Well I have my test drive booked, the best they could get me is a 2.0 tdi 4x4 Elegance - oh what a pity haha!

Its a long story but I am entitled to the loan of any car for up to a week but I am just having it for a long weekend, long enough to give it a good try out. Even gets delivered and taken away from my home. Best of all no salesman waffling in my ear and moaning about the erm... 'rapid pace test'.

Only catch is I have to wait until 20th of NOVEMBER because there are so few about. Oh well no hurry.

Any special tests anyone wants me to try? up on 2 wheels? wading over the river Severn? Getting a tumble dryer in the boot?

Although a compromise in some areas for me its still high on the list for my next set of wheels though.

Ram Raid ...see how effective it is at smashing in a shop front & get your Christmas shopping done whilst you're at it!! Bonus!!

Nice one... if I get caught I can just blame it on the Park Assist going nuts.

Well I have my test drive booked, the best they could get me is a 2.0 tdi 4x4 Elegance - oh what a pity haha!

Its a long story but I am entitled to the loan of any car for up to a week but I am just having it for a long weekend, long enough to give it a good try out. Even gets delivered and taken away from my home. Best of all no salesman waffling in my ear and moaning about the erm... 'rapid pace test'.

Only catch is I have to wait until 20th of NOVEMBER because there are so few about. Oh well no hurry.

Any special tests anyone wants me to try? up on 2 wheels? wading over the river Severn? Getting a tumble dryer in the boot?

Although a compromise in some areas for me its still high on the list for my next set of wheels though.

How about getting chased by baddies driving a corvette in a shopping mall or taking part in a beach landing assault with the marines.....

And another test, again in a 140 Elegance.

Not too much to add in general: confirm excellent handling and decent refinement. Diesel was pretty punchy, but (i) didn't like low revs (cut out on me twice without warning**) and (ii) is, in some ways, too tall-geared in 6th - I definitely do like the relaxed cruising this gives, but there's not initially too much there when you ask for more power at eg 70-75 in 6th. (The power is potentially there but it just takes a while to arrive - better to change down to 5th.)

The potential deal-breaker for me are the (front) seats - Skoda just don't seem to have spent enough on them. Neither I nor may wife could get properly comfortable driving. It's difficult on a shortish test drive (probably 90 mins) to get to the bottom of why (IYSWIM). The seat maybe slopes too much up from back to front (ie the front edge is too high) and the squab didn't seem quite long enough with the result that the front edge seemed to be cutting into the underneath of the thigh. The whole experience wasn't helped by the lack of decent bolstering and firmness of the seats - maybe this latter point was down in part to newness (just 700 miles on the clock) and they'll soften up at least a bit with age. It's a real shame that electric chairs aren't an option - I don't care at all about these as a toy but they do bring two practical advantages (i) depending on type, they can give you the option of altering seat slope; (ii) you get an infinite combination of positions to try.

Of course this is all down to personal physiognomy and personal likes/dislikes but neither of us is grossly out of the ordinary. I might want to try again in a few weeks (preferably in a 1.8 petrol, which is all I'd think of buying) but it is a little disappointing. Other than driving comfort there's nothing else that puts me off the package.

Edits:

** Letting the revs go too low might have been my fault. The only diesel I drive regularly is a recent Honda CRV which pulls very well from low revs and also beeps at you if you let the revs go _too_ low. I might have been subconsciously expecting the Yeti to do the same and it presumably doesn't. (Actually I don't remember the revs being especially low when it cut out - twice - but it's the only explanation I can think of.)

One other comment I forgot: I wasn't too impressed with the visibility or clarity of the speedo (and to a lesser extent the rev counter). The big cowls and 20mph-only increments on the speedo were just rather low-rent. (I've perhaps been rather spoilt by the 2003 Accord that I usually drive, which has the largest, clearest speedo on any car I can recall. But even making allowances, the Yeti ones weren't great.) Also the top of the steering wheel was just about cutting off the top of the speedo unless I had the seat lower than was really comfortable, which was irritating and again a pointer to the seating ergonomics not being properly sorted as yet, at least for me.

Edited 4 October, 200916 yr by prodata
Clarification/supplementary information

Seats were the only reason I bought a V50 instead of Octavia Scout which was and probably is the better car.

