For some reason or other in recent weeks, I'm not enjoying Yeti ownership as much as I did previously, I've had my current Yeti since August and have previously owned one before having bought my 1st in November 2010.

Things I still like:

1. Heated Screen.

2. Knowledge that I have ability to get about in all weathers despite running on summer tyres, have never been stuck or had any issues over last 2 winters (no lectures on tyres please).

Things I don't

1. Fuel consumption, currently averaging about 30-31 mpg these days due to work commute and colder temperatures, I get similar mpg and miles to a tank as my wife but it costs me £25 more to fill up.

2. DSG gearbox, overall I like automatics, this is my 3rd, but 1st mated to a diesel can't seem to live with how this box is functioning, I had a Golf with 7 spd DSG in the 1.4 petrol and it was far better.

3. Especially in the cold car feels very sluggish and heavy to drive.

4. Takes an age to get warm, certainly impossible on my daily commute of 10 miles.

Recently I've been driving my wife's Seat Ibiza more which is a 1.2 petrol and it just seems much more fun and easy to drive and more responsive and I'm wondering if I should cut my losses and trade in for something else.

I only cover 6-8k per year mostly on commuting with slightly longer trips every other weekend, and once or twice a year down south for holidays, which would be my A/B roads and motorways.

I'm now wondering if a 1.2TSI 105 would be more suitable for my needs minus the DSG box, probably either in the new Octavia or perhaps the Seat Toledo. I'm not a real speed freak (getting too old now) but would like enough oomph on A/B roads and motorways with up to 3 adults and some luggage.

I would of course look to obtain some steel wheels/winter tyres for this car as it won't be 4x4.

Thanks

couple of issues I can see

at only 8-9k / year you are below the generally accepted 10k point at which a diesel become the best choice due to economy

the 4x4 variant of the yeti does about 10mpg less than the 2wd variant

due to the 10 mile commute your yeti will be doing a lot more active regens of the dpf which will further hit your mpg

I think I would hate any car in this weather....but as my dad used to say 'a second class ride is better than a first class walk'. Wait for the spring, take it out on the mountain roads and give it a good welly.

Edited 26 March, 201313 yr by MCAMRA

Before the inevaitable "you must be driving it wrong" post arrives, you are driving it as the TDI IP and PD pre-DPF engines of the past liked to be driven, ie an engine for everyone, not just long hauliers and taxis.

Unfortunately the CR/DPF diesels are not as versatile and only offer good fuel economy out of town. In town and/or on a cold engine, they just pour fuel down the DPF to keep it warm. Sadly, this is not reflected in brochure fuel economy figures at all.

You can go for a petrol one with the commute you describe, and you will very likely get better results in the UK. However, If you do any trips abroad at all, fuel cost saving per single trip due to cheaper diesel than petrol in most countries on the Continent (notably France and BeNeLux that are ferry/shuttle landing points) can easily outweigh a year worth of savings in the UK.

However, the difference in new vs used car price is huge, on purely financial grounds I could never justify replacing my 2012 Roomster (with even worse 1.6CR engine when it comes to town drinking) for a new one with petrol, even though Roomie currently overburns by £200+ per year when compared to Mk1 Octy 1.9TDI110 it replaced (and £400+/yr if you believed brochure data).

But if you are after an excuse to get a new car, by all means go for it. At least it sounds less vain than "I don't like the colour"

Edited 26 March, 201313 yr by dieselV6

Swap with me if you like

We have a similar car to Nokiauk, but without the DSG gearbox. This car was purchased for those occasions when my car (a rear wheel drive Mercedes coupe) is useless, such as snow. It is also used mainly by my wife, and this does result in a lot of short runs of 3-4 miles and back to the shops! Mileage is about 9500 miles per annum. However from time to time we run the car on trips of 30 miles and occasionally 200miles. We do have some regeneration, but not a lot that I have noticed. Yes, the fuel consumption is worse in the cold weather. Our fuel consumption is running at a true 43-44mpg at this time of year, so my guess is that either the DSG is sapping the consumption or that something else is wrong. Ther is also another thread about regeneration which interestingly stated that the CR engine regenerates at very low speeds (unlike lots of diesels and the PD engines in particular), so no doubt ours is regenerating but we just don't notice it.

It could also be as simple as you have the same car twice?

I renew my car every 3 or 4 years due to company policy about "age and reliability" and i find i get very twitchy about how i "feel" about the car at the 2 1/2 year mark.

It doesn't matter if i intend to drive it through year 4 or not.

This hasn't yet happened to the yeti but i'll probably start complaining about it around September time.

My neighbour, who is now retired, suffered the same issue and still swaps his car every 3 to 4 years.

