Hi Everyone, I never thought I'd ever own a Skoda. Like many others who don't know better, I was put off by the badge. But here I am on the brink of taking delivery of my first ever non-Japanese 4x4.

I train and show gundogs for a living and was looking for a capable 4x4 to transport me & the dogs around the country. I test drove the Mitsubishi L200, the Nissan Navara and the Toyota Hilux before settling on the L200. Following the Clarkson video, I had visited a Skoda dealer to look at a Yeti but dismissed it as it didn't appear to have the off road ability I was looking for plus - the badge!

I then received a phone call from Skoda offering me a 5 day test drive and urging me to take the vehicle off road. All I had to pay for was the insurance and fuel. I accepted the offer, but fully expected to see the car flounder on the tank tracks of Salisbury Plain. When I took the car out to put it through its paces, I asked my friend to follow me in his Hilux to pull me out when (not if) I got stuck.

3 hours later, I was convinced. The Yeti, on road tyres, just kept going and going and going, negotiating terrain which had been impassable to a Navara the week before. I was gobsmacked. The only disadvantage over the others was the relative lack of ground clearance, but selection of ground and knowing my own limitations should make up for this.

Then, when I took the 170 Yeti demonstrator on a motorway run, I averaged 56 mpg on a 250 mile run! But the feature that eventually swung it for me was the amazing versatility of the load space and seating configurations. I will need to have the rear seats folded up most of the time to accommodate the dog crates, but with minimal effort and time, the car can be converted from a dog carrier in to a carrier of 5 adults in comfort. The only hurdle I have to overcome is how to create a flat load area when the seats are folded, as I have the spare wheel as an option (a necessity for the sort of driving and places I go!). Any ideas on how to fill in the "step" would be very welcome.

Anyway, I cancelled the L200, ordered the 170 Elegance Yeti with most of the bells and whistles and all the off road accessories from Rainworth in Mansfield and now the wait is almost over! They are delivering to my door on the 10th (I hope!) and I can't wait to get going. One of my first tasks will be to source some All Terrain boots before I venture on to Salisbury Plain again - especially after all the rain we've had!

Anyway, I'm delighted to become a member of the BRISKODA community and forum and, judging from most of the threads I have read about this remakable car, I don't think I'm going to regret my decision.

Stevieswops

welcome to briskoda another successfull conversion

Welcome!

Hi and welcome aboard.

10 days and counting.

Hello Stevieswops and welcome along

We have the yeti as a fleet car, (apart from the ground clearance) the off-road capability is amazing and the on road smoothness is fantastic. Most versatile little machine, enjoy!

Hi! Welcome from the Yeti camp, too!