4x4 (weighing under 1,800kg): Skoda Yeti

It’s another win for the Skoda Yeti – and as our former Car of the Year had taken such a comprehensive victory in the 151-185g/km category, its triumph in the smaller of our two 4x4 classes came as no surprise.

There were only three cars in our shoot-out for off-roaders weighing 1,800kg and under, but the Skoda crossover led the way by a considerable margin – partly because it offers all the attributes of a full off-roader in such a car-like package.

The judges awarded it really high scores in the driving elements of our test, plus it outshone its competitors as an all-round value-for-money tow car.

Buyers can take their pick from a number of two-wheel-drive versions, but the Yeti 4x4 line-up starts from £18,635. And even if you go for the top-of-the-range Elegance DSG 4x4 model, you can expect changefrom £25,000.

This SE Plus version weighs in at £21,977, and comes equipped with desirable kit like climate and cruise control, Bluetooth and parking sensors as standard. Better still, strong residualsand decent fuel returns mean it won’t cost the earth to run.

Our finalists

Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI (140) SE Plus 4x4: £21,977Range Rover Evoque SD4 Prestige: £39,780Mazda CX-5 2.2 175 AWD Sport Nav: £29,095

* On-the-road price without towing extras.