24/02/10

• Price19,305
• We like...Drive; value
• We don't...Nothing worth a mention

Skoda's not made a crossover/ off-roader before. But has the Crech car-maker now come up with a first-time winner? Calling a car ‘Yeti’ makes you think it might be big, scary... and rough. We’re happy to report, though, that Skoda’s newest effort is none of those things.

Instead, it’s a little gem. Skoda’s not made an off-roader/crossover until now, though it has expertise in four-wheel-drive systems from versions of its Octavia hatch and estate and its superb saloon, too. The Yeti’s a handy size, a touch shorter than a Land Rover Freelancer or a Honda CR-V. And though in looks it’s every inch an off-roader, in temperament it’s more the new breed of crossover: the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Soul are its closest rivals.

Looks are subjective, but we think this a handsome beast – chunky, distinctively a Skoda, but well proportioned and neat. The make’s distinctive grille sits well up front and there are traces of the quirkily-styled Roomster MPV around its window lines.

But the real treat is on the inside. This is Skoda’s best cabin yet. Go for the mid-trim ‘SE’ model (like our test car) and it looks and feels as good as an Audi’s. And that’s no small thing when you think that, for our money, Audi ds the best cabins of any affordable car. It’s all subdued shades of charcoal, lifted by flashes of chrome and is very much the business, under-scored by an impression that it’ll stay smart even after years of use.

It’s also very practical, thanks to a bootful of hooks to hold shopping bags upright and storage places, plus rear seats that drop and double-fold every which way. You could own a Yeti months before you’d exhausted its seat/luggage permutations.

The cabin is tall and roomy enough to carry five grown-ups comfortably. And that’ll also be true because the Yeti eases over bumps with remarkable smoothness – thanks partly to the fact that it uses similar underpinnings and running gear to the Volkswagen Golf.

A good, clear view out front and back, easy controls and lofty seating make it a cinch to drive. It’s relatively tall so while it will lean a touch into corners, it will also string itself through a series of bends competently.

And while we’d usually advise buying low in the model range for best value, here we’ll break that rule because the 160bhp, 1.8 petrol model with four-wheel-drive is a cracker. That engine is smooth, quiet and pulls the Yeti along at a lick. There’s no way you can reason for its extra cost or thirst when measured against the diesels or plucky little 1.2 petrols also present, but it is a whizz to drive.

We’ve not tried anything more ambitious in ours than taking it along a forest track but it did all we asked – easily. Note that cheaper models are two-wheel drive – which is fine if you’re buying for the extra height and toughness and not for go-anywhere ability. If you do go for the 4x4, remember that it hasn’t the cleverness or fine control to match, say, a Freelander – but it should still do well across slippy stuff and at a far lower price.

Should you buy one? Definitely. It’s beautifully made, well thought out and fine to drive. It’s a winner.

• Engines1.8 turbocharged petrol
• Power160bhp
• 0-60 mph8.4secs
• Economy35.3mpg
• CO2g/km189
• Insurance groups9E
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags7
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: