Yeti v Countryman

[Fluffy destroyer of worlds]

Now I know Auto Express is only one step up from the emergency bog roll that is 'What Car' - riddled with German bias and agendas but it does like the Yeti.

Todays issue pits a 140 SE against the new Countryman and it's not good reading for Mini fans. You might expect a BMW fettled Mini derivative to be less practical and perhaps more economical (small diesel and stop start) and you would be right.

But, it also gets royally stuffed on the handling front, ride, steering feel, quality of cabin etc etc. The new uber Mini comes a distant second. Now I owned one of the first Minis in the country, and yes it was a hoot to drive. It also broke down 3 times. The handling was very good indeed but it goes to show what an amazing job Skoda have done in fettling the Yeti chassis.

Being an ex Mini customer I have been inundated with invitations/brochures (almost as bad as the yeti one!) etc but they are all happily going in the recycling bin.

Mind you, I bet the fashionistas buy the bloated Mini in droves, doesn't bother me, exclusivity is nice.

Edited 16 September, 2010 by Fluffy destroyer of worlds

[900000]

Yes, the awful Countryman has been discussed at length in the previous thread. But I'm very interested to see how it fares against the Yeti. I will buy this issue for sure!

But why do you rate the magazine so lowly if they put the MINI in its rightful place?!

[Fluffy destroyer of worlds]

AutoExpress is even more biased towards German cars than Autocar. Autocar seems to have mellowed of late mind you.

It seems the German magazines (of which AutoExpress is one) have been royally upset by the competence of the new Alfa Giulietta and the amazing MultiAir engines FPT have introduced. Whilst every other magazine has been extremely positive about an Alfa that finally gets it right, Auto Express and its German cronies have been doing everything possible to rubbish the new Italian.

I am sure Alfa being Alfa (or Fiat...) they are more than capable of shooting themselves in the foot without biased German publicity. The Giulietta stuffing the Golf in the NCAP test really rankled apparently - a well built Alfa, surely not!

I speak from some experience, 14 Alfas owned and not a single breakdown and none living up to the reputation painted by the press.

I am hoping (when it arrives) that the Yeti lives up to its Czech origins (a fine engineering reputation) rather thanVW's. I have gone German in the past, with disasterous results.

[BigHusky]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/grouptests/256960/mini_countryman_vs_skoda_yeti.html

I read somewhere else? the Countryman has many hundreds of orders even before it comes on sale. Such is the mentality of lemmings.

[900000]

http://www.autoexpre...skoda_yeti.html

I read somewhere else? the Countryman has many hundreds of orders even before it comes on sale. Such is the mentality of lemmings.

I think it is just existing MINI owners growing up. Who can live with a car with hardly no back seat room for a long time? And that briefcase only boot? Not many. Now that MINI is finally making a proper Golf sized car (albeit a VERY pricey one) these owners will all upgrade without a test drive I'm sure. They are already used to the Fisher Price interior plastics and THAT speedometer and all the over designed teenager-actracting awfulness of a MINI interior. Sophisticated people will never in a million years be seen dead in, or indeed buy, such childish cars.

[Fluffy destroyer of worlds]

Minis have always sold to the fashion set many of whom wouldn't recognise decent handling and steering weight if it hit them. I did think that finally from a handling point of view the Yeti might well have met its match (if not in any other area compared to the Yeti) but it would appear not. Autocar too has been distinctly lukewarm about the Countrymans enjoyment factor.

Seems the people who do buy Minis for the fun factor may well find it sadly lacking. Yummy mummies however will no doubt find it matches there latest spraytan perfectly.

Not for me.

[riocca]

Minis have always sold to the fashion set many of whom wouldn't recognise decent handling and steering weight if it hit them. I did think that finally from a handling point of view the Yeti might well have met its match (if not in any other area compared to the Yeti) but it would appear not. Autocar too has been distinctly lukewarm about the Countrymans enjoyment factor.

Seems the people who do buy Minis for the fun factor may well find it sadly lacking. Yummy mummies however will no doubt find it matches there latest spraytan perfectly.

Not for me.

Will I have to get a Spray tan to match my Tangerine Yeti?

John

[Jock]

Sophisticated people will never in a million years be seen dead in, or indeed buy, such childish cars.

Many years ago, as a computer service engineer, I was asked what I thought of the [then] new IBM PCs which had just come on the market. I replied, "Look at what you are getting for your money ... ", and went on to compare the price and specification against several other rival machines, finishing up with, "Nobody in their right mind will buy the IBM PC."

I have since lived to regret that statement!

[Fluffy destroyer of worlds]

Nowt Easyjet (cheap and Orange) about the Tangerine Yeti. A colour I thought long and hard about myself. Can't wait to see one!

