Replacing Yeti

[awfabia]

After 110,000 miles and 7 years it's time to consider what car will best replace it.

We love the raised driving position, comfort,  reliability etc but would like a plug-in hybrid for electric running on local journeys. 

Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro seem the best rated plug-ins with Toyota RAV4 as an alternative. VAG seem to be a bit late to the hybrid party and I'm not convinced they have it sorted, yet. 

With upto 30 miles on battery the Koreans seem to fit my bill - please discuss......

[Stubod]

I think Llany Graham is your best bet for feedback  as a long time Yeti owner and from previous posts I think he has recently ordered a Niro?

 

I think Hybrids have a specific, ie really need to do regular short trips? A friend has a Toyota Auris and it seems to spend most of its life running on the engine, (when it is not that economical)....but I guess horses for courses and if you are doing a lot of regular short trips probably ideal.

[Llanigraham]

Having had an expensive N0x failure with the Yeti at the start of the year, we decided to look for a petrol hybrid, but were constrained by needing one that was capable of towing our caravan, Taking that and budget into account didn't leave many options and having looked at what was available and having visited a Kia dealers decided on a Niro 2 HEV. Would have liked the PHEV but not having a drive or garage we couldn't have a charging point fitted.

 

We went for the base "2" spec because it comes on 16" wheels and not the silly low profiles. Even at this level there are lots of toys, from rear camera to adaptive cruise control.

Seats are comfortable, raised and have plenty of adjustment. Rear seats are split 30/60 and when folded form a flat load bed. Leg room in the back is excellent. Boot is bigger than the Yeti and has very useful storage area beneath. Load cover is a retractable blind.

Ride is good, but it does roll a bit more than the Yeti, but it seems to be more than adequate for me.

Haven't done a lot of miles, obviously, but today we went for a run from home to Machynlleth and then up the Cardigan Bay coast and did 98 miles and according to the trip meter managed 66 mpg, which for a 1.6 I am very happy with.

Things that stand out:
The regenerative braking, once I'd worked out how it works and how I can control it, is amazing and possibly better than the Yeti's engine braking.
How damned quiet it is! You don't realise how much you use road noise to judge speed until there is very little. I find I have to readjust as it is too easy to exceed the 30 limit, for example.
Digital AND analogue speedo in MPH, but I haven't worked out if the digital can be changed to KPH when (if) we go to France.

And if you think that the Yeti Handbook was big, don't buy a Kia!! It's over 300 pages!

 

EDIT to answer Stubod
On electric I'm told that even mine will do 30 miles and from what I have seen so far I am happy to believe that.

Edited 6 July, 2020 by Llanigraham

[Expatman]

Quite a few of us are asking the same question - what to get after a Yeti? - and quite a few seem to be hovering over the Kia Niro. I looked at the PHEV version and with 30+ miles on battery power that would meet my everyday needs, I have a drive and could install a charging point. The one thing that puts me off is the dark interior, why does everything have to be black nowadays? My Yeti has the Gobi leather interior which provides a light bright interior - the Niro only comes with funereal black seating in the UK. In Ireland it is available with light grey seating which transforms the interior. Kia UK can offer no light on why Ireland gets the grey and UK only the black.

So, still looking!

[Llanigraham]

Funny, but although it is black inside I don't find the cabin dark. 

[Ootohere]

 

 

 

[TruckbusUK]

Do you not need a "blue rinse" to own and drive a Jazz?

[Yetian]

13 hours ago, Expatman said:

Quite a few of us are asking the same question - what to get after a Yeti? - and quite a few seem to be hovering over the Kia Niro. I looked at the PHEV version and with 30+ miles on battery power that would meet my everyday needs, I have a drive and could install a charging point. The one thing that puts me off is the dark interior, why does everything have to be black nowadays? My Yeti has the Gobi leather interior which provides a light bright interior - the Niro only comes with funereal black seating in the UK. In Ireland it is available with light grey seating which transforms the interior. Kia UK can offer no light on why Ireland gets the grey and UK only the black.

So, still looking!

 

If you are really keen on having the grey interior from an Irish car, why not approach an Irish dealer. In the dying days of our EU membership you will be able to get one imported to the UK VAT and tariff free. It would make a nice little trip over to drive one back.

And naturally it will be right hand drive.

