What other cars did you consider before getting a Yeti?

[Austerby]

I've recently aquired an 1.4TSI L&K and am very pleased with it.

 

I looked at quite a lot of alternatives before settling on the Yeti and wondered how my list compared to others. 

 

My main requirements were for a nice estate-type car (as we now have a dog) that would be good for both local short distance town driving and occasional long-distance motorway cruising. I don't use a car to get to work and don't have children.

 

The others I actively looked at (ie went to the dealers to see) but rejected included:

 

Audi A3 (having previously owned a couple)

Audi A4 Avant

Audi Q3

Jaguar XF Sportback

Jaguar XE (hoping there would be an estate at some point)

Land Rover Evoque

Mazda CX-3

Mazda CX-5

Fiat 500x

Fiat 500L

Mini Paceman

Mini Clubman

Alfa Mito

Saab 9-3 Estate (used)

 

Many of these fall outside the sort of comparisons that motoring journalists like to do - according to them I should have been considering a Sportage or a Qashqai but they didn't appeal at all.

 

What do others look at?

 

[Urrell]

Nissan Qashqai
Kia Sportage
VW Golf Estate

VW Golf SV
VW Tiguan
Skoda Octavia Estate

[rriggs]

All sorts while I narrowed down my requirement, budget and whether I was going new or used.  Amongst those I was serious about:

 

Used:

LR Freelander 1 S2

LR Freelander 2

MINI Countryman

MINI Cooper Hatch

Peugeot 508

Jaguar XF

Toyota RAV4

 

New:

Mazda 2

Seat Ibiza

Seat Toledo

MINI Cooper Hatch

Skoda Fabia

 

In the end I plumped for the Yeti because I liked my old one (regret ever selling it!) allied with the 0% deal Skoda have on PCP at the moment but the Freelander 1 S2 came very close...

[Huskoda]

I looked at a Yeti when I got a Subaru Forester, if you want to look at one of those too.

 

Positive points are a bigger boot than the Yeti with an excellent record for safety and reliability plus decent off road ability. The clean, simple dash also appealed to me compared to the gloss plastic button filled mess that some other cars were.

 

Negatives are higher fuel consumption (always engaged four wheel drive) and above average servicing costs.

 

Purchase costs for a similar spec are about the same.

[clv101]

I considered:

Octavia Scout (a bit too high spec/expensive, had there been a S or SE spec Scout for a couple grand less might have gone for it)

Ford Kuga (not as large/versatile inside)

VW Tiguan (too expensive)

Audi Q3 (much too expensive and not as large/versatile inside)

Volvo XC60 (much too expensive, too big)

Hilux Doublecab (only for a few minutes!)

Kia Sportage (too big, slow, inefficient)

Hyundai ix35 (too big, slow, inefficient)

Jeep Renegade (Looks a bit naff, lacks inside versatility)

Subaru Forester (too expensive, too big, lacks inside versatility)

[Carlodiesel]

Quote " I looked at quite a lot of alternatives before settling on the Yeti and wondered how my list compared to others ". 

 

Suzuki GSX-S1000F

Kawasaki Z1000SX

Honda VFR800

KTM adventure 1050

BMW 1000rr

Still looking at these.

 

Ended up with a Skoda Yeti SE 1.6 Greenline Diesel. Cos the wifee said so.

End of.

Also considered Volvo V40 to expensive.

Ford Kugar, not for me.

[Austerby]

Quote " I looked at quite a lot of alternatives before settling on the Yeti and wondered how my list compared to others ". 

 

Suzuki GSX-S1000F

Kawasaki Z1000SX

Honda VFR800

KTM adventure 1050

BMW 1000rr

Still looking at these.

 

Ended up with a Skoda Yeti SE 1.6 Greenline Diesel. Cos the wifee said so.

End of.

Also considered Volvo V40 to expensive.

Ford Kugar, not for me.

 

Good point - I also considered a Jeanneau Sun Oddyssey 35, a Hanse 310, a Contessa 32 and a Beneteau Oceanis 34. One day I'll have one of them...

