Skoda Yeti test drive since 2009 -

Skoda Yeti

I love the memorable names of models: all kinds of Tigra, Kangoo, Tiguan. Now here is Yeti, Skoda Yeti. You won’t confuse this with anything and forget ... Honestly, in the word of the yeti in relation to cars, I hear a roar of a multi -liter atmospheric diesel ...

... Clotting springs width in a hunting ski, champing on the mud of toothy huge tires. But what about? One of the names of Yeti Bigfut, more big. And here is a kind of political correct Eurobrosphere on wheels 225/55 R17. At first glance, so easy a car, asphalt gazon gravel at the cottage

Friendliness is not good
Of course, Skoda Yeti borrowed a lot from VW Tiguan. For example, diesel engines and an electronic system of off -road settings. At the same time, he has a salon from Skoda Roomster, transformable, and his design is original. People from Skoda believe that the Face of Yeti turned out to be friendly. I don’t know if this is so good: usually before getting out of the line, the impudent just chooses someone more intellectual. And in general, in my opinion, Yeti is not so much anfas, but in a profile in such a perspective from it it blows something Saabovsky, aviation and dynamic. And this, by the way, is not in vain a crossover light, powerful and quite suitable for flights.

I managed to try two engines at the presentation of the model in Slovenia: a 2-liter turbodiesel and a 1.8-liter gasoline turbo engine. Both are equipped exclusively by a 6-speed manual transmission. Somewhat strange for a compact crossover, isn't it? But the Slovenes who we met on the way, fiercely interested in Yeti, believe that everything is fine, even great savings. And the car with a pen costs cheaper, and fuel consumption is less. Savages. They would have understood them in Moscow, in traffic jams would understand why an automatic machine is a civilized person.

At the beginning of the tests, the first thing I took out of habit grabbed the keys to the diesel version. As it turned out, the weakest of those that will offer, only 110 liters. With. I did not expect anything from her, it was just necessary to get acquainted. So, the speed limit in Slovenia is not very strictly observed, and our 150160 kilometers per hour on the highway did not look with a gross violation. But the main thing is that Yeti did not mind running easily, without a roar and a tear, only the tires on the asphalt rustled. And obviously, it was not even more strongly opposed to accelerate, why not, when the peak torque of 250 nm is available from 1,500 and to 2500 rpm.

The main thing is to stop
Later, with a gasoline machine, an even more funny picture was drawn: the maximum craving is the same, 250 Nm, and is available from 1,500, but already up to 4500 rpm. That is, the engine is even more elastic than diesel. If you make a mistake when accelerating and get into the sixth gear instead of the fourth, it will not become a trouble. And in the fifth, instead of the third, you can also. However, the gearbox works correctly, although without weapons. With manageability, everything is also in Folkswagenovsky: very adequate reactions, a minimum of rolls, there are three turns from the rudder to the stop (less only on evil cars) and at the same time no acuteness. If you once take Yeti from your wife to grab the night city, the drive will not be enough. And if you begin to ride it every day, but you quickly try it out: it is equally adapted for a calm driving and for quick maneuvers. Not soft, not tough, not fresh and not overcame. Golden mean. Unless I would like a slightly greater information content from the brakes, because when you rush along a forestry grader one and a half Yeti width, and the orange man crawls out of a closed turn, it is unlikely that the owners of the new Czech crossover will be worn in their own car as the same Journalist on test. And for a regular ride, without complaints about rally laurels, there will be enough brakes. By the way, he really entered our program about the mountain forest -breed grader and gave an interesting observation. In the turns on the gravel, Skoda Yeti behaves like a typical front -wheel drive car. He dropped the gas and begins to bring the stern slightly. You put it on the Yeti accelerator pedal stabilizes, screwing into the turn. Both that and another are felt extremely distinctly. But what about all -wheel drive, you ask? In this case, it is connected automatically through the Haldex coupling controlled by the electronics. The coupling is coasted with the rear inter -pan differential and in perfect road conditions gives only 4% of the power flow to the rear wheels. When slipping the front wheels, of course, the coupling is incredibly quickly triggered and loads the rear axle harder. She can direct up to 90% of horses to her. That's just when dumping gas before turning, as well as during braking, the front wheels are loaded. And in the rear, on the contrary, the clutch with the road worsens, especially on the descent. And, it seems, electronics in excess of 4% do not give anything. Despite the presence of a sensor following the angle of rotation of the steering wheel. However, in this front -wheel drive behavior there is nothing wrong with the maneuver on flat thrust. And with what joy to pay for all -wheel drive then? you ask. And with such that on off -road the Yeti transmission honestly works out everything.

