Tim,

are you saying that in normal driving the Yeti puts 10% of power to the back all the time?

Yes I belive this to be the case for the Gen 4 system.

Regards,

TP

not heard about them before, but reading the article it doesn't include the Haldex 4 system. It seems to only cover Haldex 1 and 2. Perhaps they haven't found a need of it for the later systems because they are more sophisticated.

Did you look at the prices!!!

http://www.hpamotorsports.com/haldex.htm

The link above does have support for Haldex 4 as detailed in the lower half of the web page.

Yep, the price of $1100 is a lot and I'd certainly want to try it out before being able to justify such a sum. Questions/tests like: how much more economical is the Eco mode than the default automatic mode of part time 4WD? How much less understeer is there when accelerating through corners in Race mode (permanent 4WD)...?

The cost of the Haldex controller is the main reason why I would like to see it standard on the 4WD Yeti

So so everybody would have to pay the etra $1100 on top of the standard price.........

So so everybody would have to pay the etra $1100 on top of the standard price.........

I see your point, though I doubt the cost is really $1100 as there is profit involved.

Okay - an optional extra then for 500 pounds would be reasonable.

Because I live out in the countryside (amazingly there is quite a bit in Essex). I live in a village where the roads are not salted or cleared for 5 miles into Colchester and I then commute up to the Cambridgeshire border along a lot of B roads, that are again not treated.

At weekends we often venture up to Suffolk and then it goes properly off road. It is used quite a bit on muddy farm roads and tracks and the 4wd gives that extra bit of reassurance.

During last winter (not as harsh as this one!!!) I lost three days of work through not getting to work. This winter I have actually relished the driving and have not got stuck once but I accept that this could be largely due to using winter tyres.

Another reason for 4wd purchase however was a desire to have a 140 CRd and they are presently only available with 4 wheel drive. My Octavia had 140 hp and I wanted something with a similar amount of oomph. As also mentioned in another post, I feeel that the Yeti looks like a 4wd and therefore I personally would not want a 2wd.

4wd done properly as per Skodas and particularly the Yeti, seems to provide a car that is nice and light to drive, economical (an easy 50mpg) and nippy both on twisty country roads and the odd trip onto a dual carriageway or even a Motorway. Actually, I've just realised, it's never been on a Motorway - the nearest is 50 miles away in the wrong direction for me!!

So to summarise:

Rural Essex/Suffolk + 20 miles of ice and packed snow + 5am + 4wd SM = happy Skoda owner.

Rural Essex/Suffolk + 2wd SM = happy Skoda owner (but just in the summer and mainly if the roads are dry and mud free).

I'll go and sort the Y fronts now :p

Point taken. My reason for a 4x4 is very much the same. Not only for winter snow but also for floods,( where ground clearance matters) and the soft verges. I have needed the four wheel drive on a number of occasions when the front is in the **** and the rear on dry land.