One other comment I forgot: I wasn't too impressed with the visibility or clarity of the speedo (and to a lesser extent the rev counter). The big cowls and 20mph-only increments on the speedo were just rather low-rent. (I've perhaps been rather spoilt by the 2003 Accord that I usually drive, which has the largest, clearest speedo on any car I can recall. But even making allowances, the Yeti ones weren't great.) Also the top of the steering wheel was just about cutting off the top of the speedo unless I had the seat lower than was really comfortable, which was irritating and again a pointer to the seating ergonomics not being properly sorted as yet, at least for me.

Good point you make there. Thinking back to my test drive, this is something I noticed as well.

One other comment I forgot: I wasn't too impressed with the visibility or clarity of the speedo (and to a lesser extent the rev counter). The big cowls and 20mph-only increments on the speedo were just rather low-rent. (I've perhaps been rather spoilt by the 2003 Accord that I usually drive, which has the largest, clearest speedo on any car I can recall. But even making allowances, the Yeti ones weren't great.) Also the top of the steering wheel was just about cutting off the top of the speedo unless I had the seat lower than was really comfortable, which was irritating and again a pointer to the seating ergonomics not being properly sorted as yet, at least for me.

I have to say the opposite; I particularly noticed and commented that, compared to the Octavia, the Speedo/Rev counter on Yeti are a model of clarity.

As to the view of the said instruments; did you consider changing the position of the steering wheel (as opposed to the seat)?

As to the view of the said instruments; did you consider changing the position of the steering wheel (as opposed to the seat)?

Yes certainly - the problem was there even with the wheel at its highest position. But just to reiterate - this wasn't a huge issue just something that in retrospect I remember noting during the test drive (and maybe I've been spoiled by my present Accord). But given that many of our speed limits are odd numbers - 30/50/70 - it was slightly annoying that you couldn't quickly tell at a glance whether you were slightly over or under a given speed. It's not that the tick marks aren't there, it's that for example between 60 and 80 - which are both explicitly marked - there are three smallish ticks of equal weight - ie 65/70/75 - and, to my eye at least, it wasn't easy to spot at a quick glance which minor tick was which.

Overall, just to be clear, I was quite impressed by the Yeti - in many ways it does tick all the boxes for me, which virtually no other car does currently. (Conceivably the BMW X1 might change that - we'll see once it's arrived on Oct 24th, but still costly and like all current BMWs it seems to be overly and self-consciously styled.) Shame that there's no, more powerful, DSG Yeti option currently, but that aspect aside the spec does all I need. (Though as this comment perhaps implies it would be a head rather than heart decision to buy). But, in part, I would be using the car for occasional long journeys so driving comfort is important and potentially therefore a deal-breaker if it's not good enough. But maybe I'll try again with the Yeti (and hopefully a 1.8, I know where there is a demo one not too far away from me) in a few weeks time - away for a week's holiday next weekend - and focus specifically on the seating issue to see if I can reach a final decision.

Edited 5 October, 200916 yr by prodata

I have been unfortunate enough to have driven a considerable distance in a Prius - awful car, and certainly not particularly environmentally friendly - just Toyota's way of being able to continue selling their big 4x4's in California.

I wasn't too impressed with the visibility or clarity of the speedo (and to a lesser extent the rev counter). The big cowls and 20mph-only increments on the speedo were just rather low-rent.

I didn't find the instruments low-rent - in fact the unusual typeface and the way the seats are stitched gives the interior quite a classy, mid-60s continental feel in my view. However I agree the legibility isn't great and the small steering wheel (which I otherwise like) does obscure it a bit if you don't have it and the seat height set just so.

What I was wondering is if you can set the digital speed display in the info centre to mph instead of the default kph - it wasn't obvious from the handbook.

If it's any consolation, the speedo on my XF is almost impossible to read in twilight - the "phosphor blue" backlit numbers are the same brightness as the bluish early morning light reflecting off the silver dials. And this is after the 2010MY revisions which included the instruments! I'll live with it though...

Mark

Edited 5 October, 200916 yr by mbrock

Personally I think the instrument tunnels with the chrome edging look great, not low rent at all!

I managed to have a good nose round Benfields demonstrator in newcastle when I was picking up my vRS

lookes very smart in black, its a lot more compact than I was expecting on the outside but a lot roomier on the inside!

its quite a handsome vehicle in the metal and the interior seemed good quality whilst still looking it would stand up to some harder wear..very impressive overall

Personally I think the instrument tunnels with the chrome edging look great, not low rent at all!

