Yeti prices now up.....

[Zelig]

Turns out the Yetis on display at the motor show are NZ models. The alacantra and leather in the 77TSI won't be an option for Australia.

[VWSceptic]

Turns out the Yetis on display at the motor show are NZ models. The alacantra and leather in the 77TSI won't be an option for Australia.

Thanks very much Zelig for your comments about the yeti at the show.

I don't think it's what I am looking for now. Timing is also important. May have to go with not so exciting safe options. *sighs*

[Zelig]

Today, I was able to speak to a guy who works for Skoda Australia head office, not one of the grid girls. He was the one who told me the show vehicles were NZ models and not Australian spec.

I showed him the Skoda Australia website where it said Columbus Sat Nav was standard on 4x4 103TDI and he said that was wrong and that he would make sure the web people fixed that first thing Monday. Also showed him the poor fit of the cupholders and he just shrugged and said that is European spec, so guess we will have to like it or lump it.

I asked about what options would be available, eg Electric Seat adjustment, Heated seats etc and he basically said the Yeti Brochure on the Skoda Australia website is the most accurate in terms of specifications and options that will be available for Australia at launch.

I asked if they were going to do a Yeti Premium, like the Scout Premium (with Leather, Sunroof and Columbus for $4k extra) and he said not at this stage - obviously confident the Yetis will sell well anyway.

He said delivery time for special order models (ie unique combination of factory fitted options) would be about 4 months. He said there were about 200 Yetis about to go into production for dealer stock at launch in October. These would primarily be standard vehicles with limited options, but some dealers had requested various option combinations. All dealers will be able to see what stock is in the country so if you want options like sunroof and/or leather you may get lucky with the initial production run even if it is on the other side of the country, otherwise I would say if you order in October you are probably looking at Mar 2012 delivery.

[Jake02]

Maybe something else this time around Zelig? Unless you can get a rightly-specced Yeti for a reasonable price then an ASX Aspire is particularly appealing to myself, mostly because of the amazing level of kit it gets (apparently it's new 1.8 diesel is very good too).

[Zelig]

Maybe something else this time around Zelig? Unless you can get a rightly-specced Yeti for a reasonable price then an ASX Aspire is particularly appealing to myself, mostly because of the amazing level of kit it gets (apparently it's new 1.8 diesel is very good too).

I haven't ruled out the Yeti just yet.

After two visits to the Motor Show, it has just reminded me that there is no such thing as the perfect car. Every one of them has a little niggle here and there or is missing some feature.

You are right, the ASX Aspire is blessed with a tremendous level of kit for the price and is a definite consideration, provided of course that you are happy with the Mitsubishi "Shark" nose look. I am not a big fan of that nose, although I will say I think it works better on the ASX than it does on the Outlander or Lancer.

Don't forget, I still haven't driven the Yeti or many of the others yet.....

[Timbo]

I predict these are going to be in high demand, as they have been overseas -- hence the delay into Australia.

Personally, I'd like a 125TDI version, but that doesn't seem to be on the cards

[Inego]

Personally, I'd like a 125TDI version, but that doesn't seem to be on the cards

It'd tread on the Tig's toes too much, let alone the new Q3. Brand blindness anyone with Q3 pricing?

[K1W1]

It'd tread on the Tig's toes too much, let alone the new Q3. Brand blindness anyone with Q3 pricing?

My next vehicle (approx 18 months) will be a SUV type, the VRS just isn't really me as a vehicle despite being a great car and at the moment the Yeti and the Q3 are the two likely front runners. I can't see myself in a Tiguan but I can see the extra value in the Q3 over the Yeti. Owning a vehicle is not just dollars and cents it has to have some emotional pull or you wouldn't even look twice at a particular product and every car would be the same.

[Inego]

My next vehicle (approx 18 months) will be a SUV type, the VRS just isn't really me as a vehicle despite being a great car and at the moment the Yeti and the Q3 are the two likely front runners. I can't see myself in a Tiguan but I can see the extra value in the Q3 over the Yeti. Owning a vehicle is not just dollars and cents it has to have some emotional pull or you wouldn't even look twice at a particular product and every car would be the same.

