Skoda Yeti test drive since 2009 -

Skoda Yeti Vs Kia Soul. Chests

Kia Soul. Price: from 599 900 rub. On sale: since 2009
Skoda Yeti. Price: from 699,000 rubles. On sale: since 2009

Monkey crossover. This phrase has many opponents and supporters. But both converge in one: the acquisition of such a car is a real way to save. What to choose? The crossover, which became monoprodic as a result of the marketing course, or is the car that was born such?


Test pillets
Oleg Kalaushin, 41 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience 22 years, personal car - Renault Logan
Igor Kuznetsov, 48 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience 31 years old, personal car - Nissan Qashqai


What to take in order for this comparison to be adequate, I did not have to think for a long time. Skoda Yeti and Kia Soul are just such. Yeti is a striking example of how to make a monotive for the sake of market conditions from an all -wheel drive machine. Soul, on the contrary, clearly makes it clear: to be a crossover, it is completely optional to have all -wheel drive. For this, a little more enough than that of cars, clearance and recognizable appearance.

We will begin with appearance, despite the fact that recently we are trying to avoid comparisons in this indicator. Ultimately, who likes what. But it is impossible to ignore the fact that cars are very similar in the profile is impossible. It seems that before proceeding with the drawing of window lines, Koreans, just like the Czechs, spent a long time at the exhibition in the la-bourge. Otherwise, where did the aviation motifs come from? However, to be objective, the Czechs were embodied much earlier. For the first time she shot at Roomster, and then many were to her taste. Today, Yeti is only a continuation of the topic, while Kia tried on such a design for the first time.

But not only cars are similar with a window line. It is enough to get around them from the stern, and it becomes clear that here the designers were led by the same idea to make the machines as functional as possible. Both the first and second have absolutely vertical rear racks and almost rectangular doorways. In this regard, it will not be loaded into trunk to load in the trunk. Be sure if the load passes width along the lower cut, then it will pass in the same way width and upper. Another thing is how far it can be advanced in the salon. Short rear overhangs, alas, did not allow the designers to make the trunk of these cars large. Kia Soul can offer only 340 liters under the luggage, Skoda Yeti even less, only 322. Therefore, to transport something overall in cars, you will have to fold the seats. However, here Skoda went a little further than the Korean opponent. In contrast, the back row of the Czech’s seats can not only be folded, but completely dismantled, thereby receiving 1665 liters of useful volume.

But in the design of their soul, the Koreans were clearly not modest. However, they decided to take the client into circulation not an abundance of quality materials, but by a riot of colors. More precisely, one red. Moreover, there are so many of it that during the test, we often had an obsessive thought that Soul was red. But not only this, according to designers, should attract the attention of the buyer.

Dynamic backlighting of the front doors with a separate control panel where you still find such an option! But Soul has it. Like the rear view camera with the monitor in the salon mirror. However, all this wealth seemed excessive to us. It hurts a lot of things. The feeling is that the car wants to seem like to be. Skoda is much easier. There are no inserts, no light music, or even parking sensors. But for some reason, a feeling of quality and quality here is still stronger. However, here not without miscalculations. For example, getting out of the car in inclement weather without staining the trouser on the threshold, you will not succeed. These thresholds are very tall and wide, because of this, you must first throw your leg, and then also take it out quite far. Infusal, in a word. Or you need to get used to it for a long time.

We'll have to get used to the fact that Skoda noise insulation is far from perfect. For us it was a revelation. Soul diesel was clearly quieter than a gasoline Skoda. You really don’t know where you will find, where you will lose. Before the start of the test, we believed that it would be quite the opposite. Moreover, the main noise that announces in Yeti goes from the side of the motor compartment. Therefore, I do not want to twist a 105-horsepower 1.2-liter turbocharged motor at all. But it is. Especially if you have a desire to measure your strength with someone. And we measured, of course, with Soul. In the end, the diesel against gasoline is very interesting, especially if we take into account the fact that the declared dynamic characteristics of cars are almost identical. In particular, acceleration to hundreds of a diesel 1.6 -frail Soul with a 4 -speed automatic gearbox is exactly the same as Yeti with a DSG box.

The go -ahead is given, and both cars break away. However, the first one and a half seconds of Yeti thinks about something and frankly loses. The Soul machine at the time of the start is less thoughtful, but constant. The program is adequately, but not as furious as we would like. Yeti, on the contrary, as if compensating for the delay at the start, string the transmission one by one. And the switching itself, thanks to multi -disc clutch, are almost invisible. As a result, cars are suitable for 100 km/h on the mark of 100 km/h simultaneously. Moreover, further Yeti begins to go into a gap. It is not even embarrassed by the fact that the asphalt on this interval of the road is replaced by the gravel. A loose suspension allows you to adequately behave the car here. But Soul has to slow down. Its springs and shock absorbers are still more adapted to asphalt, it shakes quite strongly on the lane in the car. This fact, by the way, finally approved us in the idea that the best monopropod crossover still turns out from what was before this with all -wheel drive.


Kia Soul
There is no four -wheel drive in any configuration. However, sufficient clearance, small front and rear overhangs, all this make it like a small crossover. The car is aggregated by two engines similar in volume. However, one of them is gasoline, and the second diesel. The box is also two: 5 MKP and 4AKP.

Driving
Despite its diesel entity, the car is able to paint the driver's life with bright colors.

Salon
It is spacious and quite comfortable, but the trunk capacity is insufficient. The abundance of red inserts is likely to make fun over time.

Comfort
The car pleased with sound insulation. The suspension could be softer. For bad roads, the car is clearly not intended.

Safety
There are two airbags and ABS.

Price
Attractive against the background of competitors.


Skoda Yeti
There are many options for equipping this car. Moreover, this applies not only to options, but also by engine options, for example, three of them. Two gasoline and one diesel. Two boxes are also offered to choose from, one mechanical and one automated mechanical DSG. You can also choose a car with both front and all -wheel drive.

Driving
Despite the fact that the car is not equipped with the most powerful engine, its dynamics at a quite acceptable level. In addition, the car is well adapted to driving on country roads.

Salon
Spacious and convenient. Especially captivates the quality of materials. It is possible to dismantle the back row of seats.

Comfort
You can only be complained of insufficient sound insulation.

Safety
Two airbags in the basic configuration, ABS.

Price
Corresponds to the level of competitors.


Our verdict
This time we confidently give the palm of the championship Skoda Yeti. Our main task was to find out who was more versatile. It turned out that the truncated all -wheel drive chassis allows not only to be seriously saved when purchasing a car, but also not to lose in its consumer properties. Machines that were designed exclusively for asphalt, like Kia Soul, are deprived of this versatility, losing both in terms of comfort and by cross -country ability. Not everyone sometimes decides a large clearance, the suspension move is also important.


Author: Oleg Kalaushin
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov

 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [December 2010]