[gumdrop]

Another Ford Focus

A Ford S Max

Honda CRV

Nissan Qashqai

Kia Sportage

Skoda Superb

I test drove the Yeti and it was wow! but I do like Fords.

[rriggs]

Forgot a couple...

Used:

Subaru Forester

Hyundai Santa Fe

Kia Sportage

Volvo XC60

Volvo XC90

I would add them to my existing list but can't seem to be able to edit it?

[Totally Square]

Long list: 

Audi Q3 / Q5 (size, value issues)

BMW 2-series (but its a BMW)

Mini Countryman (old model, pricey)

VW Golf SV (limited boot height)

Vauxhall Zafira Tourer (when considering an extra row of seats as useful, but the auto was a bit uncompetitive)

 

Short list:
Mazda CX5 (diesel - nice car but a bit agricultural ride - surprising given the test reports - may return to this option in future if I need to do towing) 

[Carlodiesel]

Good point - I also considered a Jeanneau Sun Oddyssey 35, a Hanse 310, a Contessa 32 and a Beneteau Oceanis 34. One day I'll have one of them...

 

Sorry A, but cant find any of those in the Ride magazine.     

[speedsport]

I considered:

Mazda CX5 (and I agree with Totally Square about the ride - which is totally contrary to press reviews. Also a lot wider)

VW Tiguan (too expensive for Yeti spec, though available without a wait. Didn't feel as good as the Yeti on a test drive)

Nissan X-Trail ( too expensive & too plush - if that's possible, also wider! Front & rear bumpers had poor alignment too)

Audi X3 (too expensive, and too much of a slope on the hatch)

New Toyota RAV4 (big,  and very soft seats plus very odd dashboard)

Ford Kuga (wasn't too bad actually, but wasn't impressed with some of the detail, like exposed japanned screw heads on edges of doors & tailgate)

BMW X1 (momentarily! The idea soon wore off as I regained my senses. Very pricey for what you get)

Octavia Scout (probably would have been perfectly ok, but thought I'd miss the extra ground clearance. It would give better fuel economy though)

Land Rover Disco Sport. (Very impressed indeed, but verry wide).

Land Rover Evoke (ditto, but a bit too "look at me" in most colours)

[VAGCF]

Well I fancied a second hand Yeti initially but found they were either quite expensive or high miles and started thinking about alternatives.

 

I've had a number of Audis and VWs over the years so wanted to remain with them and considered second hand:

 

A3 Sportback

A4 estate

A6 estate

 

But again found them expensive or high miles (it's my second car) and also when researching them got frightened off by some of the well documented problems and so lost interest really.

 

Then went on holiday and had a Dacia Sandero as a hire car which would have been perfectly suitable for my needs but may have gone for the Duster.

 

Lost interest again but then just happened to pop into my local dealer and found out about the 0% deal and the rest is history!

 

The Yeti is ideal as I wanted plenty of space inside but shorter than the Passat and A6 estates I'd had previously, though as in another thread I'm not over keen on the rear seats.

 

I'd gone off the later Passats, hence the A6, but have got to like them now but they would be too expensive for my needs, the Yeti is cracking value.

[VAGCF]

Off at a slight tangent, but I guess relevant as this thread is about needs and choices, I've been musing over what does someone chose if they want a vehicle for towing a caravan, though I never will.

 

Used to be fine to have a biggish diesel, maybe 4x4, and as well as for towing duties would be fine for shopping and other low mileage trips. But now with the problems with clogging DPF's and EGR valves the that's not really an option now is it?

 

And I don't think e.g. a 1.2 or 1.4 petrol in a Yeti is man enough really is it?

[Ryeman]

We recently changed to a Peugeot 2008 Outdoor 1.6 diesel manual.

It's light and nimble with the same Yeti ground clearance with selective traction control and standard Goodyear 4seasons tyres as we love the unsealed back roads of the High Country.

We've become addicted to the HUD type instrument placement and certainly getting 4L/100km (1250km/50L tank) consistently is v satisfying.

It meets OUR demands of a country cruiser being comfortable and quiet.........and leading in the Dakar as well obviously means its adaptable with just a few v minor alterations

Having all our music on a 64GB flash drive via its USB port tidies up that part of the cabin also.