[Expatman]

23 minutes ago, Yetian said:

 

If you are really keen on having the grey interior from an Irish car, why not approach an Irish dealer. In the dying days of our EU membership you will be able to get one imported to the UK VAT and tariff free. It would make a nice little trip over to drive one back.

And naturally it will be right hand drive.

Yes, I thought of that but realistically I won’t be changing my Yeti until next year at earliest. I generally buy the extended warranty so as to get peace of mind for 4+ years, particularly with 7 speed DSG box.

[juan27]

3 hours ago, Yetian said:

 

If you are really keen on having the grey interior from an Irish car, why not approach an Irish dealer. In the dying days of our EU membership you will be able to get one imported to the UK VAT and tariff free. It would make a nice little trip over to drive one back.

And naturally it will be right hand drive.

 

Would you not have to pay the Irish taxes though?  I thought buying a car in the Republic was an expensive business? 

 

 

[Yetian]

44 minutes ago, juan27 said:

 

Would you not have to pay the Irish taxes though?  I thought buying a car in the Republic was an expensive business? 

 

 

You will have to pay VAT as you would here, and whatever local tax may apply, but  when you bring it back to the UK there will be nothing more to pay in the way of taxes or duties. There will be a small charge for registering it with the DVLA but the Irish/EU paperwork will cover all of that. What happens when we crash out of the EU in December is anyone's guess, but I am assuming it wont be easier or cheaper.

A few years ago cars in the Republic were considerably cheaper than here and several enterprising companies sprang up who would handle all the dealings for you and still save you money. My father did this when he bought a new Peugeot a few years ago.

 

[awfabia]

Thanks for your replies, especially Graham, keep them coming, please. 

[Sad555]

Well I replaced my yeti 2 years ago with a Kia Soul sport,and I am still More than pleased with it ,it’s a 2wd petrol and I expected to take a hit on mpg but on a run have achieved 50 mpg ( not official)car is very quiet ,smooth plenty of head room and a similar size and ride height to the yeti,quality is a big improvement over my first Kia 9 years ago, the music system is also far better that the yeti but most are Manufacturers are now and Apple car play very handy.ive had a few hondas and was interested in a HRV but the lack of power and noisy engine put me off, a first for me was a DSG as it was the only option but soon got used to it.

[sneznymuz]

The ones we bought our Yeti 5L Facelift 2016 from got a Kia Niro P-HEV DCT as replacement.

[Jemball]

Interesting to read about a Kia Soul Sport as a Yeti replacement. Does anyone know what the kerbweight of this particular model is? Just wondering about its potential ability as a towcar for a caravan?

[Llanigraham]

15 minutes ago, Jemball said:

Interesting to read about a Kia Soul Sport as a Yeti replacement. Does anyone know what the kerbweight of this particular model is? Just wondering about its potential ability as a towcar for a caravan?

 

Not very high: 1100kg
https://www.parkers.co.uk/kia/soul/hatchback-2014/sport-16-t-gdi-201bhp-dct-auto-5d/specs/

[Sad555]

Also I don’t think the sport is suitable for a tow bar  fitment.

[Jemball]

Thanks for your replies. Looks like my 4x4 Yeti will be with me for a while longer then.

[Fabcol]

Hi,

 

What a dilemma now Skoda no longer manufacture the excellent loveable Yeti. This morning I took our Yeti in for it's four year service with 24,400 miles on the clock.  Before the Yeti we owned a Fabia Monte Carlo for two years which we liked but the Yeti was a transformation. Having run our diesel Yeti for fours years it felt very strange indeed to  drop down into a Fabia courtesy car on a 69 plate this being a petrol. The difference between our Yeti and this Fabia is amazing; the Fabia feels incredibly low so low I thought all tyres were flat and I bumped my head as I dropped into it; with low petrol icon glaring at me and the message saying this Fabia was due a service I pulled away. On acceleration the exhaust note was quite pronounced and I've never driven a car with so much hand brake lever travel; I was glad to return home but I'll be gladder still to collect our lovely Yeti later this afternoon. I've put petrol in the Fabia.