I'm happy to conceded that low-rent wasn't maybe the best choice of words - it's what happens when dashing off a quick post. Let's just say the cowls weren't to my taste - there's no real need for them (in a well-designed dash) and so they smack to me of a piece of gratuitous styling, which just isn't my thing. But each to their own.

I'm happy to conceded that low-rent wasn't maybe the best choice of words - it's what happens when dashing off a quick post. Let's just say the cowls weren't to my taste - there's no real need for them (in a well-designed dash) and so they smack to me of a piece of gratuitous styling, which just isn't my thing. But each to their own.

I'm pretty sure they are identical to the current Golf as we had a look in the show room next door when we were looking at the Yeti.

I managed to have a good nose round Benfields demonstrator in newcastle when I was picking up my vRS

lookes very smart in black, its a lot more compact than I was expecting on the outside but a lot roomier on the inside!

its quite a handsome vehicle in the metal and the interior seemed good quality whilst still looking it would stand up to some harder wear..very impressive overall

I think I will call mine the Tardis:D

I heard it is now this side of the water - I might have it for the weekend.

Regards

Mike

I test drove a Golf a while back, and one of the main reasons I wouldn't buy one was because the steering wheel cut off the view of the instrument binnacle and I couldn't alter the wheel enough to make a difference - a VW group problem??

Just had a further test drive, this time in a 1.8TSi. But frustratingly I'm no nearer to making a decision on it.

In so many ways the Yeti fits the bill for me, size, styling, options etc, but the same bugbear of inferior driving ergonomics (for me at least) was still there the second time: still couldn't get properly comfortable with decent support on the seats; the detail on the dash layout isn't good - same issues as noted before: steering wheel doesn't allow a fully clear view of the speedo/rev counter at the same time; tick marks on the speedo are surprisingly poor, main dials not 100% clear (I think something to do with the unnecessary cowls); and although satnav wasn't fitted to either of the two Yeti's I've driven, AFAICS from photos, the satnav screen seems too vertical and low down for easy reading at a glance.

On performance, the 1.8TSi wasn't that impressive (but it did have just 1K on the clock). It felt more like a 9.5 sec 0-60 car than a 8.1 sec one. Actually test drove this today back to back with a Golf 1.4TSi 160 GT manual (10K on the clock) and the Golf felt unquestionably faster all round, even though on paper there should have been just a few tenths in it.

Edited 10 November, 200916 yr by prodata

Has anyone actually managed to get one off-road yet?

I have a test drive booked for Sunday and it has to compare with my current Freelander, and also the new one, both of which I have driven off-road. My hobby means I do quite a few miles on forest tracks and sometimes much worse.

Hi Graham,

Fancy meeting you here! Are you considering changing over from Landrover?

I have only test driven the Yeti on road but I intend to buy a 170 before the year is out. I was very impressed with its on road performance, handling and so forth. The suspension appears very well damped even when pushing very hard on the damp bumpy and twisty roads around this part of Wales. I doubt that it will have the ultimate ability of a MK II Freelander on deeply pitted and very rough going as it will not have the same articulation and clearances but its electronic aids together with supple suspension should give it very good traction on anything less than real off-roading excursions and would I imagine be more than fine on forest tracks. When I take delivery it will be getting plenty of off road use every day, across muddy fields and rutted farm tracks just getting in and out of my remote farm and out and about. You may recall, if you remember me from another forum, that I have difficult and rough access of about one mile each way. Just what it was made for I believe Perhaps i should take a Yeti out again and take it up and down my access a few times to see how it will do. I do not think that the local dealership would be very impressed if it came back with cattle muck spread all over its under carriage particularly as I doubt that i shall be buying from them as they do not seem to be preprepared to offer any discount, I just received a plain emotionless look in return when I asked.

Are you just testing another 4x4 for curiosity or are you tempered by the yeti? Over all I was very impressed. It handles far better than the Ford which I thought was very poor indeed, having inadequate damping, po going on bumpy roads and felt very remote with the steering. The Yeti being very accurate. Its engine was no where near responsive as the Yeti it felt and sounded like a van. I also doubt that it would acquit its self as well off tarmac either. I was very unimpressed. It also had commercial like plastics while the Yeti appears to be very well appointed. The only other soft roader that I have driven recently was the BMW X3 3.0 SE auto. That was excellent on road, with very taught sporty road manors better than the Yeti I felt, loads of power and very smooth and effortless. A different class being larger and far more expensive, I have note even seen an X1as yet the Nearest BMW dealer being a fair drive away. I have to admit that I have not driven that off road either but it too should do reasonably well but not as well as my Volvo C304 TGB13 I do not think .

