Skoda Yeti S 2.0 TDI CR 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The four cylinder engine delivers a healthy 108 bhp of power, with torque figures of 184 lb-ft at 1500-2500 rpm, to this front-wheel-drive car. This allows the vehicle to have a decent top speed of 110 mph with acceleration fairly average as the car takes 11.6 seconds to travel from 0-62 mph.

Although the suspension could do with improvement, the handling and steering is responsive within this car. The drive can be a little uncomfortable with the car struggling to smooth out any imperfections or bumps within the road.

On top of this, noise disruption is fairly high within the cabin. The majority of this disruption comes from the wind and road, which is worst at higher speeds. In terms of engine noise, this model is fairly quiet but lacks the refinement of the petrol models.

In terms of efficiency, the car performs well and achieves 52.3 mpg on a combined cycle. Carbon emissions are a little high at 140 g/km, but road tax costs remain fairly reasonable under insurance bracket E.

Externally, the Skoda Yeti is a fairly attractive car. The S model offers upgraded trim from the E models but some modern features are still missing.

Fittings offered as standard include power steering, central locking, alloy wheels, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows and an advanced stereo system with CD compatibility.

Stability control becomes available for an additional £410, but other options such as a built-in sat nav, MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, climate control, cruise control and rear parking sensors are still not available.

With large amounts of cabin space for both passengers and cargo, the Skoda Yeti is a great practical 4x4. With the seats in place the boot offers a decent capacity of 416 litres, which can be expanded to 1,760 litres when the seats are folded down. The rear seats can also be shifted backwards to accommodate taller passengers and there is plenty of headroom thanks to the cars size.

For the driver, the driving position isn’t as high as in other 4x4s but there is plenty of adjustment within the seat and the steering column and this means that a comfortable position can be attained. The dashboard is also logically laid out so operating the controls without looking away from the road should be easy.

The advanced safety kit includes driver, passenger and front side airbags as standard features alongside an alarm and immobiliser. Anti-whiplash head restraints are also standard fittings and from the S model and upwards the Yeti also comes with an airbag to protect the driver’s knees. Skoda are known for their reliability and this means that maintenance costs should be fairly low for this vehicle. Safety levels are also high and the car achieved a top five star rating for overall safety in the NCAP crash tests.

With a price of £16,770, the strong resale values offered with this car make it a great investment for those looking for long term ownership. In addition to this, running costs are low due to the high efficiency of the 2.0 litre diesel engine.

The car achieves an impressive 52.2 mpg which makes refuelling inexpensive and infrequent whilst carbon emissions of 140 g/km put the car under tax band E which is fairly mid-range in price. Insurance premiums also feature at the bottom end of the scale under insurance group 11.

This makes the additional cost between this model and the 1.2 TSI petrol E model justifiable due to the increased savings and enhanced trim on offer. Those who want additional comfort will still want to upgrade to another trim level but those prepared to make sacrifices will find this model the perfect compromise of comfort and efficiency.