I don't know if the above applies to your situation but i thought i'd throw it out there as some sort of "psychomabobibins thing", a bit like an ingrained habit?

I wondered if having the same sort of vehicle twice would carry over that feeling.

I've always picked something different, i assume, because of how i feel about the car that is "outgoing".

Edited 26 March, 201313 yr by AlleyCat`

couple of issues I can see

at only 8-9k / year you are below the generally accepted 10k point at which a diesel become the best choice due to economy

the 4x4 variant of the yeti does about 10mpg less than the 2wd variant

due to the 10 mile commute your yeti will be doing a lot more active regens of the dpf which will further hit your mpg

+1

I do a similar mileage and if I didn't have to tow a caravan I would have ordered a petrol version. My MPG is better than yours but I'd expect a 110bhp 2WD to be so.

Fred

Nokia I think you need to go and rent a few cars and drive around with what normal people have to struggle with... then come back to your Yeti after you've had your eyes opened! You will then realise how relaxed it is, how nibble it is, the great turning circle, how great that DSG is! For me I don't mind the fuel consumption as I know it is one of the ways I pay for the joy of having all that diesel torque and a DSG. You pays your money and makes your choice. (And fuel consumption I see as one of those prices alas...)

Try a Citigo. Mrs Shrub has a VW UP! and it is fantastic. Light, agile, refined, smooth riding (better than my Yeti was in this respect), 52mpg.... If I can't afford the Yeti Facelift when it comes out I may make it a two UP / Up/Citigo household.

We've had a Citigo twice whilst Dewi has been in for a service and have been very impressed with it. Both said that if we didn't have the caravan it would be something we would look at very closely.

Try and get a drive in a 1.2TSI and see how it feels.

SWMBO loves hers. It is perfectly acceptable at 'normal' motorway speeds but you won't be competing with the BMW/Audi reps that occupy the outside lane.

We opted for the petrol as her journeys are short and frequent so a DPF equipped diesel would not have made sense. The price difference between the 1.2 and the CR140 was another incentive too. It would have taken an age to recoup the difference via fuel economy.

Can't comment on the DSG as ours is a manual.

3. Especially in the cold car feels very sluggish and heavy to drive.

I think this might be the key to your feelings. All the VAG diesels I've had have felt sluggish and heavy in cold weather, and we've had a lot of that lately.

What happens if you turn your Climatronic off for the first 4-5 miles, and use the seat heaters instead? The engine should warm up a lot more quickly, which should make the car feel less lethargic.

Also, your DSG might benefit from an Italian tune-up.

The 1.2 TSI can feel quite different in different cars in the VAG group, so it would be sensible to test them.

Thanks for the replies, I guess it's mainly the driving enjoyment that's lacking at present, probably as Zib mentions due to the cold. Though I never noticed the cold as much with my last Yeti which was the 110bhp manual.

I guess it won't do any harm to try and track down a 1.2 tsi and have a thorough test drive esp on motorways etc then make a decision.

SWMBO won't be too pleased as she likes the security of the 4x4, though I've gone without since 1995 till 2010 so winter tyres seem a reasonable option, she also won't drive the DSG.

I just hope that if the Yeti goes I don't regret it next winter as its certainly a capable car in inclement conditions.

I tend to get itchy feet for a new car every two to three years and our current Monster is within a month of the 2 year point now. However funding won't stretch to another new 4x4 Yeti any time soon and although I very much like the looks of the new Rapid and Octy III, I know from experience I would miss the wonderful 4x4; regretted letting my first Skoda Octy I 4x4 go for a 2wd Octy TDI 140 and very quickly chopped it in for a Golf 4motion.

Would agree the 110 4x4 doesn't seem phased by the winter, other than the DPF on mine going into overdrive, however the scarf I purchased recently appears (fingers x) to have resolved that issue Fuel wise not much different to summer, although there is no consistency from week to week in the average mpg. Noticed the 110 does suffer poor consumption when there is a cross or head wind, as we have been experiencing of late but I can get well into the 50's if its from behind

To me it would seem a shame to let your excellent spec Monster go for an inferior model, although I appreciate you need to be comfortable with your daily commute. I'm beginning to think my beast might be staying well past the three year point and beyond, particularly with the ever increasing price of Skoda's; wonder if their trying to replace Audi at the top of the VAG empire :wonder:

Anyway best of luck with your deliberations,

TP

Nokiauk, as you know I have the same engine & gearbox.

Around town at this time of year fuel economy isn't great. The auto, shortish trips, the cold and congestion all don't help. I can get between 25 & 30pg around South London. But out on the motorway I can get into the 40's quite easily on a reasonable journey, providing I stay at legal speeds.

A& B roads driven hard gives around 35mpg.

