Revving up
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Registered address: 5 New Street Square, London, United Kingdom EC4A 3TW
Owners love the Skoda Yeti, and we suspect it’s not just because it’s a fantastic all-rounder that blends practicality with low running costs and a fine drive. It’s also got something that’s difficult to define but easy to appreciate: character. From the funky, chunky styling to its unpretentious toughness, it’s one of the most likeable cars the Skoda brand has made.
The Yeti debuted in 2009 and was facelifted in 2013, finally going out of production (and getting replaced by the excellent but less interesting Karoq) in 2017. Not only are Yetis great cars but they also tend to last, so there’s usually a good selection of used models on sale, though it’s worth bearing in mind that even the newest models are a good few years old now, so may not have all the features we’ve come to expect from modern cars.
The Yeti is a car that’s very easy to recommend, especially as a used car, with depreciation bringing it well within the reach of many motorists. It’s telling that owners absolutely rave about their Yetis - it’s one of those rare cars that isn’t just a tool for a job, but almost becomes part of the family for a lot of drivers.
There are no significant weaknesses. The characterful boxy shape means the cabin is very spacious despite a relatively short footprint of 4.2 metres - actually a little shorter than a VW Golf. The 416-litre boot doesn’t sound huge but it’s a useful, square shape and has a fairly low loading lip, while if you flip the seats forward, the tall body means you can load more than 1700 litres if you pack it to the roof.
Interior fixtures and fittings are chunky and hard-wearing, the seats are comfortable, with a raised seating position, visibility is excellent thanks to the flat sides and relatively upright windscreen, and the dashboard is a paragon of logic. The infotainment can seem a little old by modern standards, but it’s at least very easy to use. The Yeti is unexpectedly good to drive too, with positive steering and composed, even quite fun handling, but a pliant ride that takes the sting out of poorly surfaced roads.
It’s even pretty dependable, which is useful particularly for an older car like this, but if you’d prefer something newer then the Skoda Karoq that replaced the Yeti is another great all-rounder, if less interesting to look at and drive. Another budget SUV that’s well worth checking out is the Dacia Duster, which doesn’t quite match the Yeti for quality but gets you even more car for your money.
The Skoda Yeti can play many roles, from simple urban family car to something a bit more rugged or better suited to covering plenty of miles - or even occasional off-road use, if you need it. As a result there’s no one answer to which is best, though we’d suggest the 1.2 TSI if you’re looking for a runaround, and the 140PS TDI if you’re going to be covering more miles. That diesel engine gets front-wheel drive and 4x4 options too, so go for whichever will suit your driving needs. The Yeti was facelifted in 2013 and later models are slightly better equipped, though as a package there’s not much to separate older and newer models.
The Skoda Yeti’s exterior dimensions are:
The Skoda Yeti’s boot space is:
Only a handful of Yetis were sold after April 2017, and therefore only a few will be subject to the flat rate of VED or ‘road tax’ that results - currently £190 per year as of 2024/2025. The rest of the range is CO2-based, which works out very nicely for the Greenline models with their 119g/km CO2 ratings, and a bill of only £35 per year. A top-spec 1.8 TSI 4x4 in Laurin & Klement trim though, with a 189g/km rating, is £385 per year.
The Yeti range spans insurance groups 9-24 depending on the model you’re looking at and the year of the vehicle. An early 1.2 TSI in S trim is at the bottom of that scale, and the top Laurin & Klement diesel at the upper end. Those numbers are a little lower than the Skoda Karoq that replaced the Yeti, which runs from groups 10-26.
