Skoda Yeti is our Car of the Year

Well deserved win!

Owned A 2.0 TDi SE Yeti for nearly 7 weeks. Can't say sing it praises enough, worth a test drive if your considering a crossover as your next car. What won me over in the end was the quality of the drive, interior and price.

By frenchpress2 on 5 August, 2010, 7:47am

no surprise

its no surprise a skoda won as they are at the top of game,making better value quality cars than their VAG counterparts.I was thinking it would have been the bargain Superb not the yeti.I thought the Yeti was a bit ugly and odd looking in pics,but having seen a few on the road now,its defiantly grown on me and a good alternative to the common Qashqai

By nickbsmooth on 5 August, 2010, 8:56am

Depp

My God. Skoda car of the year? Horrible.

By Depp1 on 5 August, 2010, 10:20am

To Depp

Are you Jeremy Clarkson? What car you prefer? Morris, Rover or Range Rover? ;o)

By pitrys on 5 August, 2010, 2:52pm

Justly deserved!

I have owned my Skoda Yeti CR170 4x4 from June and know that this award and all the others being bestowed upon it are justly deserved.

It is a fantastic car that just ticks all the boxes. Skoda should be proud of their achievement the same as all Yeti owners should be feeling quite smug at the fact they chose a pure gem of a vehicle.

Look out Qashqai! Your crown is about to be stolen.

By dgc4rter on 5 August, 2010, 3:03pm

Czech Class

Sold my BMW 5 series purchased new in Germany 10 yrs ago.

Walked into my local Skoda showroom 2 weeks ago and road tested a Yeti & Superb Estate & was bowled over by the quality and value package.

Am completing my specification for both vehicles to include the torquey tdi 170 power plant .

Bravo Czech people - who have always had engineering skills. Bravo Skoda

By Factbookeditor1 on 5 August, 2010, 8:08pm

Not quite sure what is going on here but this car has been touched by the ugly stick and any idea that it will overtake the likes of the Nissan Qashqai is just ridiculas. The Yeti has all the must have appeal of a wet flannel.

By steverobbo on 6 August, 2010, 10:00am

Rotten looking!

God what is wrong with people, the cross over class didn't exist a few years ago, now it's the must have thing, why? Another point it is just VW underneath, so why bang like Skoda built this car, VW did and Skoda just added a seriously ugly body to it.

You are welcome to your opinions and it's your money but for me it is ugly and pointless!

By Focus_your_mind on 7 August, 2010, 1:06pm

Ask the man (or woman) who owns one!

Ok, it may notbe the prettiest car on the road, buy by heck, its a great drive.
I've had my 1.8 TSi 4x4 since April, and I'm totally bowled over by the versitility of the car. It's whisper quiet in petrol form, goes like stink, handles lihe a Gti, is supremely comforable and incredibly well equipped. Ok, so it's a Tiguan underneath, but it's £6k cheaper model for model than its VW cousin.
And before people start complaining that it's an off road giant that takes up too much space on road, just check the dimensions.... the latest Focus is longer & wider!
What wrong with it? In petrol guise, it's a bit thirsty at motorway speeds, and ...erm... well, that's it, apart from the rediculously long order delays.
I've never owned or even driven a Skoda before. In fact, I've never owned a VAG product before, so i have absolutely no brand loyalty to sway my opinion.
Before you criticise the Snow Monster, try one! You will be very pleasantly surprised.

By j_harden on 7 August, 2010, 11:58pm

Rotten looking!

God what is wrong with people, the cross over class didn't exist a few years ago, now it's the must have thing, why? Another point it is just VW underneath, so why bang like Skoda built this car, VW did and Skoda just added a seriously ugly body to it.

You are welcome to your opinions and it's your money but for me it is ugly and pointless!

By Focus_your_mind on 9 August, 2010, 1:18pm

Ummmm... No!

The Yeti is okay at best, it isn't hideos but it isn't particularly attractive either, and it may be bolted together well inside and out but it looks as dull as ditchwater inside, i'm sorry but I wouldn't want to have to stare at that miserable looking interior.
Also the performance, economy and emissions leave much to be desired in todays market, My money would go on a C3 Picasso before I had ever set foot in a Skoda dealership!

By cartmanuk_24 on 13 August, 2010, 12:15am

All the haters...

For all the haters out their go test drive a Yeti before casting your unfound asumptions thats it's a crap car. Frankly I wouldn't slag off a car until I had been inside or at least driven one. And what exactley is an attractive car in your opinion (WITHIN THE SAME PRCE BRACKET)?

By frenchpress2 on 16 August, 2010, 11:06am

Moderators and Knowledgeable Posters required...

Don't these comments get moderated for spammers? Also, I know looks is purely subjective and what one person thinks can be totally opposite to the next person along. I think the Yeti looks great - a funky front with a Discovery-esque rear. I'm sorry but I have to wonder at people who say they prefer the Citroen C3 Picasso - a french car that looks like an ice-cream van over a German owned car with VW Golf underpinnings? Plus the kind of performance and handling that you'd associate more with a GTI than a 4x4 - this thing sticks to the road like its on rails. If you don't believe me, ask the guys from EVO Performance Car magazine.

As for comparing it with the Qashqai, sorry again, but there's no contest in any aspect. The Yeti has been comprehensively compared against the X3 and Q5 and still come out on top.

Maybe I'm biased though because I own and drive one but at least my statement are based on fact rather than those who have only looked at pictures of them.

By dgc4rter on 17 August, 2010, 8:40am

@dgc4rter

My comments are based on facts also, the Skoda interiors are simply dull and that is from personal experience of myself and others, I don't have any problem with the exterior styling but I would hardly call it either modern or funky, those are qualities the C3 Picasso has in spades.

And for a car in this class GTI driving dynamics are never and should never be an issue, it is less about the underpinnings and more about what is pinned to them.

Being german owned does not automatically make them the better choice, expecially not today.

As for comprehensively compared, to say this is superior to VW's superior 4x4 they person doing the comparing must have been smoking something at the time, not to mention the fact that the Yeti would be better compared against the coming Q3 and X1.

Don't assume someone has to have had extensive experience with a car to have a valid opinion, some people just have eyes and don't get suckered in by the whole "but it's a Volkswagen really" mentality!

By cartmanuk_24 on 17 August, 2010, 12:31pm

Don't knock it, till you've tried it

Being close on 40, I can clearly remember when Skoda's were the butt of many jokes, "a convertible Skoda is known as a skip" etc.

I've had a handful of cars over the years, Renault laguna, clio, vauxhall astra, corsa, toyota avensis. I've driven plenty of hire cars for extended periods from Peugeot, Ford, VW, Mercedes, Saab, Landrover to name a few.

New job forced the need for a new car, and I went to look at Skoda after looking at their website, afterall, a shed load of taxi drivers can't all be wrong can they? I went with the idea of thinking the Yeti looked ok on paper, but probably wouldn'y like it etc.

The Yeti is a marmite car, you love it or hate it. Personally, I love it. I have a 2.0D SE in Black in 110Bhp, and it gets looks and comments wherever I go.

It's safe, economical (although I wish it had 6 forward gears), has parking sensors, good stereo, good trim and is tough as nails (I was broadsided on a roundabout recently, and was stunned to escape with nothing more than scuff on my wheel, which rubbed off, the peugeot's bumper didn't fare too well).

Of all the cars I've ever driven, the only thing that comes close to it in terms of comfort is the Mercedes, nothing comes close in terms of fun and sheer enjoyment.

We love our Yeti, and for anyone who has owned an uncommon car (like my Dad owned Saabs in the 70's and 80's) nothing gives you a buzz like winding down the window and waving back to an equally enthusiatic Yeti owner coming in the opposite direction, even on the M1.

If you don't like it, don't buy it, simple.

By YetiMan on 19 August, 2010, 4:11pm

@YetiMan

How about us people who don't like it and know better informing potential buyers of it's flaws, economical you say? with a 2.0 Diesel offering the same performance as the 1.6 Diesel in the PSA group cars but obviously lower CO2 and better MPG people would be well advised to look elsewhere, people who want to save money at least!

And also the same equipment levels can be had for less money from competitors!!

By cartmanuk_24 on 19 August, 2010, 6:17pm

@cartmanuk_24

If you don't like it, don't buy it, simple.

Did I say that you weren't entitled to your opinion?

In my own personal opinion, it is economical relative to what I had previously, not quite as much, but I didn't expect it to be.

You seem to be obsessed about your Citroens. And you say to @dgc4rter that "My comments are based on facts also, the Skoda interiors are simply dull and that is from personal experience of myself and others, I don't have any problem with the exterior styling but I would hardly call it either modern or funky, those are qualities the C3 Picasso has in spades.

That is not fact, that is opinion - to which you are entitled.

Your comments on economy are fact, and am quite happy to accept them.

I don't want to drive a Citroen C3 Picasso, nice as it looks, it doesn't have roof rails built in (as far as I can see), and as I use a roofbox, then I don't want to shell out for foot packs, when I don't need to.

There are many different factors that influence a purchase of a car, such as insurance group (the Yeti came in cheaper than a 5year old 1.2 Renault Clio that my wife drives at annual mileage of 4k), plus I got 4% APR which way undercut any other manufacturer on the market.

It also has presence on the road without being a hulking 4x4 Chelsea Tractor (I have the 2wd version btw), so that's good for when we go away as a family.

So you need to be a little wider in your views, because lets face it, someone with more experience and a wider opinion gave it car of the year - and you don't like it.

By YetiMan on 20 August, 2010, 9:08am

@cartmanuk_24

If you don't like it, don't buy it, simple.

Did I say that you weren't entitled to your opinion?

In my own personal opinion, it is economical relative to what I had previously, not quite as much, but I didn't expect it to be.

You seem to be obsessed about your Citroens. And you say to @dgc4rter that "My comments are based on facts also, the Skoda interiors are simply dull and that is from personal experience of myself and others, I don't have any problem with the exterior styling but I would hardly call it either modern or funky, those are qualities the C3 Picasso has in spades.

That is not fact, that is opinion - to which you are entitled.

Your comments on economy are fact, and am quite happy to accept them.

I don't want to drive a Citroen C3 Picasso, nice as it looks, it doesn't have roof rails built in (as far as I can see), and as I use a roofbox, then I don't want to shell out for foot packs, when I don't need to.

There are many different factors that influence a purchase of a car, such as insurance group (the Yeti came in cheaper than a 5year old 1.2 Renault Clio that my wife drives at annual mileage of 4k), plus I got 4% APR which way undercut any other manufacturer on the market.

It also has presence on the road without being a hulking 4x4 Chelsea Tractor (I have the 2wd version btw), so that's good for when we go away as a family.

So you need to be a little wider in your views, because lets face it, someone with more experience and a wider opinion gave it car of the year - and you don't like it.

By YetiMan on 20 August, 2010, 9:11am

@YetiMan

My comments on the interiors may appear to be simply opinion but they are based on factors such as ergonomics and a relative comparison to other interiors of cars both new and old, my wording aside there is simply no disputing that the interiors are decidedly old-fashioned, and that being different to "retro" that is not a desirable quality in a car interior.

My comments on performance, economy, emissions and price are all without question based on fact.

My referring to the Citroen, which is a completely unbiased view as I have nothing at all against Skoda and no particular aliegance to Citroen, was for several reasons; it is a close match to the Yeti especially when the 4x4 model is ignored (and few Yeti owners will make use of it even if they buy it) and it has always featured highly in Autoexpress reviews, had this been another model in the Skoda range the car I chose to compare to would not have been a Citroen at all!

In comparable trim to the Yeti (my apoligies in this the prices are now closer than my memory led me to believe) the Picasso does indeed have roof rails.

I know what goes in to chosing a car and still with all things thoroughly considered believe there are better alternatives out there for anyone considering a Yeti if one takes the time to look.

And I think assuming my views are not wide enough is simply unfounded, and assuming the people who made this car the Car of the Year have more experience and a wider opinion is flawed reasoning, I doubt many people would defer to these "panels" if THEY disagreed with the choice, european car of the year has had some very questionable winners, more than one of which has surprised writers for this very magazine!

By cartmanuk_24 on 20 August, 2010, 9:38pm

Getting all excited...

My spanking new 1.2TSI SE yeti is due to arrive with a 60 plate in just 2 weeks. I just can't wait. We are due to replace our second car in the new year and the avourite at the moment is a another Yeti - maybe even the 4x4 model for our Yorkshire winters!

By Yorkie on 22 August, 2010, 7:02pm

@cartmanuk_24

Well, to begin with, it's nice to see the moderators have finally got rid of the stupid spam.

