Anyone else noticed how the roof grab handles are not "damped" like in most, if not all other VAG group vehicles?........even my VW Transprter T5 van had them. Strange then, that Skoda decided to omit them from the Yeti - at least in my SE based Urban.

Seems a bit daft that the Skoda can go to the trouble/expense of putting a loop behind the front seat belts to stop them knocking against the B pillar, but cannot standardise the damped handles across the VAG range. Does not bother me in the slightest though. However, would be a bit miffed if they were not standard on the Elegance.

Edited 11 September, 201213 yr by Truthseeker

All I'd noticed was that the handles are spring-loaded retractables. Just checked, and they do 'bounce' a couple of times when they're released - quite softly, though. Annie is our first VAG car, so no comparisons to make.

What I should have said is that most VAG vehicles have what appears to be a "oil damped" soft closing grab handle ie: when released the handles "glides" back very softly and slowly.

Think this says it all and explains the rationale of omission (Quote from an Autocar test) -

"The top of the dash is swathed in soft-touch ‘slush’ plastics, the fabrics are good and some of the attention to detail is terrific. The door bins, for example, are moulded to hold a one-litre drink bottle and the chrome door handles are rubber-backed to enhance their tactile appeal.

Given these pleasing trinkets, it’s a surprise to note that the grab handles aren’t damped, VW-style. Skoda’s official line is that their customers don’t care, but it’s impossible not to conclude that the snap-shut handles are a sop to the company’s German masters"

Edited 11 September, 201213 yr by Truthseeker

That's why it's a Škoda, not a VW. I'll take the omission of pointlessly-damped handles for decent value-for-money.

Anyone else noticed how the roof grab handles are not "damped" like in most, if not all other VAG group vehicles?........even my VW Transprter T5 van had them. Strange then, that Skoda decided to omit them from the Yeti - at least in my SE based Urban.

Seems a bit daft that the Skoda can go to the trouble/expense of putting a loop behind the front seat belts to stop them knocking against the B pillar, but cannot standardise the damped handles across the VAG range. Does not bother me in the slightest though. However, would be a bit miffed if they were not standard on the Elegance.

Just checked......not damped on my Elegance...

I too had noticed this and wondered if it was a cost saving option (seems like it is?). Haven't had chance to see if it's possible to modify them to be soft close like they are in my 12 year old Golf...

I notice the same thing a couple of days ago when I was a passenger in the car. I can honestly say I have touched my grab handle no more than 5 times in the 2.5 years of ownership. Having said that, I do miss spring loaded bonnet as I do check my oil quite often (unlike some 1.2 TSI, mine has not lost any oil in the 2.5 years of ownership except for the first 3000 miles).

It is rather bizarre - we were looking at the Golf/Golf Plus when we bought our first Yeti. Although the VW has damped grab handles and gas struts to raise the bonnet, some of the Yeti equipment simply isn't available - even as an option - except on the GTI - in particular the excellent (and standard) Elegance headlamps. I can live without the VW's "luxuries" but we would really miss some of the standard equipment on the Yeti.

I just hope that VW don't start chipping away at the underlying engineering - the appearance of a torsion-beam rear axle in the Rapid is a worrying trend, though I believe the new Octavia will be based on the new MQB platform, shared with the new Golf.

a cost saving option (seems like it is?).

Be thankful you have them, due to cost cutting ijn the back of some Ibiza's they are no longer there.

This also occured to me when I got my first Skoda (07 Octavia vRS) but once I got the car outside the showroom it never bothered me again and it never has.

The damped grab handles have great showroom appeal (and are easy for the salesman to demonstrate the "quality" of VW engineering, etc), but make no difference at all in day to day use, so if thier absence helps keep the cost of Skodas down then it makes sense not to fit them IMHO.

You haev to remember that Skoda is supposed to be VW budget brand!!!