Skoda Yeti 103TDI 2012 Review

About the only thing we didn't fancy about this car on first encounter was its lack of bluetooth.

It should be standard on all cars these days because talking and texting on a mobile phone has been shown to be hazardous to your health, not to mention your licence. Skoda must have been listening because shortly after taking delivery of our test vehicle it decided to make Bluetooth standard across the range.

The Yeti is Skoda's odd yet somehow very appealing compact SUV, combining the strengths of an off roader with the practicality and running costs of a hatch. Yeti sits on the same platform as VW's Tiguan which in turn is an off road version of the Golf. Our test vehicle is priced from $37,990.

ENGINE

Yeti comes with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. Our test car is the 2.0-litre turbo diesel with 103kW of power and 320Nm of torque from a low 1750 revs. It's hooked up to the 6-speed version of VW's acclaimed DSG double clutch transmission that functions the same as an auto. The diesel is tried and true, but tends to sound like a truck at idle which can be off-putting.

4X4

During normal operation 96 per cent of the engine's torque is delivered to the front wheels. If the sensors detect a difference in speed between the front and rear axles, the system diverts up to 90 per cent of torque to the rear wheels. Thanks to a limited slip rear diff, drive is also distributed evenly from side to side. The diesel model also scores under body protection for offroading.

VARIOFLEX

Vario what? The rear passenger compartment features Skoda's innovative VarioFlex seating system. It allows the seats to be positioned in many different ways, folded up or removed completely. What's more, the rear seat is 20mm higher for a better view.

FUEL CONSUMPTION

The diesel is good for 6.2 litres/100km and with a 60-litre tank that gives it a theoretical range of 967km. In practice we've been getting between 6.6 and 6.7 litres/100km, with a best of 710km from a single tank (but we haven't tried to run it dry yet).

SAFETY

Yeti scores a maximum five stars for safety, with a total of seven airbags including a driver's kneebag to protect the lower legs from contact with the dash in an accident.

OTHER GOODIES

Cruise is standard along with a full size spare wheel, height and reach adjustable steering wheel with audio controls and an 8-speaker audio system. The diesel adds dual air, auto lights and wipers, 17 inch alloys, fog lights and a height-adjustable driver and passenger seat with lumbar support.

WE LIKE

It's cute looks and compact dimensions, along with the promise of diesel economy and the added safety of all wheel drive (not to mention the fact it doesn't mind getting its toes dirty).

WE DON'T LIKE

All good so far, except for over the shoulder vision is hanmped by the large B pillar that sits directly behind the driver when looking to merge right.

Skoda Yeti 103TDI

Price: From $35,690
Warranty: 3 year roadside
Safety rating: (est). Five star
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl diesel / 2.0-litre 4-cyl sports automatic 103kW/320Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic dual clutch; 4x4 constant
Body: 4223mm (L); 1793mm (W); 1691mm (H)
Weight: 1615kg / 1640kg
Thirst: 6.2/100km 162g/km CO2 / 6.7/100km 174g/km CO2