I totally forgot about last week's motor expo at Canary Wharf! I needed a new small bicycle pump so drove there (as it is my closest shopping centre with an Evans bike shop) and what did I see when I came in? The Land Rover experience! Doh! So decided to do a quick run of the show but got side tracked when I came above ground after parking. There in the sun stood a Yeti! It was only the first one I got into since my 10 minute test drive over 2 months ago. And it had a sunroof. So having just driven sunroof open into the carpark it was a good back to back comparison. It opens as far forward over your head as the A2's. In some cars the windscreen goes so far back that the leading edge of the sunroof is BEHIND your head! Doh!

My impressions: the car is taller than I remember. There is also a fair step up to get in and out. The rear seat legroom is not huge. I think the rear seats can't be pushed back far enough? But the boot is big enough with the variable floor (sans spare) this one had. I really like the interior. Coming from an Audi the size of the lettering, the positioning, the way they click are spot on. After this I went to Land Rover and all their new cars' interiors have pretty awful Fisher Price buttons. I did not like them one bit.

But for the first time at a show like this Land Rover allowed people to drive their cars themselves over their course! Wow. I waited in the queue for just under an hour but it was worth it.

First you speed up over this "ice road" with all traction and ESP systems off then the same with them on. Of course the car snakes the first time and then goes straight the second time.

Then you go over these with first the right front wheel off the ground and then the left rear. It is amazing how accurate you can place the car with the help of the five external cameras. You can see exactly what is happening around the wheels. Brilliant tool.

After this you go up and over a steep incline and down the other side:

Above you can see the two cemeras facing the wheels on the central screen.

The Yeti will never manage this alas as with the Disco's suspension in the raised position the front and rear arrival/departure angles are HUGE.

The next bit was the best. You drive up sideways on this ramp. A lot of people were too scared: like this guy:

He only did what looks like a 20 degree angle. But I drove all the way up, and then turned left to straighten the car and the car was at a full 30 degree angle. Scary. It really felt as if it was going to fall over. But the instructor said it can in fact do 45 degrees!!! Yikes. Look at the lines on the building in the background of this image (and how I'm leaning for dear life to stay upright!):

After this you go over another some-wheels-in-the-air ridge and you are done.

It was a great experience I have to say. It really just wanted me to do some of this in my own Yeti. I can't wait.

But back to the Skoda stand. Spoke at length to one of the people there and she promised to join Briskoda to see our comments as I told her in no uncertain terms that Skoda is not making "Happy drivers" at the moment. [Dealers lack of communication, all emails to SUK Customer Services being ignored, no calling you back, horrid brochures, terrible website (which she mentioned before I even did!), etc, etc] What will come of it I don't know. She did mention that Skoda will do more shows like this to promote the brand but that they need to keep a balancing act to not get too carried away and get too many customers that then become "unhappy drivers" in the months and months of waiting for a car. Hmmm yes... we'll see.

Edited 14 June, 201016 yr by 900000

The Discovery 4 still amazes me with what it can do. It makes off roading look like childs play. Shame the surround camera is just under £1k?:(

The Discovery 4 still amazes me with what it can do. It makes off roading look like childs play. Shame the surround camera is just under £1k?:(

Yikes! That is pricey. BUT they are brilliant. The moment the orange cones I was aiming for disappeared from view the only way to see them was with the cameras. And I suspect they will be as usefull when reverse parking.

I definately need some form of parking aid in the disco.lol

You should try a Land Rover experience. You get one free when you test drive a freelander.

I definately need some form of parking aid in the disco.lol

You should try a Land Rover experience. You get one free when you test drive a freelander.

I should do that before getting the Yeti. I can still rock up in the Audi (or take the MX-5). I'll see but after this little experience I'm well up for it.

I do not see anything on that course that the SM would not handle. Wonder if they would let you try?

The Discovery 4 still amazes me with what it can do. It makes off roading look like childs play. Shame the surround camera is just under £1k?:(

The Disco is good - if you can find a decent dealer because in all the surveys they are bad. This clip is pretty impressive, if you haven't seen it already. I'm sure the Disco has a similar system to the Haldex but the Yeti can put about 85% of it's power through one wheel if necessary, as you can see in this clip.

I like the look of the Discovery 2, but I'm not too sure I want to own a Land Rover, the brand is just too hunting shooting and fishing for someone who lives in the inner city and only gets close to the countryside by wearing a black biker (not khaki) Barbour, like me. The brand is a bit Clarkson isn't it? Mouthy.

I'll never see the 4x4 used much on my car either but it does make the car safer generally, as I kid myself.

People buy Land Rovers because they really want a Range Rover, the names are glued together and I expect one day it will be the Range Rover Discovery, if it isn't already in some peoples minds. Land Rovers to me are very uncomfortable, thirsty noisy 4x4 tractors, which is different to the image most people under 40 have. The Range Rover is good at what it does - but ugly and old fashioned.

It's no surprise that they are selling them in Canary Wharf, it's a badge of honour for financial traders wives to have huge black RR and shows the neighbours you might have a place in the muddy country as well. The Yeti is the acceptable face of the 4x4 because it's friendly looking, compact - and Skoda is not a brand to brag about - yet.

I do not see anything on that course that the SM would not handle. Wonder if they would let you try?

Nope they won't I suspect AND there is NO way a Yeti would be able to go up the steep angled one (of which I did not take pics but you can see it in the distance in the picture of the "ice road") as the arrival and departure angles are very, very steep. Had it been this one the Yeti would have been fine:

It is also the reason why they had no Freelanders doing the course. Freelanders don't have air suspension that can be raised. And you have to have the car in the highest suspension setting to get up those angles.

Nope they won't I suspect AND there is NO way a Yeti would be able to go up the steep angled one (of which I did not take pics but you can see it in the distance in the picture of the "ice road") as the arrival and departure angles are very, very steep. Had it been this one the Yeti would have been fine:

It is also the reason why they had no Freelanders doing the course. Freelanders don't have air suspension that can be raised. And you have to have the car in the highest suspension setting to get up those angles.

NOW you tell us :wonder:

I agree that the Yeti is lacking low range and height for that last pic.

Now let's just not forget either that it IS a SOFTROADER , not s purpose designed off road vehicle.

NOW you tell us

I agree that the Yeti is lacking low range and height for that last pic.

Now let's just not forget either that it IS a SOFTROADER , not s purpose designed off road vehicle.

No, I said it in my first post!

The Yeti will never manage this alas as with the Disco's suspension in the raised position the front and rear arrival/departure angles are HUGE.

I realise the Land Rovers are proper off road vehicles and the Yeti a softroader. But I would love to go on a purpose designed course for the Yeti - like you see on all the Yeti promotional videos on YouTube. It will still manage more than a Golf can!