Many thanks for this reply John. How do you find they compare on ride quality? I'm still waiting for 1.2 to become available for a test drive at my local dealer so haven't yet been able to assess the two cars in this respect. My choice is essentially to go for another A Class or change to Yeti. I would give the A Class 10/10 in almost every respect but maybe only 6/10 for the ride which I find a little choppy on poor roads.

Yes I agree on the A Class's ride quality. Great on good smooth roads but not so good on some of our roads, especially after the recent cold weather has wreaked havoc.

Our M-B replaced a Smart which while a fantastic idea was ultimately too compromised. If you think the A Class is choppy, try a Smart!

We bought the M-B from Mercedes Direct in Manchester with 29k miles on and a M-B warranty. Had a couple of issues with the central locking and the rain sensing wipers but sorted by local M-B dealer.

I like the A Class and especially the CVT automatic. Quality-wise, albeit that the Yeti is new and the Merc is 5 years old, I don't think anyone could criticise the Skoda product. I guess the test will be how the Yeti feels and looks in 5 years. I think the Yeti's and indeed all Skodas' biggest problem is prejudice. I actually enjoy being someone who has the courage to go against the crowd but my Skoda career began with a 120 and continued via a Favorit, three Felicias and two Fabia estates to the Yeti. I've never, ever had a problem with my Skodas.

I'm lucky at this stage in that the Yeti is one of 4 cars in our household and it does not have to be my daily drive as I have a highly specced VW Passat 170 TDI as a company car. If I'd been choosing my company car I would have had a Superb.

The comparison with the Passat is intersting in that I feel the Yeti has a better ride and a smoother engine (CR v. PD).

I'd be interested to know how you feel about the Yeti 1.2 compared to the A Class. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

John

Babs,

As you should know by now I am not a tecky by any stretch of the imagination :S

and I may be way of the mark here :wonder: ... but could it be your lowered suspension that make the difference and not the tyres?

Just a thought :sun:

Lady Penelope

The suspension is stiffer - so less forgiving also.

The OEM sizes were worse on both standard and lowered suspension!

The suspension is stiffer - so less forgiving also.

The OEM sizes were worse on both standard and lowered suspension! Lady Penelope says "Right! that sorts that out then!"

"Low profile" terminology was once applied to 70% aspect ratio when the 70 series first came out .So the definition of "low profile" is time dependent.

Oh and working in the tyre business for twenty five years anything under 80 series is considered a low profile tyre so all yetis are on low profiles just some lower than others.

I rest my case!!

Thank you Pete.

The summer wheels and tyres are now mounted and have had a few hundred miles on them. See size below. There was no noticeable difference in the wear pattern on the front and back tyres. On the Octy, the fronts always wore a little more and were rounder. That is not the case with the Monster. After 16,000 km, there is 8.5 mm thread left - from an origunal 10 mm, which translates into a lifetime to 4 mm of 3 seasons or 50,000 km. That is similar to the Octy experience.

They were initíally louder than the winter tyres, but have setteld down now and are very quiet. Handling has improved a little, they are more crisp in the corners and seem to have lower rolling rsistance and a lower slip angle. The lower rolling resistance results in a generall 5% lower fuel indication on the MFD. I run the same pressure in them as in the winter tyres, 2.4 bar or 36 psig all around. (2.2 bar is recommended for light load, dealer always puts in pressure for max load, which is far too much for the rear.)

I would ascribe the "little improvement" to the very good handling properties of the winter wheels, which did not wallow as much as I had expected.

I will have a mad dash down to Milano and back next week, so if there are anything else to report from that, I will.

Does anyone know if you can order the higher spec yeti with 16" wheels? If yes, is there a price difference?

I've got my dealer's Yeti CR140 SE for a couple of days (in lieu of a Service dept loan car) that has 225/50 17s.

I have to say that the ride is excellent, if the tinyist bit jiggly on the worst surfaces, and the suspension overall is a magical combination of being supple to give a good ride but nevertheless is taught and controlled to give good handling/cornering. Somewhat better than by Octavia vRS and also better than an Octavia with 205./55 16s that I borrowed a couple of weeks ago.

Overall, I remember when 185/70 13s (fitted to a RWD Cavalier) were considered 'low profile' and 165 13s were the norm. I think of anything /70 down to /45 as being low profile these days and, arguably, /40 or lower as 'ultra low profile'.

For me, when my Yeti comes over the horizon, I have a set of 18s ready and waiting that will be fitted with 225/45 18s - just to sharpen up the handling a smidgen.

Does anyone know if you can order the higher spec yeti with 16" wheels? If yes, is there a price difference?

I was about to say, YES, just order Yeti with the 16s Winter wheels; but then I saw you are in Greece and that is perhaps a bit unlikely.

It would be very much down to 'local market conditions'; there are for example a number of engine/trim combinations across the Skoda range that are denied to us here in UK but otherwise are available within Europe. You'll have to talk to your local dealer.

My last car for 11 years was a Seat Ibiza 2L Cupra Sport on original equipment Pirelli's.

My Yeti 170 4x4 has now done approx 3k and the handling is excellent. It can be thrown into corners and handles really well. Therefore I find the standard tyres fine except for snow and ice which requires caution. 4x4's go better on snow/ice but don't stop any better!

In conclusion if I don't feel short changed going from GTI to " SUV " you shouldn't either.

You will chicken out before the car does unless you're on something!