Any real life yeti owners out there?

[Brycem]

Or are they as rare as the mythical beast itself?

Would love to hear from new owners on how they are getting along with their snow monsters. I love it but have a certain reticence as doubt if it could replace an octavia wagon as the main family vehicle for a family of four with two young kids.

Any thoughts?

[woofy]

I doubt it will, we have a nearly 4yr old and an 11mth old, and the Superb was the only other option for us apart from the Octy...the Yeti is just too small for now. Get rid of some of the toddler crap and it would be better, but the days of a Yeti or Tiguan for us are long over.

[shoutj74]

Agreed, don't think it would make a good family car if you have prams and all that sort of stuff to go in. I can only just about get a large esky in the boot. If you have older kids I think it would be fine. When going shopping for larger goods though we still take the Mazda 3 hatch as it has more boot space. Picking up relatives at the airport - Mazda 3. Very happy with it though for a couple without kids, our situation. Its size makes it great for city driving, only when doing a 3 point turn or parked up next to a larger 4x4 do you actually get reminded just how compact it is. Stick with the Octavia Wagon for now.

[NotYet]

We got our Yeti at the end of November. I have not seen another one on the road. (Will wave and toot when I do!)

Overall I am very happy with it. It is smooth, quiet and perky. It handles really well on rough bitumen and on gravel (haven't taken it on any tracks yet) - sure-footed through bends, excellent suspension. A little more body roll and a little more wind noise than in a conventional hatchback, but you would hardly notice it. There is very good torque from lowish revs. I haven't found the DSG transmission to be jerky in stop-start traffic (as some have said) and it holds gears well. The tiptronic mode is great. It is fun to drive, especially on country C roads.

The only option I ticked was Xenon lights. They are fabulous - the cornering function works brilliantly (if you will pardon the pun). For anyone who does any night driving on country or outer-suburban roads, they are invaluable.

The Bolero unit is good. Handy having SD card slot. Bluetooth works well.

Fuel consumption so far is 7L/100km. That means good range on a tank.

I like the dimensions (only 4.2m long, but roomy inside) and the small turning circle. Great for the city.

Negatives:
- Head restraints push your head forward. (Our neighbours have a Subaru Forester, and they have the same problem.) My solution is a seat insert from Back Care and Seating. My partner hasn't got it sorted yet - she has tried using the rear seat headrest and turning the headrest around.
- Boot space is limited. There are storage spaces under the floor, but I haven't found them very useful. You can make a lot of space by folding back seats down (or removing them), but you would then need a luggage net or something to secure your gear.
- Temporary use spare. (Not a bicycle tyre, but still limited to 80km/h.) To fit a full size spare in the well would involve raising the boot floor a couple of inches. The ideal solution would be a flat floor with a full-size spare standing up - but that won't fit under the parcel shelf.
- Low-profile tyres. The tyres are 225/50 17 Pirelli Zero Rosso. They certainly handle well, but would be a major limitation on sand or rough tracks, especially as the manual says not to lower the pressure below 32psi. (On the launch in Central Australia, the idiots from Skoda actually increased the pressure to 40psi, which would have made them much more vulnerable to puncture, and greatly reduced traction.) What's more the RRP is $500 each (gasp!!). The 16 inch wheels from the 1.2TSI model would be more practical.
- Should have a reversing camera (like the Kia Sportage). You can add an aftermarket one, but using a clip on rear view mirror would interfere with the light sensor (which controls the auto lights). I didn't opt for parking sensors; on other cars I haven't found them as useful as a camera (which I have on my other car). Nevertheless, it is not a big problem, because it is an easy car to park.

For me the Yeti replaces a conventional hatchback. It fills a different niche to your Octavia wagon. While there is sufficient legroom in the rear seats for two kids (unless they are basketballers), the luggage space is very limited. Coming from an Octavia wagon, you might find it rather small.

[YETIMAN]

Almost got mine. Due end of feb. Aqua blue 103 Tdi 4x4 manual with off road button, bi-xenons and parking sensors. Was very impressed with the test drives and as it will replace a camry I am looking forward to the fun factor.

[UK Yeti]

For me the Yeti replaces a conventional hatchback. It fills a different niche to your Octavia wagon. While there is sufficient legroom in the rear seats for two kids (unless they are basketballers), the luggage space is very limited. Coming from an Octavia wagon, you might find it rather small.

Comparing the Yeti to the gargantuan Octavia is a bit unfair as very few cars within the Yeti/Octavia footprint has the boot an Octi does... (Ignoring the Superb now!) The Yeti's is smaller yes, but you need to pack differently and that is the trick. If you pack vertically with things on top of each other rather than everything touching carpet you will be amazed what you can fit in the Yeti's boot. I am time and time again.

