Back home, safe and sound, and Betty the Yeti performed brilliantly all the way.

A grand total of 1785 miles at an overall average speed of 52 mph and fuel consumption of 45.9mpg. That includes a lot of pottering about in the Alps, including a run throught the Mont Blanc tunnel to Italy, and a trip over the pass beyond Chamonix/Argentiere into Switzerland. On the trip home we averaged 66 mph (including long stretches with the cruise control set at 80mph/130kph on the French motorways) and fuel consumption was 47.2mpg.

Really impressed with the comfort. Ride quality was excellent. Betty rode very straight and true at 80mph, the power steering seems to tighten and the car felt glued to the road. Engine noise negligible, a little road noise on the more concrete stretches of motorway, but pleasingly quiet on the tarmac. Wind noise too, not an issue. One of the most relaxing drives to the Alps I've ever had. In the mountains great fun on twisty roads up and over the passes - felt like a 'hot hatch'. Warm and sunny conditions (spring in the Alps) so no snow on the road to test the 4x4 qualities.

Yeti spotting ... well they're still a rare beast, but we did register a few sightings - mainly close to the Alps. Maybe that's their natural habitat? The first was a grey/silver French registered car, near Nantua, heading the opposite way to us on the motorway. Spotted another silver French number parked in the centre of Samoens a couple of times during our first week. Then on the way to Chamonix/Argentiere spotted two Italian registered cars within 20 minutes of each other, one black, one white. In Chamonix I saw a '60 plate UK car in steel grey parked near the Aiguille du Midi cable car station. My wife thought I was bonkers as I proceeded to do a 360 degree turn at the next roundabout to come back and park near it to take a picture of the two cars together. I'll try to post that on here later. On the way home kept pace with another silver French car on the A31 near Domremy for about 10 miles before he turned off. Finally at 9.15 this morning, unloaded from the ferry at Hull and heading west along the M62 between there and the A1, spotted a Muscovado car heading east.

An awful lot of people seemed to be looking admiringly at Betty. Started with the bloke on the car deck of the ferry after we boarded at Hull. As we walked away from the car to go to our cabin, he went over and had a really good look around, and grinned when he saw me looking back at him. Quite a few people pointing in the motorway services parking areas, and lots of looks over shoulders on the motorway. At the Swiss border the guard called out to his mate "mmm, Yeti" after he waved us through.

Thanks for the advice about fuel prices in Luxembourg - diesel at 1.20E per litre (as opposed to 1.50E in France). Was somewhat taken aback at the fact that every driver was breathalysed by police at Rotterdam as the ferry unloaded. Relieved to say that a large gin and tonic at 7.00pm, followed by a good half a bottle of 14% wine with dinner, leaves me clear to drive (on the lower Dutch alcohol limits) at 8.00am next morning

Glad you enjoyed the trip and welcome back!

Welcome back. Euro trips in the Yeti are fantasic fun. I hope to be doing more soon. :yes:

A few pictures of the trip.

A few pictures of the trip.

http://www.flickr.co...57626404067600/

Brilliant! Looks lovely!

[How did you insert the whole Flickr album like that?]

Brilliant! Looks lovely!

[How did you insert the whole Flickr album like that?]

I created the album on Flickr, then cut and paste the URL for the album (rather than for individual pictures) onto here. Didn't know it was going to work as a slideshow as it has ... lucky accident by a technical incompetent!

I created the album on Flickr, then cut and paste the URL for the album (rather than for individual pictures) onto here. Didn't know it was going to work as a slideshow as it has ... lucky accident by a technical incompetent!

Ah perfect! So just a standard cut and paste and the forum's software did the rest. I like that. I'll use it in future.

No a question: did you secure the skis somehow? Where you not scared of them flying forward in an emergency stop?

I can't believe you saw another UK registered Yeti. How random!

Ah perfect! So just a standard cut and paste and the forum's software did the rest. I like that. I'll use it in future.

No a question: did you secure the skis somehow? Where you not scared of them flying forward in an emergency stop?

Four pairs of skis in there, two in ski bags, two out. Put some ties top and bottom round the whole lot. They were wedged a bit, side to side, by the other luggage. Angled upwards from the back as you can see, and only about 6 inches protruding over the folded and rolled forward centre seat, and just past the drivers ear. They were pretty solidly 'in', didn't move at all the entire trip.

I know Skoda sell a 'ski bag' for the Yeti, and I did have a look at the pictures in the accessories brochure. Few problems (i) it only holds two pairs (ii) looking at the pictures, it requires the skis to lie horizontally from the boot, across the middle seat with just the back folded, and then between the front seats across the centre box. Tried laying my skis in this way without the bag as an experiment. Meant that (i) the centre box was then 'out of use', and (ii) getting to the handbrake was awkward.

Guess my skis are longer than Skoda anticipated :(

In the past I've always had a longer estate (Audi A4, Volvo V50, VW Passat) in which the skis laid no problem (and that's also one of the reasons I considered an Octavia Scout before opting for the Yeti), or when I had a Golf I used to put my roofbox on (but that wrecks fuel consumption, so I'd rather not). A compromise here, but it worked well enough.

Edited 1 April, 201115 yr by Bobdog

I can't believe you saw another UK registered Yeti. How random!

Yeah, I saw it in a car park as I was driving by, and bemused my wife by spinning round the next roundabout and coming back to the car park to take the picture. Saw more Yetis in France in 2 weeks than I've seen in UK in 3 months of ownership.

I went to Austria a month ago or so and I swear I've never seen such a heavy concentration of Octavia 4x4s and Yeti 4x4s. I must of seen 20 Yetis in 3 days. I'm sure I should move out there to sell Yetis, although my German isn't good enough to sell with! :'(

Very impressed with your speed/fuel consumption figures; must the benefit of the power/torque of the CR170 engine.

I went to Austria a month ago or so and I swear I've never seen such a heavy concentration of Octavia 4x4s and Yeti 4x4s. I must of seen 20 Yetis in 3 days. I'm sure I should move out there to sell Yetis, although my German isn't good enough to sell with! :'(

Back in January I flew to Geneva and hired a car to ski for a few days. Booked hire car online in advance and didn't specify a model, just a size; when I arrived they gave me the keys to a Golf estate '4motion'. When I went out to the parking lot to collect it, it was parked up beside a whole batch of hire Yetis - if I'd realised beforehand they'd had them I'd have asked for one!