I'm not totally practical, it just seems that the Q3 doesn't offer a lot more than the badge (in a similar way to the A4 allroad in Europe, where the question has been roundly "why" when compared to the Scout).

Then again, if the Superb Scout doesn't eventuate, my next car will prob be an allroad...

[K1W1]

The Scout isn't out of the question for me either. It was the Skoda I originally went to buy but at that time it was just lacking in a couple of areas like having the old PD engine. I wouldn't go for a Superb AWD even a version that is raised a little like the Scout or XC Volvos, again it's just not the vehicle I want to own although it's a great vehicle in it's own right.
As far as the Q3 is concerned yes you don't get much other than the badge and the fit and finish and the cutting edge engineering that is a couple of years away in the Skoda range and none of that probably justifies the price difference but as I said I and most other people don't buy purely on the dollars. With dollars EXCLUDED from the scenario I would probably rank them Q3, Yeti, Tiguan. The Tiguan just does nothing at all for ME and I haven't seen a Yei in the flesh yet. Other people I'm sure would have a different order for the vehicles.

[BlackOctaviaRS]

The Scout isn't out of the question for me either. It was the Skoda I originally went to buy but at that time it was just lacking in a couple of areas like having the old PD engine. I wouldn't go for a Superb AWD even a version that is raised a little like the Scout or XC Volvos, again it's just not the vehicle I want to own although it's a great vehicle in it's own right.
As far as the Q3 is concerned yes you don't get much other than the badge and the fit and finish and the cutting edge engineering that is a couple of years away in the Skoda range and none of that probably justifies the price difference but as I said I and most other people don't buy purely on the dollars. With dollars EXCLUDED from the scenario I would probably rank them Q3, Yeti, Tiguan. The Tiguan just does nothing at all for ME and I haven't seen a Yei in the flesh yet. Other people I'm sure would have a different order for the vehicles.

I think the XC60 (230mm) has better ground clearance than the Q3 (170mm) / Yeti(185mm) / Tiguan(200mm)

[K1W1]

It's not ground clearance it's the type of vehicle. If I want a real off roader I'll buy another Land Rover. What I do is a lot of dirt road driving and some moderate forest roads that you can drive a 2WD car on if you want but obviously something with 4WD will be better and more comfortable. It's not that the vRS won't go in those places it's just that it's not suitable particularly with the low profile tyres so I either don't go into the forests or I take my motorcycle which makes it harder to carry tripods and other camera gear. Everybodies type of use is different which is why different types of vehicles are on the market.

[Inego]

It's not that the vRS won't go in those places it's just that it's not suitable particularly with the low profile tyres so I either don't go into the forests or I take my motorcycle which makes it harder to carry tripods and other camera gear. Everybodies type of use is different which is why different types of vehicles are on the market.

I had a GolfIV with a 10mm drop at each corner. I cracked two sumps on gravel roads. I replaced it with an Outback and now the Scout - the Scout's 180mm is fine - I don't need the current Outback's 220mm.

[Zelig]

The Volvo XC60 did catch my eye at the motor show as another alternative to consider.

It is obviously a step up in class from the Yeti. The seats were just divine. Of course, price is big jump from the Yeti too.

However, it is a little bigger (4627mm long compared to Yeti 4223), which perhaps may not suit us.

An XC30 at about 4350mm long is apparently in the pipeline - that might be a better fit and will reduce the price gap to the Yeti.

Range Rover Evoque is another possibility @ 4365mm, although not sure about RR quality/reliability.


In 12-18 months time or so, I can see the choices being (all optioned with similar kit, eg leather, sunroof, sat nav etc):-

Yeti @ $40-45k
XC30 @ $50-55k
Q3 @ $65-$70k


Unless the wife falls in love with the Yeti when we finally get to drive it in October, I think we will be holding off for awhile till the Q3/XC30 hit.

[Jake02]

Just my pictures of the Skoda stand from the motorshow. I had quite a lot of fun and it was so great to see some new product! The Yeti is even more impressive than I remember and the Fabia was better than I expected! I expect them to do well .


P7070032 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070050 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070027 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070028 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070040 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070039 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070038 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070044 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr


P7070041 by Jake02Airtrek, on Flickr