One thing I shake my head at often though is that they fit the spare wheel "upside down" with the outer edge of the wheel facing up meaning you can't store more stuff inside the wheel! Doh. On my last car (an Audi) the spare was outer face down in the boot and you could fit all manner of things inside it. Škoda would only have had to lower the wheel well on the Yeti by about 20mm to enable the spare to have gone the other way around... Hopefully on Yeti 2 they see the error of their ways.

[bluey]

[...]
One thing I shake my head at often though is that they fit the spare wheel "upside down" with the outer edge of the wheel facing up meaning you can't store more stuff inside the wheel! Doh. On my last car (an Audi) the spare was outer face down in the boot and you could fit all manner of things inside it. Škoda would only have had to lower the wheel well on the Yeti by about 20mm to enable the spare to have gone the other way around... Hopefully on Yeti 2 they see the error of their ways.

Personally, I think it makes more sense to have the spare right side up, because then the pressure can be checked more easily and then the spare can actually be functional when needed. The times I have actually seen need for a spare: 1. many moons ago when grandfather's crossply retread shredded itself going to the Gold Coast; 2. 2 years ago when the other half hit a gutter corner and shredded a sidewall. VW parts guy kindly put the alloy wheel + wheelcover of the Polo in the boot upside down and mangled the metal centre cap of the alloy on the wheel retaining nut/bracket. I'd much prefer a skinny spacesaver and a flat/larger boot.

I put the jumper leads in a plastic bag under the middle of a "right side up" spare, so the space gets used.

Because the Polo has the tool kit box in the middle of the spare, nothing else goes there anyway, except the removable towball that can't be bought locally.

Will have more to say after the Yeti arrives. Have seen ONE on the road (shopping centre carpark) to date.

[mark t]

We got our Yeti at the end of November. I have not seen another one on the road. (Will wave and toot when I do!)
Negatives:
- Head restraints push your head forward. (Our neighbours have a Subaru Forester, and they have the same problem.) My solution is a seat insert from Back Care and Seating. My partner hasn't got it sorted yet - she has tried using the rear seat headrest and turning the headrest around.

Hi. This seems to be the only thing standing between me and my yeti! Doesn't bother me, I'm 6' and find it comfortable but my partner is 6" shorter and it doesn't feel right for her. NotYet, have you found a satisfactory way around this? Anyone else?

Otherwise the Yeti is ticking all the right boxes for me, or at least more than the others on offer. I'm coming from a 05 Forester, it's been a good car, tough and capable, but I don't like the newer model, bigger, blander and probably no better, plus no auto diesel.

FWIW, so far I've just seen one Yeti on the loose, parked in Swan St Richmond, about a block and a half along from the dealers.

[UK Yeti]

Hi. This seems to be the only thing standing between me and my yeti! Doesn't bother me, I'm 6' and find it comfortable but my partner is 6" shorter and it doesn't feel right for her. NotYet, have you found a satisfactory way around this? Anyone else?

This is only the second time I've ever come across someone complaining about the Yeti's anti-submerging front headrests. The first was from someone on the UK forum in this thread. He is tiny and thus swapped the front headrests for the rear ones!!! He posted this review on another website about this:

Battle of the Unequals : Skoda Yeti vs. Honda Civic (10,000 km driven) - Team-BHP





Looks weird to me! But maybe you could do this for your partner's seat? Unless you both drive the car in which case you'd have to do the same as this person did.

[Davetherave]

New yeti owner

This is only the second time I've ever come across someone complaining about the Yeti's anti-submerging front headrests. The first was from someone on the UK forum in this thread. He is tiny and thus swapped the front headrests for the rear ones!!! He posted this review on another website about this:

Battle of the Unequals : Skoda Yeti vs. Honda Civic (10,000 km driven) - Team-BHP





Looks weird to me! But maybe you could do this for your partner's seat? Unless you both drive the car in which case you'd have to do the same as this person did.

Hi all,

I picked up my yeti earlier this week. Very happy so far and I retrofitted a Columbus satnav as well which after a few coding issues now integrates perfectly with the MFD and the MFSW.

My yeti is white with a black roof/panoramic sunroof so if you see me driving around the North Shore of Sydney please give me a toot!

[bluey]

Got our Yeti 2 days ago.

First impressions....solid as a rock, a load of fat pillars holding up the roof (no wonder TopGear could land a chopper on one). Need to be a bit extra careful looking for traffic/bikes/pedestrians, and getting used to distances in the full convex external mirrors. Steering wheel, gearstick, handbrake not as comfortable as Polo. Loads of gadgets and nick nacks - entertainment centre sat nav, voice control radio/nav, auto lights/wipers/dipping mirror, boot shopping bag hooks + net, customisable multifunction display, car-programmable convenience functions (don't need a vag-com for that). But no soft return grab handles, no lights for vanity mirror. More manoeuverable than our Polo - easier to get into our 90deg turn in garage!

