Yeti 4x4 in the snow?

[darfash]

Hi everybody!

What are they like in deep snow?

I've been considering getting rid of my Fabia 1.9 TDi (will be a pity - bloody good car) and my Fourtrak which I use mostly in the winter - now this car is incredible in deep snow (8-12in) and the council never clears the road where we live in NE Scotland, we usually have to wait for a local farmer and his JCB to clear the road out then the Fourtrak comes into its own.

What I really want to know is will the Yeti cope with this sort of snow, and would it require all terrain tyres on as well?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Yeti_Man]

From experience, with winter rubber fitted it's capable of getting through deep snow with no issue. The relative lack of ground clearance is it's weakest point for more serious stuff IMO but the tractive abilities of the haldex 4 system are exceptional when the appropriate rubber is fitted. :-)

[Macdemon]

Welcome darkish

A 2 wheel drive car with decent winter tyres will be better in snowy conditions than a 4x4 with summer tyres.

If you kit the Yeti out with winter boots, then there will be NO stopping it.

When you've decided on the right spec for your new Yeti, don't forget the rough road package.

That will give extra protection to venerable parts of the underside of the vehicle.

WELL worth the extra cost, especially in the region you live in. :yes:

[rockhopper]

I would have thought that most soft roaders will struggle with 10-12" of snow. Could even beach it if it is dense enough, lifting the front wheels. I've seen a few videos to that effect as well. Might be ok with snow chains.

As mentioned above ground clearance is the Yeti's biggest problem in snow and mud (and water :lol:)

[bargee1759]

Hi, my 4x4 170tdi was fantastic in 8" of snow with its 16" 215 Vrederstein Wintrac Xtremes on. On a 5 hour, all snowy 130mile A&B road journey, the traction control light flashed once! The most worrying think is just how much more grip you have than everyone else. You do feel like a sitting duck when you're sat still & you see someone approaching from behind though!

[The Plumber]

Likewise had no issues getting through a number of heavy snow falls with proper winter tyres fitted, including taking to the grass verges to pass a number of 'regular' cars either wheel spinning or beached.

Note: used both 205/55 and 215/60 R16 winter tyres on the yeti in heavy snow and both work equally as well, the 215 mind appears a little more stable when the temps start to climb in the spring.

TP

[Yeti_Man]

Likewise had no issues getting through a number of heavy snow falls with proper winter tyres fitted, including taking to the grass verges to pass a number of 'regular' cars either wheel spinning or beached.

Note: used both 205/55 and 215/60 R16 winter tyres on the yeti in heavy snow and both work equally as well, the 215 mind appears a little more stable when the temps start to climb in the spring.

TP

+1

ive also run both sizes and agree that the 215's seemed better after the real cold snap passed.

[Ootohere]

The actual fact is that it is very unlikely that even a Yeti 4x4 on snow tyres will get you through the Depth of snow that the Fourtrak gets you through on A/T's.

A front wheel drive Yeti on Snows will get you no further than the Fabia would.

If the police are saying 'passable with 4x4's only' on the A93, A96, B974 etc,

they will not let you proceed in a Yeti, 4x4 badge or not!

The Police here now have CRV's & X-Trails and need to Hire or borrow proper 4x4 when there is proper snow.

Volvos even with Heldex & BMW's even X5's just stay parked.

george

Some people put too much trust in terms 4x4 and winter tyres

& think the AA or RAC will be there in an hour..

[Llanigraham]

A front wheel drive Yeti on Snows will get you no further than the Fabia would.

Yes it will because it has a higher ground clearance.

If the police are saying 'passable with 4x4's only' on the A93, A96, B974 etc,

they will not let you proceed in a Yeti, 4x4 badge or not!

Why?

[The Plumber]

Thinking the same thing; Yeti 180mm underneath (except Greenline), Fabia hatch on standard suspension 134mm :wonder:

Know which I would prefer to be in, if one got caught in a heavy snow fall.

TP

[Ootohere]

46mm (1 3/4") the difference between ooh & ahh in many houses.

A 5 minute blow of snow across an open field will build a 24" drift easy, so nothing is passing unless pushing its way through or over and through..

180mm (7") and dragging everything underneath, if your tyres are getting traction and the snow is 8" deep. (200mm) or 12" (300mm)

Get caught in a Heavy snow fall in the Yeti fine,

Stiil moving or caught not moving in a Heavy blowing blizzard and the Fabia might just be the better place to be.

Less of a slab sided wind & snow catcher. (or one with roof rails is even worse)

Not so much space in a Fabia, but cozy enough. to sit it out.

If trying to get up that slope in the 2 wd, the Fabia will more likely be on the narrower tyres (around 195) unless the Yeti has gone narrow from the 215's.

If the passengers are out pushing, it will be around 250-300 kg less they are pushing.

* please, no 'heated rear screen to keep your hands warm', jokes.*

?Why do the Police not let Soft Roader 4x4' SUV's with Snow tyres through when they say 'Road Closed except for 4x4's'?

Because they can not go in with their Soft Roader 4x4 SUV's to get you out!

The OP did ask about 8"-12" deep snow,

thats uncleared roads or cleared and building up again.

I have used a Yeti 4x4 in those conditions and it was no use. No more than a Freelander is any good.

The Mini Countryman was even worse.

If yours are all good when nothing else but 4x4's with a higher clearance are moving, Ploughs and griitters have not been out, then thats great..

george

Early April in Tayside, 2-3 days after the Hottest March Day on record. Then came the 'Lambing Snows', this time,'Thunder Snow'

this was in the 1st hour.

