So my dad tells me last night he's interested in buying the Yeti 1.8T 4x4 Elegance..... and wants to know some more info about them. So I'm hoping you guys can help!

What platform are they based on if any, just to get an idea of the size. He currently drives a '99 Suzuki Grand Vitara 5dr 2.5 V6, and he doesn't want a smaller car than he already has.

He also presumes it doesn't sit on a ladder chassis, and doesn't have a transfer box to select 4x4 ratios? Just a 4x4 button I guess? Is it permanent 4x4, or selectable. Is it some sort of haldex system?

Oh and where is the spare wheel located?! In or under the car?

He's had the Suzuki since new, and it's lasted very well over the last 10 years. So hopefully the Skoda can exceed his expectations. I'm sure it will on fuel economy anyway!!

Cheers

Bit of Googling states it's Golf-based, so will likely be Haldex

Bit of Googling states it's Golf-based, so will likely be Haldex

Ahh so it's pretty small then. I'm guessing it shares it's platform with the VW Tiguan, because that's basically a Golf 4x4.

Can't Skoda make one that's based on the Touareg. Might be a bit more useful.

Superb Scout?!

The Tiguan is a different platform, again, apparently!

Skoda's use of the Golf platform is generally stretched, the Octavia having substantially more rear leg room than the Golf or Leon, for example.

I'd hardly call the Yeti small, aswell!

Based closely on the Octavia Scout and has the same ride height, which is MK V Golf derived. No transfer box, uses latest GEN 4 Haldex drive system.

Top spec Elegance gets an off-road function selected by a dash mounted button, works in a similar way to the Freelander system. Controls decent using the brakes, can also be driven down hill under control out of gear, so I am lead to believe.

There's no spare wheel you get a tyre repair kit, can order a spare as an option but no wheel well so it reduces boot space.

Yes different to Tiguan although I understand they both started with the Golf platform.

There's no spare wheel you get a tyre repair kit, can order a spare as an option but no wheel well so it reduces boot space.

:thumbdwn: Don't want to start the whole spare wheel debate again...., but a 4x4 with an offroad option (so designed so that it can actually leave the tarmac) but without a spare wheel as standard? Seems to make no sense to me at all. I can understand (ish) if they don't offer it for a 2 wd version but I think it's ridiculous not to do so on the proper 4 wd one.

Superb Scout?!

If only

Cheers for the help guys, I guess he's going to have to go and see one on the roadshow next week if he wants to know how big it is.

But I sense that the lack of spare wheel will be a big negative for him. Maybe he could put one on the roof! Hopefully a factory fitted towbar will swing him back..... since Suzuki never bothered to put one on his current car.

Is it permanent 4x4 then? And then the button puts it in a more aggressive mode or something? Sorry, I don't know anything about the Haldex thingy!!

Most dealers would likely throw in a spare

Under normal driving most of the drive goes through the front wheels, hence good fuel economy, but up to 90% (I think) of the power can go to one wheel if it's required, the system is fully automated no selection required.

ABS sensors constantly monitor for traction loss; the Haldex ECU puts the drive where it's needed.

Off-road function alters various parameters such as throttle response and ABS to reduce wheel spin and improve traction off-road over and above what the standard system is capable of and allows for controlled hill decent depending on ground conditions.

Edited 29 July, 200916 yr by The Plumber
missed a bit

Under normal driving most of the drive goes through the front wheels, hence good fuel economy, but up to 90% (I think) of the power can go to one wheel if it's required, the system is fully automated no selection required.

ABS sensors constantly monitor for traction loss; the Haldex ECU puts the drive where it's needed.

Off-road function alters various parameters such as throttle response and ABS to reduce wheel spin and improve traction off-road over and above what the standard system is capable of and allows for controlled hill decent depending on ground conditions.

Great, thank you for that.

I've been to the local dealer and put my name on the list to get all the sales brochures, and to see the Yeti next week.

I have a feeling the Yeti will sell well in Europe. I can see the Austrians loving it for sure, as they seem to love well priced lightweight off-roaders. The Suzuki Jimny is very popular out there.