Edited 6 January, 2016 by Ryeman

[Ryeman]

Re the DPF EGR and turbo; there all at the front of our 2008 which makes it more of a handyman possibility.

It weighs the equivalent of 6 adults less also ( ~450KG)......for stop start driving a v big issue.

[PaveyArk]

Prior to the Yeti I'd been a very happy owner of an 07 plate Audi A4 avant. Had it from new and loved it as it fitted my 6' 4" frame.

After nearly 8 years of ownership I wanted something new but more rufty tufty, so I naturally looked at the new shape A4 Allroad. Oh dear! It was far smaller in the cabin compared to my older A4 and the boot seemed smaller too. Plus there is nowhere to put your left foot other than under the clutch pedal.

I found the Yeti far more spacious (for me). Only downside with the Yeti (coming from Audi) is the cheap and nasty rattly plastic interior. I've spent hours tracing and fixing rattles.

[CFB]

Looked at the Fabia mk2 to replace the mk1 vRS but went for Yeti number 1.

Come time to change, didn't even consider anything else, as it does everything I need.

Yeti number 3 will be ordered in April

[VAGCF]

Re the DPF EGR and turbo; there all at the front of our 2008 which makes it more of a handyman possibility.

It weighs the equivalent of 6 adults less also ( ~450KG)......for stop start driving a v big issue.

Perhaps that the answer, unless they can design out the potential DPF and EGR problems they need to make them quickly and easily accessible for routine cleaning.

 

Otherwise, as you have said before, the diesel will be dead for domestic use.

[VAGCF]

Prior to the Yeti I'd been a very happy owner of an 07 plate Audi A4 avant. Had it from new and loved it as it fitted my 6' 4" frame.

After nearly 8 years of ownership I wanted something new but more rufty tufty, so I naturally looked at the new shape A4 Allroad. Oh dear! It was far smaller in the cabin compared to my older A4 and the boot seemed smaller too. Plus there is nowhere to put your left foot other than under the clutch pedal.

I found the Yeti far more spacious (for me). Only downside with the Yeti (coming from Audi) is the cheap and nasty rattly plastic interior. I've spent hours tracing and fixing rattles.

To be honest I don't find it too bad and I had a 2013 A6 Avant Black Edition and that was a fabulous car inside. I do still have an Audi but the cockpit is nowhere near as good as the A6 was so perhaps that's why I'm less critical.

 

I reckon the Yeti is a pretty good place to be and certainly better than Skodas of a few years ago.

Edited 6 January, 2016 by VAGCF

[dizurik]

Nissan Qashqai - nice but worried the design wouldn't age well.

Audi Q3 - too expensive.

Mazda CX-5 - no sunroof.

VW Tiguan - design needs a refresh.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited 7 January, 2016 by dizurik

[aernala]

Usual suspects

Peugeot 2008

Quashai

Sportage

Used freelander

Smaller models

Juke

captur

Soul

Mazda Cx3

Other

Rapid spaceback

Used Mercedes c class

Used yeti

In the end a new yeti on a great financial package cannot be beaten.

As cheap to finance a new car as it is to buy a used model. Hopefully with hassle free motoring.

[rriggs]

In the end a new yeti on a great financial package cannot be beaten.

As cheap to finance a new car as it is to buy a used model. Hopefully with hassle free motoring.

Exactly the conclusion I came to.  Plus I really liked my old Yeti so a new one should be even better!

[Obscuredavid]

Shortlist was

Nissan Qashqai

Ford Kuga

Kia Sportage

Yeti came top by quite a way and has been wonderful ever since.

[Frenchtone]

I originally had a Berlingo, thought about a Mk3 one, saw a yeti in a supermarket car park here a la frog, had a look, then had to pass a Skoda dealership in Brest en route a local hospital, called in equipped with my tape measure, it fitted my requirement to transport large r/c boats, bought one over the net from a UK dealer near Worcester,  collected it on a visit to my mums, now on my 2nd one, been well pleased satisfied with service both sides of the channel!