Took a 140 TDi Elegance for a 50 minute spin today, thought I'd share my impressions.

Design

In pictures, it's hard to determine the size of the Yeti. This difficulty hasn't been helped by the vehicle being pictured next to enormous photoshopped humans dressed in Yeti costumes. In the metal, the new Skoda is refreshingly compact. It has more presence than the much larger and preposterously blinged-up Land Rover Freelander (itself bigger than the original Range Rover).

Performance

Always difficult to assess real world performance on a virtually new car, and with less than 75 miles on the clock, this Yeti felt tight, and unwilling to rev. Expect this to improve with miles. The torque is there in spades though, while the noise isn't - this is a very quiet diesel. Off the line, it's plenty quick.

Handling

The Yeti's trump card. Although the steering lacks feel, it's quick. Turn-in is incredibly composed, with body roll only slightly noticeable. There's no sudden secondary roll or lurching, even on the roundabout test (accelerate, turn, brake, tighten line, accelerate, brake while still turning). If the Yeti were a normal hatchback, the handling would be impressive; as an elevated 4 x 4, it's sublime.

Ride

The ride is is reminiscent of a Peugeot 306 or Citroen Xsara - smooth, controlled and fleet of foot. Like the best French cars, it's the result of long travel, softly sprung suspension with very firm damping. Low speed bumps are swished away; at high speeds there's an impressive lack of bounce, and a complete absence of sogginess.

Comfort

The engine can be heard, but only slightly. Even at high speed, it's not intrusive, and it's miles away from the old PD diesel rocks-in-a-cement-mixer racket. There seems to be less road and wind noise than an Octavia. Seats are firm and well shaped. The driving position is very good, although the gearshift feels a tad low when the seat is raised any higher than the halfway mark. All other controls are easy to assess and reach, and the pedals are well placed.

Functionality

Biggest surprise is the boot - it's a lot bigger than the road test reports and pictures imply. Octavia estate vastness it ain't, but it is well-shaped and easy to access. Passenger access and egress is very good - all doors open very wide. The rear seats slide all ways very easily. Seat removal is a piece of cake, and they're not heavy either.

Summary

In Elegance spec, the Yeti isn't cheap, which means expectations should (rightly) be high. These high expectations are delivered in most areas though (space, functionality and performance), and exceeded in others (ride and handling). The Yeti is a very impressive vehicle. If my impression is anything to go by, Skoda may need to revise their modest sales estimates.

I have kids that get travel sick. Given that the Yeti is higher off the ground, do you think there is lots of 'roll'? We're test driving a 140bhp diesel 4x4 tomorrow but may go for a 1.2 TSI once the dealer has one to test drive in November (there are coming out later). We'll be going round roundabouts and corners too to test out the 'wobbly tummies'.

I see the op has a Prius ( why?) and a Beaufighter ( drool )

He's either mad, in a good way, or just mad.....

Or a liar, or rich and stupid, or just trying to create a balance of sorts...

Why am I posting this?

Drink?

I hope he's planning to get rid of the Toyota.

Yes strange combination the original Beaufighter was nicknamed the 'whispering death' by the Japanese. (Talking aircraft 1940 vintage if anyone is confused).

I hope he's planning to get rid of the Toyota.

Yes strange combination the original Beaufighter was nicknamed the 'whispering death' by the Japanese. (Talking aircraft 1940 vintage if anyone is confused).

Good car, the Prius. The most misunderstood car on the planet. I've long ago given up engaging with opinionated bores (not referring to yourself, by the way) who go on about how it isn't a economical as claimed (it is) even though they've never driven one.

And I really do have a Bristol Beaufighter. Handbuilt in Filton.

I see the op has a Prius ( why?) and a Beaufighter ( drool )

He's either mad, in a good way, or just mad.....

Or a liar, or rich and stupid, or just trying to create a balance of sorts...

Why am I posting this?

The Bristol is worth about £15k at present, as it needs a new engine. I'm not rich either, so in the garage it will mostly sit until I can find the dosh. The Prius is a brilliant car. I love the way it polarizes opinion. although, as the saying goes, opinions are like a certain bodily orifice - everybody has one.

