Austerby
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We had a great drive down to our place on Mallorca from the UK over Xmas and the New Year.
Total mileage was around 2300 in a couple of weeks. Our Yeti (1.4TSI L&K) was supremely comfortable and capable - yesterday we drove from Pezenas in southern France back to London - a 700 mile day and feeling fine and refreshed afterwards and still feeling good today. It was about 900 miles door-to-door and the rest was trips around the beautiful island, which is a great place for a Xmas break by the way.
Fuel economy wasn't great - getting about 350 miles between refills, but that reflects the steady 80mph cruise (at the 130kph speed limit) on much of the French motorways and the car was laden, including our dog.
We spent about £450 on fuel, plus motorway tolls. Ferries/tunnels were around £400, so overall not too bad compared to the costs of flights and car hire costs let alone the convenience and being able to take the dog too and bring back lots (and lots) of lovely Mallorcan wines to see us through the winter.
First day was from London to Clermont Ferrand then on to Barcelona for the Alcudia ferry the next day. We took the wonderful A75 route across the Massif Central - an amazing drive and fully recommended, the car zoomed up the inclines with no problems.
The only challenging bit of the car was with the satnav, which told us that roads were closed when they weren't and ended up taking us on a very difficult route through the centre of Paris yesterday when I really wanted to drive around it. Perhaps I should have updated it before leaving.
The other minor annoyance was that the day after we left the message came up saying Oil Service due in 12 days - when we were away for the next 16... The mileage when we left was below 4000 miles and the car reached its first anniversary whilst we were away so it'll go in for a service now we're back.
Thanks to all who commented on my pre-departure post (Preparing for a Long Drive) and particularly for the Sanef toll device which was a great tip.
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Thanks for your really useful contributions.
I've now got one of the Sanef devices, which I wasn't aware of before.
Current plans are to head down to Clermont-Ferrand for the first night then go over the A75 down to the south the next day.
It all looks quite straightforward and I'm rather looking forward to it. One reason for buying the Yeti and the L&K version was with this sort of trip in mind.
I'll book the Yeti in for a service on our return.
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We've got a place on Mallorca and are going to drive down to it from the UK for Christmas, taking the dog in our L&K 1.4TSI Yeti, new last year.
We'll leave in the morning from near London, take the tunnel across then drive across France until about 6pm then stop for the night somewhere. Next day complete the journey to pick up the ferry from Barcelona, departing 10pm for an overnight crossing to be at the villa early the next morning. It'll be about 1000 mile drive I think, each way.
A couple of questions:
1. I've only done about 3000 miles since getting the car - should I get a service as it'll be 12 months old when we're away.
2. I occasionally get a warning that the 12V battery is low if I'm listening to the radio with the engine turned off. I suspect this is because I do mostly local short-distance driving at weekends, no week-day driving, and only occasional longer distances, hence the low mileage. Is this warning sign normal?
3. How do I change the lights for continental driving - is there something clever to adjust or do I just get the stickers for the lenses?
Any recommendations for a route or places to stop? Am not sure whether to go via Rouen and Orleans and down the A75 through Clermont-Ferrand, or down the Rhone valley via Dijon and Montpelier.
Also, any thoughts on dog-friendly motorway hotel chains in France?
Thanks
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I have a 1.4L&K and have certainly been pleasantly surprised by the power of the engine. I came to it from driving an old Saab 900 turbo and a 2.0l Mazda Mx-5 and I haven't particularly noted any lack of go, apart from if in too high a gear when pulling away where the lack of torque of the small engine shows.
The car cruises very comfortably at motorway speeds and has plenty in reserve to maintain consistent speed up long inclines and to speed up quickly if needed to get around a nuisance driver.
Definitely recommend a test drive. I tried the 1.2 and found the lack of power noticeable, which is one reason why I went for the 1.4.
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I have a 1.4L&K, having had Audi A3 1.TDIs in the past and do notice the lack of torque in comparison, but find that a judicial dropping of the gear and that solves the problem neatly, though I've not towed anything with it.
I'm continually impressed with how strong that 1,4 engine is as long as you use it with some thought rather than just relying on the torque to pull through in any gear. I like a manual box for that reason: makes it a more entertaining drive and oh-so-satisfying when you judge exactly the right gear for the right occasion and then the car leaps away.
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I ordered one for my L&K and find it invaluable. I have off-street parking in a part of what used to be my front garden and it's a very tight squeeze to get the Yeti in. The parking sensors are all going beserk when I park
It's also good for supermarket car parks, so I don't back into small children who've wandered in the path of the Yeti.