Davetherave, does your Columbus TV work?? Not sure if tuner is add-on or not compatible in Aus or needs VAG-COM to set up (by dealer).

Not having had the luxury of a bluetooth phone/ipod connection before, I am totally sold on that.

Our is all white (still keen on keeping out the qld sun) and I think it needs the black B-pillar covers from Superskoda.

Planning to use some underbody sealer on the fuzzy rear wheel arch liner.

Reading the Skoda manual, it says not to use *any* fuel additives. But I'm sticking to my Moreys Diesel Smoke Killer unless using BP Ultimate. Need to get a ruling from VWA/VAG on standard diesel fuels meeting EN590 as specified, which they don't (51CN), with an additive, vs BP Ultimate and diesel engine warranty.

Yeti - Loving it! Worse part is seeing all the interior colours available in europe which we will never see. Why Australian car importers stick with dark or black interiors doesn't make a lot of sense in a hot place.

[Davetherave]

Hi Bluey, glad to hear you are enjoying your Yeti, I'm loving mine as well. Even with the little 1.2 tsi it's still a lot of fun with the DSG.

Regarding the Columbus, for the TV tuner you need a complete add on kit.....available on eBay. It will mean a wiring job at least and maybe a little of reprogramming for the vagcom. I've got video in motion activated for the DVD which is a bit naughty but fun.

[bluey]

Davetherave, how did you do the video in motion thing? (Read a few methods here Columbus Video in Motion - BRISKODA.net - The Skoda Forum and Community)

Can't say I'm enjoying the navigation. Maps 5.1 seem rather dated, and less complete than TomTom maps (which I haven't paid to upgrade for years). Limited POIs. Incorrect roundabout symbols on MFD. Much prefer low end TomTom, which one can buy for less than the cost of a Skoda map upgrade.

Partner really didn't like the headrests pushing the head/neck forward. Tried the rear headrests on front, but made no difference. Seems best with headrest up high, so where her head is isn't so pushed forward (she's about 5'6"). Personally, I find the seats great (5'11+").

Will explore TV tuners....

[mark t]

[QUOTE=bluey;794983]
Partner really didn't like the headrests pushing the head/neck forward. Tried the rear headrests on front, but made no difference. Seems best with headrest up high, so where her head is isn't so pushed forward (she's about 5'6"). Personally, I find the seats great (5'11+").

thanks Johann and Bluey, comparing the seating position with my partners current car, a suzuki swift, there isn't that much difference in the seating/headrest position (the yeti headrest sits about an inch further forward), which might help her adjust to the yeti, we'll do a test drive and get a better idea how it feels.

[NotYet]

Hi. This seems to be the only thing standing between me and my yeti! Doesn't bother me, I'm 6' and find it comfortable but my partner is 6" shorter and it doesn't feel right for her. NotYet, have you found a satisfactory way around this? Anyone else?

Mark T: My partner is about the same height as yours (5' 5"). She tried various seat angles, head restraint positions, etc, without success. Her solution in the end (after some experimenting) has been to swap the front and back headrests, and use memory foam cushions on the seat, back and neck. She tried various cushions to get the right combination. It means that she has to get them in place every time she gets in the car. This only works because she doesn't drive, so she only occupies the passenger seat.

I am about 5' 9" and I also found the head restraint uncomfortable, even with the seat tilted back. My solution has been a seat insert from Back Care and Seating. I got the high back therapod with coccyx support. I have the same arrangement in my other car, so the feel is the same. It does mean that I sit on the seat rather than in it, if you know what I mean, but it works for me. One benefit of this system is that you can adjust the curve of the back.

If you go to a good orthopaedic products retailer (see this list of Therapod suppliers to start with) there will be a choice of various solutions. Maybe a Skoda dealer will let you take a Yeti to a shop where your partner can see whether there is something that suits her?

If you are both going to drive the car, you will want something that is readily moved from passenger to driver seat.

Johann: I agree that there are very few complaints about the Yeti's head restraints. I have read just about every review of the Yeti and I haven't seen any mention of it. This is not specific to the Yeti. You won't find it mentioned about other cars either. But if you google something like 'uncomfortable car head restraint', there seems to be many complaints about the anti-whiplash restraints in many modern cars. The usual response is "tilt the seat back", but that doesn't work for everyone. Our elderly neighbours with a late-model Forester have been suffering terribly from the head restraints, until I got them some seat inserts.

The Yeti seats themselves are very good. They have good leg support, comfortable bolsters, and (unusually for cars in this price range) the 103TDI has height and lumbar adjustment on both front seats. The range of adjustments is excellent.

All the best with the car hunt Mark.