbars? Now I've always been a belt and braces man but that's a bit much even for me.

 

Fred