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I find the reversing camera to be invaluable.
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My mileage rate has dropped off a bit but now at 780 miles in my first month with my new 1.4TSI L&K and it's showing average MPG at 41.5, which I find very acceptable for a mix of town, country and motorway. I've also noticed that it accelerates very smartly indeed when you want it to
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I sat in an Evoque convertible at the London Boat Show on Sunday where there were a few on display. It's basically the three-door Evoque with a fabric roof of course and is beautifully made.
I quite liked it, though it is a very silly car in many ways. It's one of those that you look at and think I'd never buy one in practice but secretly would love to have one.
I am actually thinking about getting a car to keep at my second home in Mallorca so did have fantasies about driving it round the wonderful roads there...
However, it is quite small inside so it wouldn't be great for airport runs. It'll be a few years to retirement before I'll actually buy a car for Mallorca so a secondhand one, ten years old, could be quite attractive...
(I also sat in a standard Evoque and it confirmed that I've made the right choice with my Yeti - that version cost £50k and I really didn't like the feel sitting inside it compared to the £24k Yeti, it's really small inside).
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I certainly expect my next car to have some degree of hybrid about it - and, living in London, it may be less of a personal choice in time if I want to avoid excessive charges for road uses. I've just got my new Yeti so this won't be for four or five years I expect so by then this sort of drivetrain will be much more widespread across a range of models from all manufacturers.
By then it may be a minority of cars that only have single sources of power.
I also think that these vehicles will push more ownership models onto some form of rental agreement as few owners may want to take on the liability of a hybrid drivetrain once it ages, therefore a higher turnover of newer vehicles and thus removing older inefficient cars from the environment. This is of course providing one has the income to cover the costs - its not clear what options will be open to the economically disadvantaged if the supply of old, cheap vehicles that you don't need a credit score to own dries up.
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Quote " I looked at quite a lot of alternatives before settling on the Yeti and wondered how my list compared to others ".
Suzuki GSX-S1000F
Kawasaki Z1000SX
Honda VFR800
KTM adventure 1050
BMW 1000rr
Still looking at these.
Ended up with a Skoda Yeti SE 1.6 Greenline Diesel. Cos the wifee said so.
End of.
Also considered Volvo V40 to expensive.
Ford Kugar, not for me.
Good point - I also considered a Jeanneau Sun Oddyssey 35, a Hanse 310, a Contessa 32 and a Beneteau Oceanis 34. One day I'll have one of them...
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I've recently aquired an 1.4TSI L&K and am very pleased with it.
I looked at quite a lot of alternatives before settling on the Yeti and wondered how my list compared to others.
My main requirements were for a nice estate-type car (as we now have a dog) that would be good for both local short distance town driving and occasional long-distance motorway cruising. I don't use a car to get to work and don't have children.
The others I actively looked at (ie went to the dealers to see) but rejected included:
Audi A3 (having previously owned a couple)
Audi A4 Avant
Audi Q3
Jaguar XF Sportback
Jaguar XE (hoping there would be an estate at some point)
Land Rover Evoque
Mazda CX-3
Mazda CX-5
Fiat 500x
Fiat 500L
Mini Paceman
Mini Clubman
Alfa Mito
Saab 9-3 Estate (used)
Many of these fall outside the sort of comparisons that motoring journalists like to do - according to them I should have been considering a Sportage or a Qashqai but they didn't appeal at all.
What do others look at?
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I went through the figures carefully before buying my L&K on PCP and couldn't find anything remotely better as a deal. I'd bought my previous car this way, having the first few years on finance then settling the balance to own outright. With hindsight I should probably have taken a new car then rather than hanging on to it for subsequent years,
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Picked up my new Yeti last Tuesday and parked it this evening with 667 miles on the clock. Most of those today: a 450 mile return trip from SE London to mid-Devon to visit elderly parents, about a four hour drive each way (A2, M25, M3, A303, A30, M5), but also a Christmas visit to Whitstable on the north Kent coast. A lot of driving but I'm hugely impressed with the Yeti and the 1.4TSI engine, as well as the comfort of the L&K spec. It's great on motorways and twisty Kentish and Devonshire lanes, great overtaking ability and good mid-range acceleration. Very comfortable and a generally good or very good ride on most surfaces. 36mpg overall but this at motorway cruising speeds around 70+mph.
I'm very happy indeed with the Yeti and look forward to many more miles in her.