Secondly, in a final response to cartmanuk_24's one man campaign against the Yeti (as I'm sure he fully intends to get the last word in on this), your comments are littered with contradictions I'm afraid. Subjective statements "based on fact", objective statements "based on personal opinion" So, we should all listen to you and disregard the huge bulk of what the motoring press are saying about this car?

Yeah, right!

Fact 1: You do not like the Yeti - fair enough, your fully entitled not to.

Fact 2: Since its introduction, the Skoda Yeti has won a plethora of awards from motoring organisations, has received rave reviews from much of the motoring press and the huge majority of owners (like myself but not all) think their 4 wheeled Snow Monster is one of the best cars they've ever owned.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is a well justified award.

By dgc4rter on 23 August, 2010, 2:00pm

@dgc4rter

This is not a matter of having the last word but of defending myself.

Fact 1: My comments are not contradictory but separate comments, some based on opinions, some based on measurable fact.

Fact 2: I do not DISLIKE the Yeti, I just question it's choice as AE car of the year due to certain glaring issues.

Fact 3: As i stated winning an award is not necessarily an indicator of anything however much we would hope it would be in order to simplify life.

I simply question any award or review which apparently disregards a cars flaws in the face of competition that doesn't suffer the same flaws and then hands that car first prize.

I am glad you are enjoying your Yeti, and the same goes for YetiMan, after all it is what you feel about your own car that matters in the end. I am also not telling anyone to listen to me over and above magazines such as AE, what I am saying is if you are considering one, bare in mind that certain facts are being ignored and make sure you take a good look around and not pick your care purely because of an award or a good review!

Primarily, when you are shopping for a car look at as many as possible, disregard NOTHING based on the historical image of a brand, have no prejudice when you go in to the showroom and take each car on it's individual merits and your individual priorities!

A good example of this is my sister who was in the market for an individual, stylish and reliable car and when I advised her of the excellent value for money of the Volvo C30 R-Design (it was cheaper at the time than now) she dismissed it as an old mans car, however on looking closer and test-driving it she soon changed her mind and became the proud owner of that very model.

By contrast she went looking for it's replacement (her needs had changed, it had nothing to do with chosing the wrong car before) and my advice was unavailable at the time and she blindly ran into the purchase of the most economical car she could find, a Toyota iQ, which she was subsequently unable to live with and ended up in a used Fiat Punto out of necessity when trading in such a new car!

I am not acting our of dislike, or prejudice of any kind, merely about wanting people to take this award with a pinch of salt and be fully educated.

I have no issue with Skoda or VAG as companies at all, although I do feel that good build quality is not a substitute for lazy interior design in some cases. And I should also add that when my mother considered a Roomster (on my advice!) for her Motability car replacement, her test drive of the equivalent engine in a Fabia (all that was available) put her off completely due to the EXTREMELY noisy engine despite my telling her that it must be a one off issue with that car as if all the diesels were that noisy there would be none on the road! The dealer however tried to act as if it was normal AND acceptable!

By cartmanuk_24 on 23 August, 2010, 9:23pm

@cartmanuk_24

There! I knew you'd want the last word... oops!

By dgc4rter on 29 September, 2010, 3:24pm

How about 7 seats?

If only Skoda would make an MPV. I need 7 seats in my next car, and would love VW quality at Skoda prices!

By darrenjs on 11 November, 2010, 9:17am

To evey1 who believes in having an opinion instead following of the gospel of Jeremy Clarkson

I rented one of these before, by mistake, it was supposed to be a 5-seat picasso or similar, because I have one, It was diesel, I have no idea of engine size but it had nowhere near the power when loaded as the 2.0 HDi 163 in the picasso,and it sounded like an old grey ferguson. The ride was a bit jiggly and firm, and the road noise and hum in the cabin would nearly cause a headache on long journeys, and even though the cabin is fairly high quality, like everything else these days, there are a couple of quite nasty cheap bits dotted around the place. And as well as all of that is so boring and dull inside, all shades of black and grey not one nice feature to lift it a bit, and the outside is just as bad. I find it average, definately not an award winner of any kind. Just look at how long it was on sale before anybody bought one, and if jeremy clarksons script writers didnt go over board for the sponsorship from skoda, people still wouldnt have bought them.

By rorydoyle43 on 29 September, 2011, 1:12pm