I am slightly mad though, but in a good way

I have kids that get travel sick. Given that the Yeti is higher off the ground, do you think there is lots of 'roll'? We're test driving a 140bhp diesel 4x4 tomorrow but may go for a 1.2 TSI once the dealer has one to test drive in November (there are coming out later). We'll be going round roundabouts and corners too to test out the 'wobbly tummies'.

I slung the Yeti around quite a bit, much to the chagrin of the salesman. I can confirm body roll was not only minimal, but very controlled - no lurching. Better body control than a lot of FWD family cars, in fact.

Shame about the Bristol motor, sad to here it's sat in a garage. One thing Bristol was good at in aeronautical terms was engines, particularly sleeve-valve radials.

Personally still think I would prefer a Snow-monster to a Toyota, although I do except they have a good reputation for reliability; they are just, well a Toyota.

Okay, just to add to the thread drift.... How on earth do you 'thank' someone on this forum!

I'm only a dim aircraft engineer so need help to thank Dan the Prius owner!

At the bottom right of the box where the text of his post is you should see the "Quote" and "Thanks" buttons - just click on it to thank him

Somewhere over here --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> and then down a bit

EDIT:

Great minds Andy!

Yeah - but speed beats fancy graphics all day long!!!!

Okay, dim but not that dim folks!

I've tried clicking on said 'thanks' button but to no avail - it either just logs me out or does nothing. Certainly doesn't thank anyone!

Perhaps I'll just do it the old fashioned way and say 'thanks' :confused:

I hope he's planning to get rid of the Toyota.

Yes strange combination the original Beaufighter was nicknamed the 'whispering death' by the Japanese. (Talking aircraft 1940 vintage if anyone is confused).

My late father used to work on them when he was in the RAF - shame there's no current flying example out there

Now back to the Yeti

Apologies for dragging the subject onto flying machines, just a bit of reminiscing on my part.

Spent a few years working on the Lancaster 'City of Lincoln', various Spitfires and a couple of Hurricanes, so could not resist as the subject got onto Bristol.

Any Pictures of the op bristol?

Oh and the yeti is a very nice car by all accounts however given the choice a new yeti or a Freelander sport/hse second hand? I d have a yeti after seeing the crash reports

Well, tried everything suggested but with no joy. Then right clicked and did the 'open in new window' out of idle curiosity and hey presto - Dan has been thanked by me too!

There is a Beaufighter on long term rebuild to flying condition at Duxford.

As for aircraft engineering comments on the other thread, I play with the small General Aviation stuff but I'll think of some eventually.

As for the thread drift - I've got to do something in the evenings till the CR170 Snow-Monster arrives (hopefully late November or even before...).

Just come back from my own 140 Elegance test drive - and the conclusion ... underwhelmed. Contrary to Dan 77 I found the ride overly firm, nothing like a Peugeot or Citroen, possibly courtesy of ridiculously low profile tyres, and at dual carriageway speeds much noisier than I'd anticipated. I was able to drive down a road with a number of sleeping policemen, and there was quite a bit of crashing, even at around 20MPH. Certainly the handling was good, with very little body roll, which leads me to think that the UK cars have had the suspension altered from the ones driven in Poland (was it Poland where all the journos went?).

Engine performance was better than I'd been led to believe from various road testers, especially on a new car with just 150 miles on the clock. Gear change was a little tight, but again not bad for a brand new car.

I found the display distracting, the dominant part being the centre where your speed is indicated in Km/h together with other trip computer information. Having sat in a zero mileage showroom SE, the leather seats in the Elegance seemed harder than the SE's cloth versions. And with minimal bolstering it was a little 'slidey' going around tighter roundabouts. The centre console arm rest is nothing of the sort - unless you are an orang utan! SWMBO will not be chuffed that the little light that comes on when she opens the vanity mirror in the current (13-year old) car doesn't exist in the Yeti. Also, why do you only get an automatic dipping rear view mirror on Elegance spec - again my 13-year old car had it as standard.

I couldn't work out how to balance/fade the speakers - not intuitive (assuming it can be done) - so most of the sound seemed to come from the driver's door. And what sound there was didn't impress. Having said that the radio/media console was otherwise good.

Leg room for rear passengers was good, although I couldn't tell if the seats were forward or back on their sliders. I suspect they were not at their rearmost because there was a gap between the top of the seats and the boot cover.