Service of a single button
I specifically watched from the side of how this crossover touches the front and rear wheels in the mud begin to rotate together and at the same speed. In any case, the eye does not notice the difference. Is this possible? Of course. Especially with a blocked clutch. All all-wheel drive Yeti have an off-rock button. When it is used, reactions to press the gas pedal, the ABS and anti -circus system, and the differential blocking is turned on (that is, in this case, the couplings) change. Assisting systems for descent and starting on the rise are activated. I honestly did not fall in love with the latter. When I drive a car, I am not scared. But when he begins to work, judge for himself: so I stopped on the rise. Removed legs from the pedals. The brakes are automatically kept. OK. Touching and swallowing. Once again the same effect. Yeah, we have already passed with VW Tiguan, it has the same system. More gas, reminds me of a company representative. The pedal to the floor, bolder! My brain it protests, you can’t move like that on a slippery slope. But I obediently sink gas, release clutch, and electronics removes Yeti from the brakes, smoothly releasing it up. UV-F, it would be better if I myself with the descent is even more interesting. You can move down in the first gear without touching the pedals: then the electronics itself will hold the speed within the framework of 9 km/h and fight the slip. You can accelerate more hard by pressing the gas: the speed will increase to the limit you specified, and then it will remain unchanged. But the funny thing is that the system allows you to descend and then the maximum speed will not exceed 4 km/h on neutrals. And again, you can increase it to the desired limit, slightly pressing the gas. Yes, yes, I don’t know right when you turn it off, but it’s hard for me to accept it. For so many years I trained to feel the slightest catch during the descent and, if that, putting pressure on the gas, no matter how terrible, but there are some computer algorithms and you don’t need to understand anything from the other side, the driver with minimal experience also needs to be taught such electronic off -road tricks. This means that special off-road will appear courses like Volkswagen Off-Road ExpeRency. Can you imagine how their name will sound? Here, for example: what are you without a spouse? Oh, unfortunately, she is busy, she has a school Yeti ExpeRency today.

But in general, if you return to the sensations from driving on Yeti outside the roads, an excellent machine, light and with an effective anti -circulation system. The road clearance for the crossover is normal 180 mm, the bottom is flat, the overhangs are small. Yes, and a differential of increased friction on the rear axle. Honestly, for the real operating conditions of such vehicles, the listed cars will be enough with excess.

THRONE ROOM
I’ll finish the story of Yeti with what they usually start, from the salon. I liked the steering wheel chubby, grabbing, nice to pick up. But other? The rest is without tricks. Qualitatively, thought out. Yes, perhaps boring. But, in my opinion, the interior should be functional, solid and unobtrusive. So that the plastics are soft and the panels are clear. And the ergonomics is honed. Not so long ago, we tested large seven -seater crossovers, and not one was able to move away as I wanted. And here, in this crumb, please. One could continue to drive away, but the legs would stop reaching the pedals. This is despite the fact that I have always eaten porridge in childhood and dear to 186 cm. Well, otherwise without question. Two degrees of freedom at the steering column, an elevator and a variable tilt of the seat pillow. I didn’t like this: a little narrow in the shoulders. When two healthy men are sitting ahead, it is better not to put a hand on the armrest to the navigator. Yes, and also: if the driver’s chair is pushed back to the stop, then one passenger place can be deleted from behind. By the way, about the back sofa. It consists of three parts, each of which has longitudinal adjustment and is easily removed. Moreover, removing the middle, you can push the extreme parts from the doors 8 cm. It will turn out two spacious passenger thrones. It is a pity, of course, that when dismantling the rear seats, a spare wheel lies in the niche of the trunk, and it creates a step.

We are waiting for the new year
Needless to say, Yeti descended from the mountains even longer than Tiguan. Six or seven years passed from the first show of the concept. But everything turned out, as they love in Europe: compactly outside, spacious inside, high -quality salon, honed, economy. And cross -country ability for this class is at a height. Perhaps the Czech novelty has only one real opponent. Yes, a cousin from? VW. Most likely because of him, Yeti did not receive machine guns so as not to directly pushing the model’s foreheads. However, prices have not yet been declared, it is too early to talk about competition. In Russia, Yeti sales will begin closer to the end of the year. Why not so soon? There is no official information, but probably due to the organization of the assembly of the model at the factory near Kaluga. In the end, it will be strange if Skoda does not use this logical opportunity to reduce cost. Well, in any case, by spring it will become clear who the main consumer of Yeti is a girl who dreams of a small pretty jeep, or a brutal man, whom life makes you look at things real.

Author: Savva Safonov, photo of the author




 

Source: Magazine 4x4 [September /2009]