2014 Skoda Yeti Reviews

Paul Gover road tests and reviews the 2014 Skoda Yeti 4x4 Outdoor, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Alistair Kennedy road tests and reviews the Skoda Yeti, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the Skoda Yeti, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the Skoda Yeti Outdoor 2.0 TDI, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Skoda has reduced the prices of its Yeti SUV by as much as $4400 and at the same time has added important extra features, particularly on the safety front.

It’s been a struggle for Skoda’s Yeti to get a foothold here because there are so many enticing choices in the compact SUV segment including the car on which it’s based, VW’s Tiguan.

Despite the name, which harks back to the reclusive Himalayan abominable snowman, this Yeti is bereft of anti-social tendencies. In fact, it presents a positive, self-confident face in urban environments and offers a degree of horizon-expanding capability beyond its usual habitat, as well as offering expanded capability in places where the road system leaves much to be desired.The Yeti is deliberately the antithesis of a big, aggressive off-roader. With its front-wheel-drive execution, including all the ‘best practice’ driver aids, the Yeti begs the question of whether four-wheel drive is really necessary for the vast majority of excursions on unsealed roads.The Yeti’s over-riding purpose is not driving on unpaved or broken terrain, but to transport people to places where they can explore nature on foot, with a bike or canoe, or with climbing equipment.In recognition of the fact that the days of the single-purpose vehicle are long gone, the Yeti displays versatility, mobility and flexibility – qualities more in demand now than ever before. It also acknowledges the growing role outdoor leisure pursuits play in contemporary and active lifestyles.The vehicle is a vision of a tremendously functional and extremely compact SUV.Yeti demonstrates the breadth of design capability and innovative thinking in-house at Škoda. The vehicle test-drives a potential new-look grille, bumper and headlight styling treatment that could be seen on future production Škoda vehicles, and trades heavily on features first presented in the Roomster concept – such as the wrap-around windscreen and coated A-pillars.Compared with contemporary SUV styling, the windscreen remains somewhat upright, as do the side windows. The reason for this is not only aesthetic, but also functionality – the car's interior is less affected by solar heat load, the driver has excellent forward vision, all occupants have considerable headroom. Interior space is maximised.