A couple of years ago I replaced my 2012 Yeti Elegance with a new Octavia estate, and have missed my Yeti ever since! I am looking to replace with a late SE L Drive or L&K (66 or 17 plate) 1.2 or 1.4. Apart from the 4x4, I have a couple of queries.

 

Is the pan roof any good? I have one on my Octavia that works perfectly, but I've heard a lot of criticism of them on the Yeti.

 

Does the brown leather of the L&K wear quicker? Every one I see looks like it does?

 

Did both of these come with Smartlink as standard? Or is it get a code to activate it?

 

Does anybody have a link to the latest brochures for these?

 

Any other thoughts on these greatly appreciated, and I hope to be back in the club soon!

Smart link is always an extra, but can be enabled by dealer.

I nearly bought an L&K but they stopped taking orders the day before so went with the SE L. Reading of some here with severe sunroof issues I am quite happy that I haven’t got one.

You can only have the 1.4 petrol in an L&K so quite rare.

Hi Greg, I'm going the other way! My PCH Yeti is going back at the end of this month and I'm getting another Octavia Estate again. The panoramic roof has been fine on my car but I've only opened it once thus far and that was to carry a Grandfather Clock, worked pretty well for that it has to be said. There does seem to be a lot of complaints about leaky roofs on cars usually just out of warranty, so if you don't need/ want the panoramic roof maybe best with an SEL Drive.

 

 

There isn't much else of any great importance extra on the L & K. It's got that parking assistance gizmo, but never used it once in two years. Leather on my car seats seems to be wearing well enough. Personally I'd think the SEL Drive would be the better buy overall. My car has the 1.4 petrol engine which is remarkably thirsty, can't recommend it at all, low 30's mpg is the usual for me, might do better on longer runs at slowish speeds i.e. under 60mph. The diesel engine would be my suggestion if you were doing enough miles to justify it, otherwise the 1.2 petrol.

 

Should be loads of Yet's coming off of PCH deals this month, so presumably they'll start turning up at dealers sometime in March/ April. Good luck!

Yes, heard a lot of issues about the roof leaking. 

Re the Pano roof .... think it really depends on the year of the car ... Our 2017 L&K has one and (fingers crossed) we have had no issues ... hard to gauge the actual numbers impacted as it seems to grow arms and legs as everyone has an opinion whether the own a Pano roof car of not, and all seem to repeat the issues that are already known, so difficult to say how widespread a problem it actually is.

 

Also, our L&K has no wear issues with the brown leather, but it does get treated annually with Liquid Leather dressing, and looks as it did when delivered, and that's after my lardy ar$e has been using it .... not mentioning the managements bottom at all re the seats.

Edited 19 February, 20197 yr by TruckbusUK
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1 hour ago, kenfowler3966 said:

Smart link is always an extra, but can be enabled by dealer.

 

I believe some of the run-out Drive models may have had Smartlink from the factory?  Certainly, when I was in the market for one, I was offered a brand new one with Smartlink.  Come think though, it could be that the selling dealer had enabled it as an extra sweetener.

I had to pay £135 to enable it on my car when I collected it, which was one of the last made. It was £150 on the option list. The dealer had a special offer on at the time.

He was also offering a complete spare kit retrofit for £160 or so, almost wish I had taken this as well.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I was of the understanding the SEL Drive came with smartlink, but was unsure for L&K

 

I am glad an actual owner has commented on the roof @TruckbusUK as I want facts, not rumour!

 

@AllanDJ thanks for the engine feedback. I thought the 1.2 was excellent on my old Yeti. The Octavia has the 1.4tsi and it's brilliant in that. Strange it's so different in the Yeti. Would never touch a diesel!

As far as the roof is concerned I have had no issues with mine so far in three years of use and the seats show no signs of wear.

Having previously had a Yeti with no pano roof I much prefer having one! 

Bought new April 2016. Kept on driveway. No issues with panoramic roof. Brown leather shows no wear. My catalogue 01/2016 (page 33) offers Smartlink under Factory Fitted Optional Equipment at £150 inc VAT.

