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SEPTEMBER 2010 AUTOCAR INDIA 7574 AUTOCAR INDIA SEPTEMBER 2010 www.autocarindia.com www.autocarindia.com

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quick facts

Price rs 16 lakh (est),

ex-showroom, Delhi

On sale November 2010

the best Skoda yet-i? It’s everything a Skoda stands for, plus the substantial appeal of a tough-as-nails compact 4x4.

‘The Yeti feels as tough as a trekking boot on the outside, but

soft and comfortable on the inside.’

FIRST VERDICTThe ideal urban SUV HHHHHHHHHI

They may be siblings and share a lot of important mechanical bits, but both skoda and big sister Volkswagen have their own unique individual approach to design. While VWs lean towards being safe and non-controversial, skoda has more of a well . . . bohemian

approach. look at VW’s cars and you can almost tell that each has gone through several long-drawn-out committee meetings where individuality, character and standout details are systematical pared down to a minimum. at skoda, it’s apparent that there are no rigid rules being enforced on the designers, no narrow perfectly defined pathways along which they must march. skoda clearly believes that normal is boring.

Case in point is the yeti, which is brimming over with individuality and ‘look at me appeal’. There really is nothing like it out there. This is a crossover in the true sense of the word. The first time you see the car in the flesh, you think, “Ok, there’s plenty of sUV here but what else am i seeing?” soon, however, you stop questioning and start appreciating. and there are so many really good bits to take in. The manner in which the round headlights bulge out ◊

Neat and clean design of the Yeti’s dashboard is quite attractive, with lots of familar bits from the Laura. Build quality and door shut are as solid as ever.

First Drive | Skoda Yeti

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∆ and overlap so many surfaces, that very attractive angry sUV underbite of the scruff plate, the way the squared-off wheel arches deliver a well-planted stance, and even the arc of the window line that curves upto the roof. and the yeti looks attractive from the rear as well.

What you may not notice though, distracted by all the sUV details, is that the yeti isn’t very long. Taxonomically speaking, this after all is Offroadus Urbanis. so, to give its urban off-roader agility and compactness on tightly packed city

streets, skoda has given this car a length of just 4.2 metres. as a result, squeezing into tight parking spaces, something all sUV buyers in india are stressing on more and more today, is no sweat at all. Visibility from the driver’s seat is excellent, the parking sensors do a stellar job and there’s plenty of articulation in the front wheels too.

but does this mean that space for rear seat passengers and boot volume are reduced? not really. skoda has taken a leaf from tall boy hatchbacks and has used vertical

space to very good effect. Using the adjustable seating, you can slide the rear seats back and fit one six-footer comfortably behind another, and that’s impressive. in fact legroom in this way is as good as a CR-V. The front seats are as large and comfortable you’d expect of any skoda, door-shut and build quality are tank-like and there are plenty of high-quality bits on the dash. The steering wheel and dials look similar to those on the laura, the central console is traditional and there is a neat horizontal line of separation

between the upper and lower dash. as on the laura, a few low-rent plastics do exist but thankfully not enough to spoil the cabin’s ambience.

The rear seats themselves are beautifully built and well engineered. There’s plenty of thigh support, you are sat higher than the front seat passengers and the backrests of the seats recline as well. Then there is the flexibility these seats offer. all three rear seats can be removed individually for variable luggage space and flexibility, and you can even uniquely place the two rear ◊

standard boot capacity is 415 litres and. . .

. . . with the seats removed, 1,665 litres. With variable seats pushed back, legroom and comfort are CR-v-good. Leather seats are very supportive.

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Circular lamp design looks brilliant.

First Drive | Skoda Yeti fIRsT DRIve

Yeti to be sold only as a 4x4 for now.

∆ seats directly behind the front seats by taking out the centre seat. and all three passengers get a full-fledged seatbelt. The only hitch is that the rear air-con vents intrude into the space of the middle passenger a bit. luggage space, however, is pretty generous at 415 litres under the parcel tray. and there are all sorts of nets, hooks and very cleverly engineered extras that make this a very user-friendly boot.

even more impressive is the fact that some of the Volkswagen group’s finest mechanical bits underpin the yeti. it’s built on the same platfrom as the skoda laura (code PQ35), and that for a start means it has a highly sophisticated all-independent suspension. The yeti, however, uses a full-time four-wheel-drive system. Under normal conditions, it all but functions like a front-wheel-drive car. Up to 95 percent of its power is sent to the front wheels, with more power only sent to the rear wheels if any slip is detected. What’s impressive is that upto 90 percent of power can be sent to the rear wheels if the need arises, and it has a limited slip differential as well, something that is very handy in our slushy conditions.

To add to its off-roader credentials, the yeti also has generous ground clearance at 180mm. While this may not be as much as some hardcore off-road vehicles, it’s enough for most conditions. say that trip to ladakh you’ve been planning to seek out its namesake, the abominable snowman.

in fact the yeti is surprisingly capable off tarmac, taking to slushy parts and rough roads with a surprising amount of confidence. however, don’t try and follow that Pajero for this is clearly a couple of rungs down on the ability scale. but attacking dirt roads is serious fun. and what comes as a bit of a surprise is how well the yeti drives when you press on. The haldex four-wheel-drive unit has been placed in the rear for better weight distribution, there’s a tautness to the suspension setup that makes the yeti feel even more agile and grip levels front and rear are well balanced too. so well balanced in fact that it goads you into driving quicker and quicker, ◊

Unique pillar design works well.

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Almost no turbo lag from this engine.

Two-litre 140bhp diesel is smooth and very responsive, and makes the Yeti a very capable performer. sUv styling means the car looks much larger than it is in the pictures.

Skoda Yeti | First Drive

feels a bit strained spinning at that speed and this means it’s best to short-shift. Flat-out acceleration as a result is more impressive than outstanding and 0-100kph and 0-150 come up in 11.2 and 28.4 seconds respectively. Which, of course, makes the skoda much faster than something like a Toyota Fortuner, which needs 12.7sec to reach 100, and only slightly slower than the nissan X-Trail

which takes 10.8sec. There is however one quirk you need to get used to. since the yeti pulls from any engine speed, you tend to lug the car or drive it at low engine speeds a lot, and this sometimes leads to a sudden stall.

if you are looking for a traditional sUV, where the price-to-size ratio is paramount, the yeti is not for you. it just isn’t imposing enough. What this compact sUV has, however, is

the appeal of an off-roader with the convenience of a car built in. it’s a car that’s comfortable off-road, and a 4x4 that’s even more comfortable on it. The interiors are exactly what you expect from a car in this class, seating is very flexible and, as ever, it has that solid skoda build we all love. With prices expected to start at Rs 16 lakh, here’s yet another skoda you are likely to see a lot of.sHAPUR KOTWAL

SO gOOd n Lively performancenBrilliant to drive nClever use of cabin space

nO gOOd nLooks small for its pricenStiff ride quality

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Feature FeStWhen it is launched in november, the Yeti will be available in two variants: Ambiente and elegance. Both the variants come with a full-time four-wheel drive as standard. Missing on the base variant, however, are the cornering lights, automatically dimming external rearview mirror and the Off-Road Assistance, which includes special versions of ABs, traction control, rear diff lock and especially hill Descent Control. the base version also does not get climate control, powered seats and steering-mounted audio controls. Also not on the Ambiente are touch- screen audio controls, a six-CD changer or Boreal wood design, which are all there on the higher elegance version. Leather upholstery however is standard on the Yeti, along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, gearshift knob and handbrake grip.

Other standard equipment on both versions includes Parktronic, esP, a hill holder Clutch, ABs, Brake Assist, traction control and an electronic differential lock. Dual airbags are standard on both versions, but side airbags at front and curtain airbags come only on the elegance version.

‘The Yeti is so well engineered that it’s a treat to drive in the city, on

the highway and off-road as well.’

FactFile SKODA YETIPrice Rs 16 lakh (est, ex-showroom, Delhi)Length 4223mmWidth 1793mmHeight 1691mm Wheelbase 2578mmGround clearance 180mmKerb weight 1543kgEngine 4-cyl, in-line, 1968cc, turbo-diesel Installation Front, transverse, all-wheel drivePower 140bhp at 4200rpmTorque 32.63kgm at 1750-2500rpmPower to weight 90.73bhp per tonneGearbox 6-speed manualFuel tank 60 litresBrakes (f/r) Ventilated discs/solid discsTyre size 215/60R16 tubelessSpare Full size

PerFOrMance Max speed in-gear (kph at rpm) 1st 45 at 54002nd 83 at 52003rd 127 at 51004th 186 at 52005th 188 at 5200*6th 175 at 4000*Acceleration (from rest)Kph Sec0 0.0020 1.1240 2.4660 4.9180 7.69100 11.22120 16.10140 23.73160 36.21In-gear acceleration20-80kph in 3rd 10.5540-100kph in 4th 13.55Braking80-0kph 22.36 m

what it cOStSPrice Rs 16 lakh (est ex-showroom Delhi) *

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∆ and that’s even when you have limited traction on the dirt.

The yeti’s agility on tarmac is equally impressive. We would have liked some more feel from the electric steering, but it’s direct and very accurate and this makes the yeti enjoyable on the highway too. straightline stability is also as good or even better than on many cars. it’s rock-solid even at speeds as high as 160kph and whatever little body roll there is, the yeti’s cohesive handling takes care of without alarming you in the least. in fact, so good is the adjustability of the yeti that the esP doesn’t cut in, even when you are slipping around a fair bit.

also impressive is how effort-free the yeti is to drive in city traffic. you can dart in and out of gaps, the brakes are progressive and feel just right and you soon forget you are chucking around a tonne and a half. The downside of the taut suspension, however, is a slightly revealing ride. The yeti isn’t as supple as something like a CR-V in town and this is

especially true over short, sharp intrusions.

The two-litre common-rail diesel and the six-speed manual gearbox are well up to the task in the city. This new-generation 140bhp motor is the same as the one that powers the laura and that gives it a very impressive turn of foot. There is only the slightest hint of lag from this motor, after which you are smoothly and briskly whooshed up to much higher speeds with a very pleasant slug of torque that stretches well into the midrange. and it’s this light and responsive nature of the motor that characterises the driving experience. so driving in traffic is no chore, and once the road opens out and traffic thins, the yeti displays impressive pace too. The ratios are well spaced out for highway use and you can really keep up a good pace.

however, while the motor spins past 5000rpm – high for a diesel – you only want to pull it so hard if you’re trying to extract maximum power and acceleration. This motor