Skoda Yeti 4 x 2 : Road Test

Coincidences are indeed a strange phenomenon. And when it leads to good things, it only gets better. Dec 2010 saw the Yeti 4x4 come in for a test and we at ZigWheels absolutely loved it for everything that it offered - space, versatility and performance. In fact we even loved its looks, finding it more radical than quirky. While it had all the ingredients of a winner, it suffered a bit on the price to size ratio. At Rs. 16.6 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) the price was quite close to its bigger (size wise) rivals like the Toyota Fortuner and the likes. Dec 2011 I pick up the Yeti 4x2 which is Skoda’s answer to the price to size ratio problem.

Visually there is nothing to differentiate between the 4x4 and the 4x2. I still think at least the alloys should have been designed differently to set the two apart. The only way one can tell between the two variants is by the absence of the 4x4 badge. There is not much to choose in the interiors either. Except for the base version which misses out on equipment, it’s exactly the same which is a good thing, since the Yeti sports one of the best made if not the most visually pleasing interiors.

Even on the go, when driven sedately its hard to notice any kind of difference. But start abusing that throttle pedal and the missing horses make themselves apparent. Here is where the big changes have happened. The 4x2 gets a detuned version of the brilliant 2.0 litre direct injection unit. So instead of the earlier 140 PS, the engine now pushes a 110 PS @ 4200 rpm and 250 Nm of torque (70 Nm down on the 4x4 variant) between 1500-2500 rpm. Keep shifting and you also realize that one runs out of gears after fifth. That’s because the detune also includes a 5-speed gearbox instead of the earlier 6-speed one.

On the numbers front, the Yeti hit the ton in 13.28 seconds, which is about 2 seconds slower than the 4x4. The small difference is also because by omitting the 4-wheel drive hardware the car also sheds almost a whopping 100 kg.  The roll-on figures though, vary vastly. The 4x4 did the 40-120 4th gear sprint in 14.5 seconds, while the 4x2 took a much longer 21 seconds to finish the same. Braking is as sure footed with ABS and ESP shedding speed rapidly. The Yeti without doubt has one of the best brakes in the business offering brilliant feel along with loads of stopping power. Hitting the brakes hard at 80 km/h, the Yeti 4x2 ground to a halt in just 2.61 seconds covering a distance of 26.6 metres.

The drive experience is significantly different as well. Going flat out in the corners, the grip levels offered by the 4x4 is missed. That said the 4x2 handles quite well for a front driver and unless driven in Schumacher mode, the average family guy will never have anything to complain about. However, once you decide to head off the beaten path, the 4x2 as expected doesn’t stand a chance. Get yourself into a tricky situation and you will just end up spinning the front wheels and bogging down. If its performance and adventure you are looking at the 4x4 is still your best bet. Apart from that there is little to complain about. The engine is extremely refined and with almost no turbo lag, the drive around town is also quite perky.

Lighter also means more fuel efficient. However the 5-speed gearbox limited the Yeti’s otherwise brilliant sipping capability to a slight extent. Around town, the Yeti returned 11.6 kmpl which is similar to the 4x4 however that figure rose considerably on the highway with the 4x2 Yeti ecking out 18.3 kmpl on the highway. With a combined figure of 13.2 kmpl the two wheel drive Yeti is definitely more frugal. With a 55 litre tank, the Yeti can do a whopping 726 km.

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Rest is pretty much the same with nothing to differentiate. What we also missed was the typical Skoda horn. The 4x2 gets a comparatively shrill sounding unit. Equipment wise too the Yeti has all the features one needs. Twin airbags, CD player, hill descent control, parking sensors at the rear and then some. Even the basic Active variant gets alloys and the twin airbags. However, at Rs. 13.46 lakh for the Active variant and Rs. 14.32 lakh for the Ambition (all prices ex-showroom Delhi) the Yeti is still not a very ‘value for money’ proposition.

The car is then for those who appreciate its immense capabilities and smart features that make the Yeti what it is. The 4x2 then makes a lot of sense for those select few who do not want splurge on the 4x4 but still want to experience this smart SUV. Hope Dec ’12, Skoda bring in the Yeti in its awesome 170 PS guise. Now that would be some coincidence wouldn’t it!