I have only done 34,000 mikes in mine. I must say that I don't feel it is sluggish in D at all. Use S to make it respond more. Or use the manual override.

Driving enjoyment at this time of year is debatable, but I personally find the Yeti the best place to be.

I average about 15,000 miles a year and think that I am borderline for running a diesel. If there was a 1,8tsi DSG I would seriously consider one. I like the security that the 4x4 offers in our lovely UK weather, and don't think I would go back to 2wd.

The fuel economy as mentioned isn't this cars USP. People frequently compare the 1.2tsi fuel economy with the CR140 DSG, but it is a little unfair, as they are like chalk and cheese.

The CR140 is heavier, has 4x4 and runs on oil. :lol:

If the 1.2tsi ran around with the same weight it would be even thirstier.

To liven up the car, remove the spare wheel, the tow hitch and the rear seats along with all the junk you carry around in the car. Make sure the fuel tank is close to empty and take it out for a blast!!!!!

It will feel like a different car. I know, as I have done it in the past. :lol:

Oh, and press your right foot a little harder (once the engine is up to temperature). :lol:

Then put it all back together knowing you have a fun car to drive.

The daily commute is a chore. My daily commute is different every single day, but that is what you have to put up with when you are self employed and have to visit people in their homes. I could drive 2 miles in a freezing cold car, and even the seats don't warm up in that time, or I could be driving for 60 miles.

Whatever, I'm sticking with what I've got. No regrets.

Sent using whatever device I'm using at the time.

I'm reasonably new to Yeti ownership, having only bought mine in September last year. I won't comment on the fuel/gearbox as mine is 2WD, 110bhp diesel and manual, except to say that I get an average of 46 or so mpg, which is a vast improvement on my previous DSG Superb. However, the one thing I know I would miss is the raised driving position - particularly in foul weather on the motorway. I really like the look of the Octy III but I do wonder whether I would enjoy being low down again.

A higher driving position is wonderful. Makes getting in and much easier. My diesel dsg is sluggish when cold. But when it's warm it goes like stink.....if you want it too.

The fuel economy as mentioned isn't this cars USP. People frequently compare the 1.2tsi fuel economy with the CR140 DSG, but it is a little unfair, as they are like chalk and cheese.

The CR140 is heavier, has 4x4 and runs on oil. :lol:

If the 1.2tsi ran around with the same weight it would be even thirstier.

I think that's because there are only two auto options available in the UK.

So when someone comes on here saying they want an auto/DSG and are are getting a diesel because it's more economical they have to be advised that the petrol is about as economical. Even though it's due to the lack of weight/heavy engine/4x4 etc...

I know I have personally pointed out to people who have said they must have a DSG that if they want 4x4 then it's a simple choice, but they want similar running costs and a £4k cheaper price tag then petrol can be a good alternative.

Thats exactly the position I was in, I wanted DSG having owned auto's before but between me and the wife we wanted 4x4 ability, which left the diesel as the only option, if a 1.8 TSI DSG had been available probably would have bought that instead.

Winters haven't been so bad here of late since 2009/2010 so I've no longer convinced of the 4x4 requirement, also driving this 6 speed DSG with the diesel is different to the 7 speed I had in my petrol Golf.

I'm pretty sure I could get the same if not better mpg with a 1.2/1.4 manual petrol which would save money come fill-up time, also make savings on the Road Tax which I believe is now £200 for the Yeti.

Don't think SWMBO will be convinced however!

I think i'd be interested in a 1.4 DSG 4x4 or even a 1.8 DSG 4x4.

The diesel probably doesn't suit the lifestyle going forward, when sharing with SWMBO.

The 1.2, although the reviews i read are good, still scares me having such a small engine for the car size.

I just, mentally, feel like it won't have the "guts" to get you out of certain situations. It's not that the greenline is exactly pulling up trees either.

Is the 1.2 ride height the same as the rest (with the exception of the greenline?)

[snip]

Is the 1.2 ride height the same as the rest (with the exception of the greenline?)

Ride height is the same, other than the Greenline.

Personally I think that the 1.2 TSi can actually feel "fast" if driven correctly.....just don't drop out of that power band because it's then (but only then) that you realise you're in a small engined car.

Power delivery is smooth and progressive, and it really does feel very nimble indeed.

I agree, we have a 1.2 to golf and yeti. Both feel very spirited <img src='http://www.briskoda.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/emoticon-0102-bigsmile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Neither has been bothered by the snow and we never drive off road (other than farm tracks) so never saw the need for 4x4

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Going to look at the new Leon and Octavia today go get some idea of pricing, now leaning towards the 1.4 just for a bit spare power capacity, I know the 1.4 is new for the Leon/Octavia does it have the cylinder deactivation tech?