The Roads 1 mile away were blocked due to drifting, to anything but a Full on 4x4. ie Fourtraks etc.

[bettysman]

Point taken, but there are conditions when even any type of vehice will not get through. Earlier this year we had a train come a halt at Corrour station because it could not go any further because of a snow drift. With in minutes it could not return the way it has come because the snow had drifted behind it. Needed a big diesel locomotive to rescue it with lots of guys with shovels.

[The Plumber]

Been out in small hatchbacks with skinny tyres in some heavy and prolonged snow falls and true they can make good progress, even with summer rubber but I've got through snow covered roads in the Yeti where the little hatch would just 'ground out' (passed a few in that situation), as did my previous Golf TDI 4motion (silly sport suspension). Often mind, you have a real battle to find a route home, with either deep drifts or abandoned/stuck 'regular' cars/lorries blocking the main roads and country lanes that criss-cross the Wolds. Five hours is my record to date, looking for a clear pathway through from work; normally 50 minutes/36 miles.

Oh and that's not me full of bravado trying to break records, it's always at the back of the mind that I may need to turn back for York and hopefully impose on one of my city dwelling colleagues of a sofa for the night.

TP

[Yeti_Man]

I dont have any photos hosted online of Switzerland and Germany when it was DEEP snow (12 inches over night two christmas's ago) but the Yeti 4x4 with snow rubber is exceptionally capable!

Edited 17 September, 2012 by FocusZtec

[Ootohere]

That looks like you are in 6" of snow or less and i can not see you going a few hundred yards let alone a mile if that was 6" deeper.

george

[Ootohere]

NE Scotland 2010,

the Snow started on the 24th of October & it lay for 5 weeks and stayed below freezing for 5 weeks.

Then returned in the New year.

Skoda Yeti 4x4's were going no place unless the Road was ploughed.

george

[the_raz]

The tires are actually more of an issue than than 2wd or 4wd. A 2wd car with proper winter tires will be better than any 4wd in snow. Get a set of these and you will be fine

I drove a 2wd Yeti one winter when there were quite a lot of snow for Southern Finland, and it was by far the best car I have driven in winter conditions. Admitted, I was driving mainly on unplowed city roads and streets, but the 4 cm more ground clearance than your average car made all the difference, and I had no problem getting anywhere I wanted. So I can only imagine how good a 4WD Yeti will be in winter.

This is the kind of stuff a 2wd Yeti handles with ease...

Edited 17 September, 2012 by the_raz

[rog737]

8 to 12 inches is always going to be a struggle but this video is worth a look:

The red and white ones are 2wd ones, the others are coping very well.

[Ootohere]

The OP needs to comment again really.

What you are showing is considered as on Prepared Surfaces or On Piste,

Driving on top of snow and not Through deep snow which they do not do very well,

An old Fiesta, Panda or even better a Justy or similar copes as well or better in those conditions

i thought he was considering gettting shot of the Fourtrak for a Yeti & asking if it would cope with un-ploughed roads.

george

[Hirundo]

An old Fiesta, Panda or even better a Justy or similar copes as well or better in those conditions

What the...?!? :wonder:

And may I ask about the pics in Your last post – was that the situation, where (Quote): "Skoda Yeti 4x4's were going no place unless the Road was ploughed."?

Edited 17 September, 2012 by Hirundo

[Ootohere]

"An old Fiesta, Panda or even better a Justy or similar copes as well or better in those conditions."

That is said by me in comparison to those 2 wd Yetis in the Video clip..

Thats just next to a main road to Carnoustie which was ploughed,

roads off it and out in the open were not ploughed.

The picture is just as a thaw has set in.

That circumstance was Outside Forfar in Angus,

but in many places in Tayside and the North East of Scotland.

Roads in the town stayed under snow for weeks as they were not ploughed to the tar,

but the subject was not the roads in the towns.

Back roads and Farm roads which around here & in much of Scotland are dealt with or treated by Farmers or Private contractors,

or as the case,often are not treated.

Roads were blocked to cars & Lorries,

not gridlocked like on the M8 Edinburgh Glasgow,

but at times not Ploughed and not drivable in anything like a Yeti 4x4.

Glens, Hill passes & even just back roads.

george

[Hirundo]

Ok, I'm not familiar with the climate (and road-) conditions in Scotland, but what I can see from those pics, it looks exactly like a perfectly normal winter day in here in Estonia (same in Finland, Sweden, Norway etc).

Edited 17 September, 2012 by Hirundo

[Ootohere]

I am sure it is,

and its now usual here in these times in this area.

Its not the conditions 'in the pictures' that would or should stop any car.

Thats just snow.

Sorry but i dont really have pictures of the Snow that they do not cope with,

its not normally the best time to be taking Photographs.

I think its 3 didital cameras now that i have killed with cold taking them out with me, when out towing out vehicles.

george

[erikiri]

Just some nice video I found with Yeti and GLK in the snow field. According comments, GLK has central-european oriented winter tyres. Yeti has northern-european winter rubber on 16 inch wheels. Presence of studs is not important in deep snow anyway.

Wet or windpacked snow will stop any 4x4 roadcar, if it runs out of clearence. But with rather dry snow as in this video, there could be big differences due to tyres - soft rubber with suitable pattern, higher side profile and correct (not too high) pressure can give big advantage in deep snow. Driver skills (knowledge of your 4x4 system behaviour) and normal suspension (I mean not stiff sport set-up) are also important factors for acceptable perfomance in deeper snow.

Edited 17 September, 2012 by erikiri

[Yeti_Man]

Thats a cracking post and from the perspective of someone that really likes the little GLK... I think I'll be sticking with the Yeti for a bit longer!