The only bit that I've noticed is perhaps a slight weakness is the lack of torque at low speeds - several times I've found myself in too high a gear at a roundabout or other junction where I slow down but don't need to come to a complete stop in order to nip out into a gap but find she doesn't respond as quickly as the larger engined cars I've had previously. Drop a gear though and she's fine - I'm pleased to have the manual gearbox rather than the DSG on this model so it's just something for me to get used to. I had a 2CV once so know how to get what I want out of a gearbox.
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Just got my first Yeti at 49 - I think I'm having the opposite of a mid-life crisis: I should be getting a 911 or something (as some of my contemporaries did when they turned 50) but instead of blowing £50k on something sleek I've got myself a Yeti. I'm perfectly happy with this mind you.
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For what it's worth, my dealer told me that Yet's are currently out-selling other Skoda models by a factor of 2 or 3. He used to work at a VW dealership in the same group until recently and he's selling many more Skodas than he did VWs.
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Picked mine up yesterday too - very impressed. The dealer gave me a very comprehensive run through of all the kit, including time spent using the Park Assist, which is brilliant technology.
I'm used to driving a 2.0litre Mazda Mx-5 so it'll take some adjusting to get used to a much bigger car with a lower performance ratio, but having said that I'm already impressed with the urge from the engine when pulling onto roundabouts, or accelerating down slip roads to get into a gap.
It feels very, very good already.
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Hope you can post some pics and a full review of the 1.4 tsi
I pick up mine tomorrow afternoon.
I then have lots of driving to do over Christmas and New Year so will probably able to talk about what it is like after several hundred miles of variable driving by early in the New Year.
Though I might post initial impressions tomorrow
It will be interesting to compare notes with other new owners.
One more sleep
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I'm going to complain.
I didn't get a single email from Skoda, not one!!
Were they from Skoda UK via the dealer or direct?
They were from [email protected].
I didn't do anything special to get these, just provided my email address to the dealer - Motorline of Dartford.
Am I the only one to get a Christmas card email from Skoda too?
'Twas the night before Christmas,
and all through the streets
People are loading their ŠKODAs
with the most festive of treats.
Sat-navs are programmed
then routes are prepared,
And they're ready for the morning,
when the gifts will be shared.
WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
from everyone here at ŠKODA UK
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Do those of you who are getting delivery for Xmas know which week your cars were built?
I had three separate emails from Skoda after I placed the order at the dealer and paid my deposit on 7th October:
- an initial order acknowledgement, which came on 15th October
- then"Your Yeti enters our factory today" email on 24th November
- and finally "Your Yeti is on its way to the UK" email on 15th December, though no date given for collection here.
Then I got the phone call from the dealer on 19th December saying it was going to be ready this week - I'm picking it up on 22/12.
So, overall very satisfied: good, timely communication from Skoda, good communication from the dealer and delivery ahead of when I was expecting it.
I've ordered the spare wheel, reversing camera and smart link on top of standard L&K spec
Only two sleeps to go now
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Had a phone call from the dealer today - my 1.4L&K has arrived and I can collect it this week, before they close for Christmas.
I'm pleasantly surprised as I was not expecting her until the New Year - it was ordered on 7th October so that's about 12 weeks, as they told me, but I thought I'd be caught by a Christmas/New Year delay.
It's a lovely Christmas present and it'll make life a lot easier than using the MX-5 to cart all the festive goodies, visit relatives etc etc.
Only three sleeps to go now
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Does anyone know which pantone number would most closely apply to Jungle Green?
It's a strange colour - I've seen it in the metal on a couple of Yetis and have ordered it for my own car, due within a month I hope, but still can't quite nail it. Perhaps is because it doesn't look that green to me.
See the attached link for the full colour chart - my guess is that it is around Pantone 391 or 392.
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Mine too was built last week (1.4tsi L&K Jungle Green)- I'd love to have it for Xmas but realistically expect it to be early January.
It definitely feels like the one that everyone is ordering at the moment.
I'm wondering if the Jungle Green is going to look a bit like the wonderful drab coloured Porsche 911 that Saga Noren drives in the Bridge.
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I love, love those colours - it proves that not every car has to be monochrome or beige.
Give the customer's a choice I say - and just because you don't like a colour doesn't mean others agree with you.
Each to their own I say.
2300 miles to Mallorca and back in the L&K
in Skoda Yeti
Posted · Edited by Austerby
I'm not surprised, but I took this into account when choosing the petrol version. I do a mixture of quite short town driving with occasional longer distances and I judged the petrol version would be a better fit. Even with the trip to Mallorca and back the mileage is only around 5300 after 12 months. If it wasn't for the need for comfort and capability on these long trips then I'd be fine with a fully electric car for most purposes.