It was a pleasant surprise to see your post. May i ask, how is the rescue service getting along?

Oh, I have for forgotten my manors! Hello every one, I am Anthony, living in West Wales on a remote farm and I hope to be purchasing a Yeti before too long, well before the Government puts the VAT up, unless larger discounts are in the offering soon after then that is.

Edited 10 November, 200916 yr by Anthony 1

Hi Anthony, yes I do remember you.

Don't know which way I am going to go yet. The FL will need replacing next year and I think the FL2 is a bit too expensive, but I am concerned that the Yeti will be able to cope with all the Stage Radio gear and therefore the miles I do on rough forestry tracks, plus the other bits of off-road stuff I am involved with.

I wonder what the response from some members of 4x4 Response Wales would be?

Hi graham,

Firstly where are you going for your test drive? I would have thought that Llandysul might be the closer but that is only a guess in my head. If you wanted to try it on a trackway you could bring it here! I have two long tracks and a steep one down into the valley approaching the river. It could be driven a bit on my bottom fields, they are uncut and the grass very lumpy and tall and probabbly a bit boggy too at the moment You know where I am from our correspondence in the past, I can e mail you if you want . The Llandysul dealership has a Yeti 140 elegance for test driving and very nice it is too!

Skoda Dealers in Wales Skoda Retailer Reviews - Skoda Dealers in Wales at BRISKODA.net - BRISKODA - The Skoda Forums

Compared to the Landrover Freelander I, I would imagine that the Yeti would compare very well in size and ability off road and would easily out handle and out gun it on tarmac. I can not quite remember what the rear cargo area is like in the LR FL I, the Yeti's is not overly large but the rest of the inside is like the TARDIS! Where do you put your radio equipment, in the cargo area or in the front? The LRFL II, is another kettle of fish it is very much larger in fact so much so it is getting on for a full size off roader but without the capability and transfer box but it should be better than the Yeti if ultimate off road ability is a must. The cargo area of the LR FL II is larger by a margin. The performance of the Yeti is very creditable with superb economy so money left in the pocket to buy the drinks at the end of your day! .

I only came across the Yeti by chance I was filling up at valley services llandysul and saw it outside the Skoda Showroom. I just wandered over and had a casual look. I was really after a good used BMW X3 with HID lights preferably the 3L. That week end my wife, daughter and I took it out for a fast drive. I got a big shock! I suddenly realized what a very well sorted machine it was. Handling might not be quite as good as the BMW but it is very good and very complaint and most certainly better than the rest of the opposition. It drove very well with spirited performance. I did kneel down before it, no not in worship but to examine what lurked underneath . It was very tidy and everything well tucked away. I seem to recall that The LR FL has an exposed silencer at the back but the Yeti looked clean with nothing to catch. I can not see it being much worse than the FL I but not as good as the FL II I would say. At a guess I would have thought that it should be able to tackle something like Soar y mynydd easily enough with the present tyres but to expect it to do the Stratta Florida would be pushing it a bit fine :rotz: Putting some decent off road tyres on it would make it very good even winter tyres but that of course would not improve ramp over or approach and departure angles.

I would expect that your colleagues would make some fun at your expense but the Yeti might just wipe the smile off their faces!! It is a very competent bit of kit. By the way their is an off road steel under-tray on the options list.

Have you looked at U Tube site their is some mild off road driving to be seen on there in the Yeti.

Edited 12 November, 200916 yr by Anthony 1

Well that was a complete waste of time!!

Test drive booked through Skoda UK and confirmed by telephone by the dealer for today. I drive just under 50 miles to Furrows of Oswestry this morning and the Yeti isn't there and they know nothing about me coming!! WTF is wrong with these people, don't they want business?

Stroppy email sent to SUK and dealer.

that is an awful shame and must be incredibly infuriating not very good at all!. :thumbdwn:

I was wondering which dealership you might be going to. Its 58 miles to Llandysul from yours and they do have one there. What ever place you go to it might be as well to arrange direct with the dealership. I only arranged my drive about half an hour before hand on the spur of the moment.

Edited 15 November, 200916 yr by Anthony 1

I shall see what response I get tomorrow, but might just wait until I am going past somewhere, and see what they have available.