Yes, the boot is much bigger than expected, and a great shape. Didn't like the idea of hooking a tumbled forward rear seat to the head rest of the seat in front though, very inelegant. The Elegance had a spare wheel, which brought the floor up, although there was a small cubby left next to the wheel. The boot in the SE was, as expected, deeper. I liked all the loading points as well as the extra net and lashings for keeping luggage and shopping in check.

Fit and finish seemed very good. The showroom SE had the sunroof, which was lovely, but rather a hefty premium.

So, overall, I certainly want to drive the 1.8TSI to make a fair comparison, but my continuing feeling is of having been let down, which really upsets me because I had been pretty set on a Yeti.

I am going through the same feelings, as I too had pitched the Yeti as my perfect choice.

Its shocking that the top of the range hasn't got illuminated vanity mirrors (my mid-spec Honda has two).

Another amazing omission is locking wheel nuts, they don't seem to be on the specification but are on the Retailer accessory list for £20! I cannot remember back how long its been since I had a car come without these!

I am still sure its a good car, it just feels pretty over priced as for the specification you get. It needs a £1000 off (for options) to get me excited again.

Just got back from a short test dive, rural roads only, personally very happy with the set up, did not detect any difference to the LHD model (same engine type and wheel size) that I travelled in a few weeks back.

Better than the Golf V 4motion TDI PD I have recently parted with; yes there are one or two things 'missing' that you might normally expect but this is a new model I am sure they will appear in time.

The Golf would have cost new over 3 years ago almost as much as an equivalent Yeti SE with only a fraction of the kit. So still good value overall although the savings gap to other manufactures is diminishing as Skoda strives to regain it's position as a leading European manufacturer.

The UK brochure shows the Elegance as having a 'rain sensor and auto-dimming rear view mirror' as standard equipment.

Personally not fussed about a lit vanity mirror, if fitted that would only cause me to scare myself in the dark! :eek:

Didn't like the idea of hooking a tumbled forward rear seat to the head rest of the seat in front though, very inelegant..

Agree with this, looked really arkward. I'm used to my Jazz and the neatness of the magic seats so this was disappointing.

I never knew you could have a lit vanity mirror and so won't worry.

Agree with this, looked really arkward. I'm used to my Jazz and the neatness of the magic seats so this was disappointing.

I never knew you could have a lit vanity mirror and so won't worry.

It's easy, same as on the Roomster.

Oh, a couple of other things I have remembered since the test - the radio volume automatically reduces when in reverse, presumably so that you hear the reversing beepers better, a nice feature. The visibility over my right shoulder when pulling onto a carriageway from a slip road was bad, a good job the mirrors seem better than some. Of course, this depends on where you have the seat - I am around 5' 10", kinda average (for a bloke), so this would probably affect quite a few buyers.

I am trying to see if any dealer has a 1.8TSI to test drive - anyone know of any within 30 miles of Hinckley/Coventry?

I managed to get a 20 min test drive in my local dealer's 140CR Elegance this afternoon and have to say that my overall opinion mirrors that of the OP, Dan 77. Overall Yeti is one hell of a fine car!

Although short my test route took in Motorway, open sweeping but bumpy country road, and village/town urban; oh and a couple of roundabouts. I wasn't bothered, nor did I consider any of the equipment. A few succinct comments are;-

Performance was good and the car was exceptionally stable, rode comfortably and was quiet at motorway speeds; long distances would seem to be no problem.

Ride/handling was, as Dan 77 has said, sublime. It was comfortable and rode well with bumps and rough tarmac being absorbed well but nevertheless there was very little roll and the body control was very taut. It should suit even the most discerning and sportingly orientated driver. I might even be bold enough to suggest that a well driven Yeti would give an Octy vRS a run for its money.

Seats; easily adjusted to a comfortable position and were firm and generally supportive, giving an excellent driving position which was particularly good for being able to (almonst) see the end of the bonnet (a rarity in a car today) but IMHO lacked a degree of side support on the backrest i.e. not designed for spirited driving.

Interior; had the Gobi Sand leather. Whilst this was an attractive, light colour and combined well with the Muscovado exterior, the drivers seat was already showing signs of getting dirty on an otherwie pristine 400 miles only car; I think I'll be getting the Onyx.

In summary; a very fine car and top of the list to replace my Octavia next year.