Didn't spec it originally so unable to help further regards retrofit/enabling etc.

Smartlink is built into the car but will not work unless activated. Typical cost if previous owner has not already done so is £135 at a dealer

 

Having done it I think it was a waste of money as hardly ever use it. Sat nav is built into mine as standard so google maps is not much use. If you get an earlier car without sat nav in it, it is probably worth it.

I am not allowed to use my work phone for data streaming so can't use the music streaming features.

Not much else of use really.

Thanks for the continued thoughts.

 

I use smartlink all the time, and do enjoy the pan roof on current car. Not sure i would miss it though. The Octavia is quite dark inside and it really helps, but Yeti is quite high roofed and light. Might have to take any car I test drive through a car wash!

 

Anybody else got views on 1.2 v 1.4? I will go for manual rather than DSG.

'Scuse my ignorance, please: has Smartlink superseded Bluetooth or is it an added feature?

14 minutes ago, Brijo said:

'Scuse my ignorance, please: has Smartlink superseded Bluetooth or is it an added feature?

 

Displays your phone on the car screen so you can use apps like Spotify, Google maps, etc

I have a 2017 SE L Drive 1.2 Tsi DSG. Smartlink is fitted but you have to pay dealer to have it activated (unless previous owner has already done it). Colour of leather trim is personal preference but I like light interiors so chose the Se L with pale leather interior. Stays clean with occasional wipe with leather cleaner/nourisher. As far as pan roof goes best to check problems other users have had and decide if you want to risk all the potential hassle. In all the years I have had cars - over 50 years - I have bought several with sunroofs and have lived to regret it every time! As well as eventual risk of leaking you lose head room and some facilities available in non pan roof models. 

10 minutes ago, Expatman said:

I have a 2017 SE L Drive 1.2 Tsi DSG. Smartlink is fitted but you have to pay dealer to have it activated (unless previous owner has already done it). Colour of leather trim is personal preference but I like light interiors so chose the Se L with pale leather interior. Stays clean with occasional wipe with leather cleaner/nourisher. As far as pan roof goes best to check problems other users have had and decide if you want to risk all the potential hassle. In all the years I have had cars - over 50 years - I have bought several with sunroofs and have lived to regret it every time! As well as eventual risk of leaking you lose head room and some facilities available in non pan roof models. 

 

Thanks for the feedback. Interested to hear your thoughts on the light interior - like it but always avoided it due to having a young child!

 

 

My other half has a 1.2 dsg SE-L Drive. 

 

Unfortunately the car drinks like a fish and averages low-mid 30s mpg wise. 

 

Smartlink not activated. She seems reasonably happy with the built in satnav (with latest maps). Activation seems a bit rich to charge the amount they do for it, so while it's a 'would like' there are plenty of things we need to pay for before that. 

 

Kit wise the SE-L Drive has pretty much all you could want/need unless of course you just have to have everything

10 hours ago, gregwhates said:

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I was of the understanding the SEL Drive came with smartlink, but was unsure for L&K

 

I am glad an actual owner has commented on the roof @TruckbusUK as I want facts, not rumour!

 

@AllanDJ thanks for the engine feedback. I thought the 1.2 was excellent on my old Yeti. The Octavia has the 1.4tsi and it's brilliant in that. Strange it's so different in the Yeti. Would never touch a diesel!

 

Greg, the 1.4 petrol engine drives well enough in the Yeti but pretty sure I read something somewhere to say that it isn't quite the same engine as in the Octavia. Main issue you have is that the Yeti has very poor aerodynamics which will give you even less mpg with the standard four wheel drive that the 1.4 petrol L & K models have. That's why I was mentioning the diesel version as an alternative as it will give you a lot more mpg than the petrol versions will. My last Octavia estate car was a 1.6 diesel, which averaged around 20mpg per tank better than the Yeti can manage!