Can't the spare be mounted on the rear door?

Can't the spare be mounted on the rear door?

It's got a rear hatch rather than a door, so I doubt the gas struts/hinges could take the weight.

Ah right, I'm gonna see one in the flesh for the first time tomorrow and had until now assumed it was a conventional SUV type rear door.

Must be space underneath surely?

What does the manual (it's online now) say?

The rear drive system is under the floor, if you look at photos of the boot most of it's space is between the rear wheel bays.

My Golf which is about the same length has reduced boot space due to a raised floor to accommodate the spacesaver spare wheel and drive system underneath.

The handbook does show the spare wheel in place, obviously it's a sketch but I would guess the boot floor would be level with the rear seat backs folded down, rather than removed.

No size given for spare other than it,s a 16" rim.

note: Octavia due to its increased length has spare wheel well behind the drive but even my Mk1 4x4 hatch had a smaller boot due to a raised floor level.

Edited 31 July, 200916 yr by The Plumber
bit extra

Octavia 2 4X4 boot is exactly the same size as the 4X2 boot, pity they couldnt do the same for the Yeti, they have certainly lost one sale!

Octavia 2 4X4 boot is exactly the same size as the 4X2 boot, pity they couldnt do the same for the Yeti, they have certainly lost one sale!

I don't think they're bothered, to be honest

Yeti is based on Octavia Scout but according to a swedish magazine the rear axle comes from Scirocco.

Tiguan is based on the Passat.

I saw a Yeti on Friday at the new(-ish May09) Hughes Beaconsfield dealership.

The guy who brought the Yeti in (LHD and CZ plates) said the wheel couldn't be rear mounted because of (a) the weight on a hatch-type door, and ( various bits of legislation about obscuring lights (but I guess that could have been sorted out at the design stage if they'd wanted to...)

Incidentally, while I'm on my 2nd Octavia (2007 2.0 TDI L&K DSG Estate) I don't go to dealers very often (like most of us, I'd hope [big grin]...) the sales bod told me that no Skoda (Octavia?) sold in UK since May09 has been supplied with a spare wheel as standard. Like a lot of the comments, I was a bit wary of this, and the gunk and compressor combo as a replacement, until I eventually remembered that my last car before the Octavias was a "just Post Launch (Aug01) Mini Cooper. I drove that for three years with no spare on-board and it wasn't fitted with run-flats then either.... just (yep you've guessed it) it gunk and compressor!

For what its worth I would buy a full size spare and keep in in my garage. Thinking back, every flat I've had except one has been "noticed" when I was at home, so swapping out the wheel/type would be not inconvenient at that point. Also, having it "available" would mean I could arrange to pack it for long trips / holidays if I felt the need.

Incidentally the dealer gave me three pages of photo copy from Skoda's internal website showing build dates, power train/transmission specs, trim specs, and proposed pricings. I can scan them if anyone is interested....

Its a very nice car... a bit like a shrunken version of my father's Freelander 2. I was a little disappointed that the load space was smaller than the Octavia Estate, but then in a year's time I'll be free of pushchairs so it will be less of a problem!

Another incidentally if you're interested: the show car at the dealer had "022" in big orange stickers on the rear window, if anyone is keeping track, and it was a LHD Cz registered Elegance spec TDI.

ThePuss

ThePuss

Will it tow a caravan

18 & 22 were at the Gaydon meet.

The Tiguan is a different platform, again, apparently!

Skoda's use of the Golf platform is generally stretched, the Octavia having substantially more rear leg room than the Golf or Leon, for example.

I'd hardly call the Yeti small, aswell!

Very much agree with this; I have just changed my car from a Toledo to an Octy Estate and the rear leg room difference is amazing. I looked at the Seat Exeo as well and the rear leg room in that was woeful! 4 adults in an octy on a long journey would be fine as a long journey 4 adults in my dads Golf V would start getting un comfortable due to the lack of rear legroom....

Now compared to a Superb though they both lose out