[900000]

I have since lived to regret that statement!

Oh they will sell make no mistake about that. But mostly (again) to people that buy a fashion statement and go via the brochure and I'm sure did not even go for a test drive.

And don't forget how many of these will go to estate agents. Finally a car for them where they can put people in the back! (and not just children - who, don't buy houses! doh!)

[EdmundBlackadder]

Many years ago, as a computer service engineer, I was asked what I thought of the [then] new IBM PCs which had just come on the market. I replied, "Look at what you are getting for your money ... ", and went on to compare the price and specification against several other rival machines, finishing up with, "Nobody in their right mind will buy the IBM PC."

I have since lived to regret that statement!

Is that a little like the record exec who turned down The Beatles? My wife recites a story about a meeting at her large multinational retail company around 10 years ago where someone came in to talk about the internet, email and how people would buy on line in the future. All her bosses, and she herself, scoffed at the idea. "email, the internet, why would people use that?" ....................

[Fluffy destroyer of worlds]

Re the Countryman clientele buying without test drives. Just that has happened at my local Mini emporium. I was proudly informed by the dealer that almost the whole of their entire allocation for 2010 was sold out. Obviously not a single one driven and this was way before test cars for the press became available.

Similar thing happens with BMWs and a fair few other makes nowadays it has to be said.

[Llanigraham]

Just think, 20 years ago how many people thought they would be buying a Skoda?

(other than the fanatics!)

[Fluffy destroyer of worlds]

The amount of stick I have had for ordering the Yeti is unbelievable. I thought the message was getting through but the worst seem to be those people who already own a VW or an Audi.

From a Passat and Audi owner 'it's a Skoda, a box on wheels, horrible, how could you'.

Strangely my Alfa driving colleagues have been the most complimentary, they all seem to rate Skodas highly - especially VRs's.

Couldn't give a stuff myself, this will be my first though I made the dreadful mistake of getting a Colt CZT in preference to a Fabia VRs a couple of cars ago. Heaven knows what I was thinking of, mogadon on wheels.

[900000]

Couldn't give a stuff myself, this will be my first though...

This will be my very first Skoda too and I'm coming from an Audi as has a fair few other Yeti owner's on here I know about. I judge something on its merits and not its badge. If you could cover the badge and let all the VW/Audi/"other make badge snobs out there" look at the Yeti (or any Skoda) without prejudice they too will probably choose one. But as it stands it really does not bother me what they think.

Skodas: For the informed few.

[Jock]

The amount of stick I have had for ordering the Yeti is unbelievable. I thought the message was getting through but the worst seem to be those people who already own a VW or an Audi.

From a Passat and Audi owner 'it's a Skoda, a box on wheels, horrible, how could you'.

Strangely my Alfa driving colleagues have been the most complimentary, they all seem to rate Skodas highly - especially VRs's.

Couldn't give a stuff myself, this will be my first though I made the dreadful mistake of getting a Colt CZT in preference to a Fabia VRs a couple of cars ago. Heaven knows what I was thinking of, mogadon on wheels.

You think that's bad? My last car was a Lotus Proton Gen-2!

[hmibennett]

I actually had a Skoda about 25 years ago - I think it was called an Estelle or something like that: bright red with black vinyl roof, rear engine and mocked everywhere! In fact, it was quite comfortable and reliable - and dirt cheap, which was what enabkled me to actually buy a new car back in those days. I returned to the Skoda fold (after good experiences with Citroen, OK with Fords and Hondas and a disastrous Land Rover Freelander) a couple of years ago and like most users of this site cannot understand the short-sighted and bigoted snobbery that still kicks in when you mention what you drive to some people. Their loss, I say. They'll be green with envy when my new SM is sitting on the drive!

[jeep]

AutoExpress is even more biased towards German cars than Autocar. Autocar seems to have mellowed of late mind you.

It seems the German magazines (of which AutoExpress is one) have been royally upset by the competence of the new Alfa Giulietta and the amazing MultiAir engines FPT have introduced. Whilst every other magazine has been extremely positive about an Alfa that finally gets it right, Auto Express and its German cronies have been doing everything possible to rubbish the new Italian.

I am sure Alfa being Alfa (or Fiat...) they are more than capable of shooting themselves in the foot without biased German publicity. The Giulietta stuffing the Golf in the NCAP test really rankled apparently - a well built Alfa, surely not!

I speak from some experience, 14 Alfas owned and not a single breakdown and none living up to the reputation painted by the press.

I am hoping (when it arrives) that the Yeti lives up to its Czech origins (a fine engineering reputation) rather thanVW's. I have gone German in the past, with disasterous results.

