Just a heads up that Ive just opened my copy of EVO (March 2010) and there is a nice one pager on the Yeti....

"I can make a stronger case for the Yeti as an evo car than I can several dedicated performance cars, like the BMW Z4 and Mazda 6 MPS, both of which leave me completely cold"

Impressed - as Evo is one of the few car mags that drops onto the mat that I actually make time to read!

Lee

Good spot, will have to read it in the newsagents

Good article on cold weather tyres in there also.

Good article on cold weather tyres in there also.

Agreed - very good indeed

Only managed to flick through my copy so far; caught sight of the cold weather tyres article but the Yeti one was hiding; I'll have to search it out!

Mind you; if EVO like Yeti then it must be good and you'll feel more comfortable about having ordered one. My dilemma; do I wait for the CR170 to come with DSG, which is a sometime/maybe never or do I take the plunge and order the manual anyway?

Only managed to flick through my copy so far; caught sight of the cold weather tyres article but the Yeti one was hiding; I'll have to search it out!

Its one of the opinion pieces, not a proper review with photos

And Focus, you could have quoted the right Mazda, its the 3 MPS not the 6 :p

My dilemma; do I wait for the CR170 to come with DSG, which is a sometime/maybe never or do I take the plunge and order the manual anyway?

Order the manual and work on your wrist action

. My dilemma; do I wait for the CR170 to come with DSG, which is a sometime/maybe never or do I take the plunge and order the manual anyway?

The six speed gearbox is one of the best I have come across. (A very slight criticism is that it is too easy to overcome the spring on the reverse gate.)

I suggest that, unless you need an automatic, go for the manual.

I was amazed at just how slick a gearbox it is - very short throw between gears and a very light clutch. Try one - I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Now found the article; an excellent piece.

The main point I like about EVO is that they have proper journalists who enjoy and are capable drivers, who write articles to be read by a human being. Not like a majority of mags these days who have a 'hack' reproducing the Manufacturers press release or who considers just listing the technical details and equipment levels a Road Test.

I'd definitely put Yeti down as an 'EVO' car, particularly the 1.8TSI or CR170 which have got to be in the 'stealth bomber' category.

I read it and was a little confused - had he actually driven one ?

Or was it more a case of an all-rounder for midweek, and a Caterham or some such for the weekend ?

I read it and was a little confused - had he actually driven one ?

somehow don't think he had; may be wrong; but at least he's got the perception correct.

Or was it more a case of an all-rounder for midweek, and a Caterham or some such for the weekend ?

that's about the nub of it, but the we can't all afford two cars -so one Yeti will have to do (unless you get a 1.8TSI or CR170 for 'self' and a 1.2TSI 2WD for 'partner' for shopping and the school run).

Edited 7 February, 201016 yr by bahnstormer vrs

I haven't read this article yet but I know Evo mag have had a Yeti 1.8 TSI in their car park.

I read somewhere that they tested it on their wet handling circuit against all the other European Car of the Year finalists and their own AMG Merc as a "control" and the Yeti "annihalated the opposition" - including the Merc

I read it and was a little confused - had he actually driven one ?

Or was it more a case of an all-rounder for midweek, and a Caterham or some such for the weekend ?

Evo have definetely driven the Yeti as I remember two exceptional bits on their feelings of the 1.8TSi - they werent as keen on the diesels as many reviewers but they are evo mag after all so many not too unexpected I guess!

Im trying to find the bits but they werent reviews as such.

One was ecoty or Evo car of the year...... it didnt win but you sort of got the feeling some thought it should have!

"Obviously it's hardly an evo car but that's not the point here. What is the point is that if you were to assess a compact SUV you would find higher levels of handling, ride and sheer driver involvement – evo values, in fact – in the Yeti than any comparable car.

For the UK jurors, part of the COTY assessment process involves driving the shortlisted cars around one version or another of the Silverstone circuits. This year it rained copiously on judgment day, but we still ventured on track in the C3 Picasso, the Astra, the Peugeot 3008, the Polo, the iQ, the E-class and the Yeti. Our track-choice E-class was the E63 AMG, which was hilariously incapable because it just could not find grip. Most other cars were simply bogged down by intrusive ESP and traction systems which could not be neutralised, and crawled round impotently.

Not so the Yeti. In four-wheel-drive, 1.8 turbo form it found grip, it found balance and it was by far the quickest car on the track. It annihilated the opposition. Yes, it was an unntaural circumstance and COTY is not about wet-track prowess, but the same Yeti had also proved much the most capable and confidence-inspiring on bumpy, twisty, wet roads too. I knew beforehand that the Yeti was very good, but this was a revelation.

Early next year there will be a COTY AGM. It's time for a better voting system with clearer criteria for victory, and that will be the time to devise one."

edit - added ecoty statement

Edited 7 February, 201016 yr by FocusZtec

Thanks FocusZtec; I didn't really get to read the ECoty edition and have now passed it on.

However, based on EVO's opinion Yeti might well embarrass a few Octavia vRSs - tee hee.

Edited 7 February, 201016 yr by bahnstormer vrs

I can remember buying the first edition of EVO way back.

The strangest / most disturbing thing I read today was the guy who got out of his Jag in the snow and was puzzled as to why the read wheels were spinning on the ice - he'd left it in Drive !

Very strange / irresponsible !

I'm going to have to dig out some old copies of EVO!

It appears the Yeti was tested with track days in mind though.

The Wife has already suggested that we take her new car to the Nordschleife.