Disappointing to hear some of the mpg's being quoted, particularly for the 1.2.

I have had my 1.4 (4*4) for just over a year now and have averaged 44mpg (actual) so far. (Although 99% rural roads)....

4 minutes ago, Stubod said:

Disappointing to hear some of the mpg's being quoted, particularly for the 1.2.

I have had my 1.4 (4*4) for just over a year now and have averaged 44mpg (actual) so far. (Although 99% rural roads)....

 

I remember my old 1.2 Yeti averaging late 30s.

 

@AllanDJI assume the 1.4 is the same unit without the stop/start features? 

13 hours ago, gregwhates said:

 

Displays your phone on the car screen so you can use apps like Spotify, Google maps, etc

 

Thanks for that.  But perhaps I should have asked 'Is Smartlink instead of Bluetooth?'.  My current Yeti has BT, and I would be reluctant to lose it in a PX - my need is simply for hands-free. 

10 hours ago, gregwhates said:

 

Thanks for the feedback. Interested to hear your thoughts on the light interior - like it but always avoided it due to having a young child!

 

 

Being 70+ we don’t have any young children! However, the light interior is easy to keep clean, with young children it might take a bit more work and having the right cleaners. Check AutoExpress website for leather cleaners etc. generally modern cleaners take off all marks with remarkably little effort. I really dislike the dark interiors of many modern cars, much too funereal and depressing for me I want something bright and light to sit in. If you prefer the lighter interiors then go with it - you won’t be disappointed. 

I have been reading the posts about fuel consumption and am not sure where and how they drive but my SEL 1.2 Tsi DSG has averaged 44.5 MPG since new (true, brim full to brim full, 18,000 miles). I am not a boy racer but neither am I a slow coach, just run with the traffic and cruise at ‘ahem’ 70’ish on motorways. I sometimes wonder how people drive who record 30’ish MPG, do they read the road ahead at all? It mystifies me. My 2012 1.2 Tsi DSG did 42.5 MPG over 60,000 miles, the later 1.2 engine is definitely more fuel efficient.

25 minutes ago, Brijo said:

Thanks for that.  But perhaps I should have asked 'Is Smartlink instead of Bluetooth?'.  My current Yeti has BT, and I would be reluctant to lose it in a PX - my need is simply for hands-free. 

 

It's a completely different technology.

 

Most new cars should have bluetooth so if you just want to make/receive calls and stream music, you'll be fine.

 

Smartlink is a Skoda branding term for Android Auto, Apple Carplay and mirrorlink. These three technologies allow you to connect your phone (via USB) to the car and have a number of apps appear on the radio/headunit screen. If you do have smartlink activated/installed, it shouldn't make any difference to bluetooth functionality.

4 hours ago, gregwhates said:

 

I remember my old 1.2 Yeti averaging late 30s.

 

@AllanDJI assume the 1.4 is the same unit without the stop/start features? 

 

The 1.4 has stop/start which works pretty much all the time, issue is that unless you're driving your Yeti on rural roads at middling speeds you're not going to get very good fuel consumption out of this particular engine, which is pretty much proved by the fact that the Octavia 1.6 diesel that I had before hardly ever dropped below 50mpg and low 50's mpg was normal. It was a bit of a shock to drop around 20 mpg when my driving style hasn't changed at all. The Yeti was still a cheap car to drive in the sense that the PCH deal that I had was remarkably inexpensive, hopefully next car will give me something in the 40's mpg!

 

 

2 hours ago, Brijo said:

 

Thanks for that.  But perhaps I should have asked 'Is Smartlink instead of Bluetooth?'.  My current Yeti has BT, and I would be reluctant to lose it in a PX - my need is simply for hands-free. 

My phone connects automatically with bluetooth when I use the car. If I plug in the phone via the usb cocket, the bluetooth turns off and it connects via smartlink instead whilst giving warning messages on the screen as to what it is doing. Both ways work fine with my phone, which I now tend to connect only when it needs to charge as smartlink is such a waste of money.