In my younger days was always a big alfa fan, and never had any mechanical problems with them and loved the engines, apart from the poor quality steel that rusted if you looked at it - in the pre 1980's (lots of other cars shared the same problem) my 1976 Alfasud ti separated into layers like paper mache when it rusted, but was great fun to drive.

Edited 16 September, 2010 by jeep

[Fluffy destroyer of worlds]

I had several Suds (mostly Sprints) and yep, they all dissolved Fabulous fun though and none 'broke'.

I have just sold a much loved GTA which was again 100% reliable with an engine to die for but absolutely useless for my 'lifestyle' - the Yeti is perfect and unexpectedly is a hoot to drive (at least the 1.2 demo was) now I know most Skodas are a good steer - VRs exceptionally so but I thought an SUV would be a tad dull. Far from it. Getting really excited now, gets built in a couple of weeks then the agonising wait for it to appear.

Edited 16 September, 2010 by Fluffy destroyer of worlds

[CJJE]

According to Parker.co.uk, there is now a 7 month wait for a new Yeti (and even then it will not come with a sunroof). The Mini Countryman with sunroof can be yours by February, and has much better fuel consumption and CO2 figures. If Skoda don't get their fingers out to meet the demand for what is in indeed a superior car, they must expect buyers to go for a car with lower running costs and a lower depreciation. I'd like to buy a Yeti 1.6TDI Elegance in November 2011. But the way deliveries are going it looks like I'd do well to buy a MIni now, order a Yeti in the spring and then sell the Mini in November!

Chris

PS: Having now read AutoExpress' review, I can't understand why they harp on about the BRITSH Mini Countryman so much! BMW/MINI are of course based in Munich, and the Countryman is built in their Austrian factory - so there's no real British element to the car at all!!

Chris

Edited 16 September, 2010 by CJJE

[900000]

If Skoda don't get their fingers out to meet the demand for what is in indeed a superior car, they must expect buyers to go for a car with lower running costs and a lower depreciation.

They did. From January the Roomster production is moving away from Kvasiny so Yeti and Superb production can be ramped up.

[Trevorminor]

Interesting that the official launch day for the Countryman is exactly a year to the day after the Yeti was launched.

I have a gut feeling that the MINI brand is presently losing a fair bit of street cred and this will impact on residuals for them. A work colleague has struggled to sell his wife's early Cooper with a low mileage and good spec and I think he has now resorted to selling via Webuyanycar.com! He wished that he had instead taken the trade in price from his local Honda dealer when they bought a Jazz.

My local MINI dealer has simply row upon row of secondhand MINIs. Whereas local Skoda dealers struggle to find decent secondhand Skodas of any description - perhaps the motoring world is coming to its senses. I dismissed the BMW Mini when it was first launched at the NEC for being much too small on the inside without being similarly small on the outside. I think the same now and with the likes of AutoExpress and Autocar saying that the Countryman is not a patch to drive on the Yeti, after the first flurry of orders, things may go a bit quiet in Austria where the Countryman is built.

Yes, the key reason for buying a MINI has been that it is built in the UK but the new Countryman is in fact built just over the border from where our SMs are born.

I hope to get a drive in a Countryman via work, if I do I'll report back.

[900000]

MINI have also designed themselves into a corner. The first new MINI looks pretty much exactly like the new new MINI. So why trade up? It is supposed to be good for the resale value of the older one that new one does not date it too much. Think current Honda Civic next to the previous one! You can't even tell they are the same make let alone that one followed the other! VW does it well in that from the Golf 2 to the 6 now there is a clear lineage but they do differ and thus there is a reason to buy a new one. Apart from each generation getting bigger of course. And this bloated Countryman is just that. The MINI template, just bloated and VERY ungainly. Just look at it next to a Yeti below! Awful. It looks 20% bigger yet is easily 20% smaller inside than a Yeti. Eh?!!?

(And by the way when the new MINI came out the distinction was made that a Mini (normal case) is the original 1960s car and the MINI (all uppercase) is the new BMW one. Though most magazines have forgotten this and non car people have no idea.)

[Trevorminor]

The Mini was fantastic. My 1967 Austin Mini 850 Super DeLuxe smiles at me every time I go to visit the deep freeze that it shares space with in my garage. It's near concourse but sadly SORNed due to a lack of time to do it proper justice.

The MINI is a total misuse of the name and Sir Alec Issigonis is probably rotating violently in his grave about the Countryman.

The picture in 900000's post really says it all. A crisply designed Yeti alongside a bloated blob.

[mbrock]

I was clearing out my spare room and came across the September 1974 edition of Car magazine (which in those days was worth reading). The letters page included this letter (which I copied to send to my old-Mini-owning friend, being an erstwhile "Froggie Nissen hut" owner myself). It struck me that, with some minor editing, it could still be relevant today!

Mark