Skoda Yeti facelift review, test drive

Skoda’s urban SUV is back with a cleaner look and a bit more equipment.

Published on Sep 01, 2014 10:30:00 PM

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Should I buy one?

With bringing this updated Yeti to the Indian market, Skoda’s intention is not to create a sales phenomenon or the next big thing in urban SUVs. In fact, its sales target for this car is just a couple of hundred units per month. No, the intention is to show that the company’s product line is strong and up to date, and by that measure, bringing in the latest version from Europe does fit the bill.

The old Yeti’s shortcoming in India was that it didn’t fit with the mindset of the typical SUV buyer. Its lack of a third row of seats, and a size and look that wasn’t as tough or imposing as buyers would have liked at that price point are what let it down. Though it looks a bit sharper now, it’s still a five-seater, and with the added equipment, that price is only going to go up. In fact, the Yeti facelift is only being launched in the top-end Elegance trim. What’s more, though it can hold its own on a mud trail, this is ultimately still an urban SUV, and that the facelift has come without an entry-level petrol engine option or an automatic gearbox – two things that would have enhanced its city-slicking appeal – is a bit disappointing.

However, for a certain few, it’s the premium feel, the strong engine and those solid mechanicals under the skin that make the Yeti worth its price tag. Skoda is aware that this audience is small, but it wants to give them exactly what they want, and if you are one of those people, the Yeti is a fantastically capable urban SUV.