Yeti Sighted

A crossover in the true sense of the word,this is the ideal blend of an SUV and a compact city runaround,with a design logic thats unconventional. The design is impressive with round headlights that overlap the nose,the very attractive angry SUV underbite and the way the squared-off wheel arches deliver a well-planted stance. This car surely has it. What you may not notice though,distracted by all the SUV details,is that the Yeti isnt very long. To give it urban off-roader agility and compactness on packed city streets,Skoda has given this car a length of just 4.2 m,meaning its only slightly longer than a Swift Dzire. As a result,squeezing it into tight parking spaces is no sweat. The visibility from the drivers seat is excellent,the parking sensors do a stellar job and theres plenty of articulation in the front wheels too.

But does this mean that space for rear-seat passengers and boot volume are reduced? Not really. Skoda has taken a leaf from tall-boy hatchbacks and has used vertical space to very good effect. Using adjustable seating,you can slide the rear seats back and fit one six-footer comfortably behind another,and thats impressive.

Even more impressive is the fact that some of the Volkswagen Groups finest mechanical bits underpin the Yeti. Its built around the same mechanical platform as the Skoda Laura,and that translates to a highly sophisticated,all-independent suspension. The Yeti,however,uses a full-time four-wheel-drive system,so you can make that trip to Ladakh to seek out the abominable snowman.

The Yeti takes to slushy paths and rough roads with a surprising amount of confidence and there is a good amount of ground clearance too. However,dont follow that Pajero,for this is not an extreme off-roader adept at rock climbing. But attacking dirt roads is serious fun. What comes as a bit of a surprise is how well the Yeti drives when you press on. The Haldex four-wheel-drive unit is placed in the rear for better weight distribution,theres a tautness to the suspension set-up that makes the Yeti feel agile,and grip levels front and rear are well-balanced too.

The Yetis agility on tarmac is equally impressive. Straightline stability is as good or even better than on many cars. Its rock-solid even at 160 kmph and whatever little body roll there is,the Yetis cohesive handling takes care of without alarming you in the least. In fact,so good is the adjustability of the Yeti that the ESP doesnt cut in,even when you are slipping around a fair bit. You will be surprised at how effort-free the Yeti is to drive in city traffic. You can dart in and out of gaps,the brakes are progressive and feel just right and you soon forget you are chucking around a tonne and a half.

The two-litre common-rail diesel and the six-speed manual gearbox are well up to the task in the city. This new-generation 140 bhp motor is the same as the one that powers the Laura and that gives it a very impressive turn of foot. There is only the slightest hint of lag from this motor,after which you are whooshed up to higher speeds with a pleasant slug of torque that stretches well into the midrange. It is this light and responsive nature of the motor that characterises the driving experience.

On the road and on high-speed highways,its many times better than something like a Toyota Fortuner,which handles like a big ship. If you are looking for a traditional SUV,where the price-to-size ratio is paramount,the Yeti is not for you. It just isnt imposing enough. What this compact SUV has is the appeal of an off-roader with the convenience of a car built in. The interiors are exactly what you expect from a car in this class,seating is flexible and,as ever,it has that solid Skoda build we all love.

With a price tag expected to start at Rs 16 lakh,heres yet another Skoda you are likely to see a lot of.

The writer is deputy editor,AutocarIndia