 

Normally we trade in at three years or less but looking around at all the modern clones there's nothing to tempt us to let the Yeti go; we've decided to keep the Yeti unless it starts to run up lots of repair bills; we just love the Yeti so much and it's got street presence which is increasingly rare. I'm sure Yeti's will be future useable classics unless the electronics kill them which is now a major concern with any modern car and it's getting worse as more and more electronics are added with each passing year. Our Yeti is the Adblue model so only £30 per year to tax and the insurance (LV)  has just been renewed at £500 with a clean driving licence.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

 

 

[Expatman]

4 hours ago, Fabcol said:

Hi,

 

What a dilemma now Skoda no longer manufacture the excellent loveable Yeti. This morning I took our Yeti in for it's four year service with 24,400 miles on the clock.  Before the Yeti we owned a Fabia Monte Carlo for two years which we liked but the Yeti was a transformation. Having run our diesel Yeti for fours years it felt very strange indeed to  drop down into a Fabia courtesy car on a 69 plate this being a petrol. The difference between our Yeti and this Fabia is amazing; the Fabia feels incredibly low so low I thought all tyres were flat and I bumped my head as I dropped into it; with low petrol icon glaring at me and the message saying this Fabia was due a service I pulled away. On acceleration the exhaust note was quite pronounced and I've never driven a car with so much hand brake lever travel; I was glad to return home but I'll be gladder still to collect our lovely Yeti later this afternoon. I've put petrol in the Fabia.

 

Normally we trade in at three years or less but looking around at all the modern clones there's nothing to tempt us to let the Yeti go; we've decided to keep the Yeti unless it starts to run up lots of repair bills; we just love the Yeti so much and it's got street presence which is increasingly rare. I'm sure Yeti's will be future useable classics unless the electronics kill them which is now a major concern with any modern car and it's getting worse as more and more electronics are added with each passing year. Our Yeti is the Adblue model so only £30 per year to tax and the insurance (LV)  has just been renewed at £500 with a clean driving licence.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

 

 

You’ve got the same problem as the rest of us on this forum. Welcome to the “I will have to keep my Yeti Club”!!

[Fabcol]

Hi,

 

Thanks Expatman Yes we're in keep the Yeti club. It sailed through the MOT with no issues. Because of  the extra hygiene involved due to the virus the courtesy car was an additional £15 we live 10.5 miles from the dealer but because the courtesy Fabia was running on empty I put £10 of petrol in it; I had to be very careful to ensure I put petrol in the Fabia after four years of adding diesel to our Yeti. So the courtesy car  added £25 to the bill but no way am I complaining because to hire a car for a day would cost a great deal more. At just under £300 including the MOT I'm more than happy to pay this for another full year of happy Yeti ownership; I think next year will be a lot more expensive with possibly a timing belt and water pump replacement but again I won't be complaining. Our Yeti is always main dealer serviced.

 

Our Yeti was a pre reg with a big discount it being brand new with zero mileage; it's roughly worth £8,500 now (Parkers) so over four years depreciation has been £2,625 per year which is very reasonable for such a lovely car. Obviously the longer we keep it depreciation will drop even further but will reach a point when depreciation on it means nothing but we'll still have a lovely car. Our neighbour directly across the street has owned a small Vauxhall Agila for at least 20 years and it's still in daily use always parked on the driveway so I'm sure our Yeti has many years pleasure still in it. We put away money in our car fund so always have funds to buy another new car whenever we decide to trade in.

 

Most of you reading this will know exactly what I'm on about regarding owning a Yeti. Our's is the SE L 2.0L diesel so has full leather interior which I treat a couple of times a year with leather balm. Since 1990 we've traded in before 3 years; there are YouTube videos showing million mile cars still in perfect condition and even this;

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL49FBPqcdY

 

As I said earlier it's the electronics I worry about more than bodywork or mechanicals; I dislike the stop/start so this is switched off for every journey however short. last year we had four Michelin cross climate tyres fitted at £600 these fitted on our driveway and of course it didn't snow?

 

Out of interest I've wanted to own a small pick up truck and I've been fascinated by Tuk-Tuk's for quite some time; I could buy a new Tuk and use it to cart stuff around saving our Yeti for best. My lovely wife says she wouldn't ride in a Tuk but no problem if I want a Tuk pick up as a wedding anniversary prezzie.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lumRuxkFJ8I

 

Before buying the Yeti we looked at Toyota pickup trucks and although I'd like one of these I wouldn't want one as daily transport; the Yeti turns into a big van but with a Tuk I could carry board materials and lengths of timber etc. My only problem is parking; we have a large site but its steep; our garage is now my workshop and the Yeti sleeps out; I've been wandering around with tape measure?

 

I've rambled on enough but thought I'd share my story.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

 

 

 

[Sad555]

On 16/07/2020 at 12:47, Fabcol said:

Hi,

 

What a dilemma now Skoda no longer manufacture the excellent loveable Yeti. This morning I took our Yeti in for it's four year service with 24,400 miles on the clock.  Before the Yeti we owned a Fabia Monte Carlo for two years which we liked but the Yeti was a transformation. Having run our diesel Yeti for fours years it felt very strange indeed to  drop down into a Fabia courtesy car on a 69 plate this being a petrol. The difference between our Yeti and this Fabia is amazing; the Fabia feels incredibly low so low I thought all tyres were flat and I bumped my head as I dropped into it; with low petrol icon glaring at me and the message saying this Fabia was due a service I pulled away. On acceleration the exhaust note was quite pronounced and I've never driven a car with so much hand brake lever travel; I was glad to return home but I'll be gladder still to collect our lovely Yeti later this afternoon. I've put petrol in the Fabia.

 

Normally we trade in at three years or less but looking around at all the modern clones there's nothing to tempt us to let the Yeti go; we've decided to keep the Yeti unless it starts to run up lots of repair bills; we just love the Yeti so much and it's got street presence which is increasingly rare. I'm sure Yeti's will be future useable classics unless the electronics kill them which is now a major concern with any modern car and it's getting worse as more and more electronics are added with each passing year. Our Yeti is the Adblue model so only £30 per year to tax and the insurance (LV)  has just been renewed at £500 with a clean driving licence.

 

Kind regards, Colin.

 

 

Think you paying too much on insurance , mine always about £200

[Stubod]

..me too paying about £200?..in fact paying less than that for 2 cars?

Edited 19 July, 2020 by Stubod

[TruckbusUK]

1 hour ago, Stubod said:

..me too paying about £200?..in fact paying less than that for 2 cars?

 

 

Not that unusual .... depends where you live and your history and if your close to meeting your maker 🙂.

 

We have an Volvo XC90 and a Yeti L&K 2.0 ... Volvo is £269 per year, and the Yeti is £475 ... both clean licenses and no accidents ....

 

That was from several companies ... Admiral was the most competitive.

 

 

[Fabcol]

Hi,

 

I'm 73 next month with a clean licence and no health issues. I checked comparison sites a few years ago and LG was best for me; if my insurance goes up by £60 per year I don't worry because everything costs more each year. I don't even bother switching anything because how can all companies be cheaper than each other; the savings shown are only estimates anyway; I've got decent cover with LV and could reduce it further if I took out a less comprehensive cover with them; our Yeti also has gap insurance over three years meaning if it gets written off its still valued at £14,000. Everybody's insurance costs more than it should because of our our rubbish laws where criminals are treated better than victims so decent hard working law abiding people support those driving entirely without insurance; driving licence; MOT and being crackheads.

 

Insurance cover is only important when a claim is made and until then those who opted for cheapest possible insurance just might wish they had paid more for better cover? 

 

We have a good lady pensioner living next door who enjoys many foreign holidays and playing golf all over the place; she was planning another cruise for 3 weeks on the Queen Mary. A couple of years ago she fell out with npower because she was paying a great deal more for her electricity than her neighbour (Me) was saying her neighbour has a workshop full of big machinery so it wasn't fair she had to pay so much?  We're friendly with her and she told us about what she had said to npower; this lady has her bungalow lit up like Blackpool illuminations; shortly after an npower engineer was in my workshop wanting to install a smart meter but he couldn't because British Gas had installed a new gas smart gas meter hence he couldn't interfere with their installation; I explained my neighbour had fallen out with npower and hoped he hadn't tripped over the 30KW supply cable I had hooked up to the street lamp? I sent this neighbour details of how much a single 60W bulb cost to run 24 hours a day compared to my big 4hp single phase saw bench which is so powerful I can put a great deal of timber through it in a few minutes then switch it off immediately when not being used this more regarding safety than electricity usage; her bungalow even has security lights switched on outside during the day; she changed electricity supplier and now I think she pays even more because she won't divulge any savings she made? I don't like paying big bills but always pay in full rather than be annoyed with constant monthly withdrawals tormenting me. 

 

When it comes to saving money I just smile at what others do to save a penny but are blind as to how they throw money away on unimportant things; we just pay the bills in full as soon as they are presented; there is more to enjoy in life than money.

 

SOME PEOPLE ARE SO POOR ALL THEY HAVE IS MONEY?

 

Kind regards, Colin.