Driven: Revised Skoda Yeti arrives from $23,490

SKODA Australia has shifted the focus from all-wheel drive to front-wheel drive for its repositioned new-look Yeti Series II range, which comes with more equipment, revised pricing and a new mid-range 90TSI offering.

Now kicking off $23,490 plus on-road costs for the 77TSI Active manual and $25,790 for the DSG dual-clutch transmission version, the cheapest Czech compact SUV now costs $2800 less than before – though it is still considerably more than the limited-edition $21,990 drive-away promotion that ended late last year.

Gaining increased specification such as a new-to-series reverse camera, rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start, a touchscreen multimedia interface and 17-inch alloy wheels, the 77TSI Active is expected to remain the best-selling Yeti in Australia.

Those features are on top of the already standard seven airbags, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic diff lock, hill-hold control, cruise control, power windows, Varioflex sliding and separating rear-seat system and Bluetooth audio connectivity.

The second FWD offering, the $28,290 90TSI Ambition DSG, replaces the old 112TSI DSG AWD, which retailed from $35,290 plus ORC at its March 2012 launch but was also the subject of a drive-away price of $28,990 until December.

Over the base variant, the 90TSI Ambition gains silver roof rails, front-seat lumbar support, climate control air-conditioning, front parking sensors, auto on/off lights and wipers, and fog lights.

This leaves the 103TDI DSG 4x4 diesel from $33,590 as the sole Yeti AWD.

Now sporting Outdoor badges, revamped 4WD hardware and additional crossover-style body cladding, it lists as $4400 cheaper than the preceding variant, though special run-out pricing on the outgoing car hit as low as $30,990 drive-away.

Like the Octavia, both the 90TSI and 103TDI Outdoor 4x4 can be optioned up with a $2900 Tech Pack that includes satellite navigation, Bi-Xenon high-intensity discharge headlights, LED tail-lights, Park Assist (Version 2.0) and an audio upgrade.

But only the 103TDI Outdoor 4x4 offers an Off-road Pack featuring downhill assist (using engine braking action), privacy glass, a double-sided all-weather cargo floor mat and unique-look alloys.

Speaking of appearances, the previous Yeti’s round fog-light headlight design has been binned for a more conventional rectangular unit in the current Skoda range flavour, while the grille is more pronounced and features a larger bonnet badge.

Redesigned front and rear bumpers, undercarriage guards, exterior mirrors, side mouldings and door sills, with the latter painted in body colour for 2WD models and black plastic in the Outdoor 4x4, complete the exterior’s visual makeover.

For the first time, Skoda uses different bumpers, fog lights, air-intake shapes, mirror cappings and rear valance, as well as altered body cladding, to separate the two drivetrain choices.

The 2WD’s emphasis meant to reposition the Yeti in Series II form from its perceived medium SUV sizing to the burgeoning small SUV class as defined by the Nissan Juke, Holden Trax and Suzuki SX4 S-Cross.

While the corresponding variants to the previous Yeti – the 77TSI and 103TDI – carry over almost unchanged in Series II guise, the 90TSI brings a completely new engine to the range.

As its name suggests, the latter is powered by a 1390cc, EU5 emissions-rated, 1.4-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 90kW of power at 5000rpm and 200Nm of torque from 1500rpm to 4000rpm.

Running on 95 RON premium unleaded petrol and driving the front wheels solely through a DSG, it accelerates from standstill to 100km/h in 10.6 seconds, can reach 182km/h, and is capable of averaging 6.8 litres per 100km as well as 159 grams per kilometre of carbon dioxide emissions.

Meanwhile the carryover smaller 1197cc 1.2-litre DI turbo 77TSI EU5 unit delivers 77kW at 5000rpm and 175Nm from 1550-4100rpm on premium unleaded, a 177km/h top speed (DSG: 176km/h), 11.4s for the 0-100km/h sprint (DSG: 11.7s), 6.0L/100km (DSG: 6.7L/100km) and 140g/km of CO2 (DSG: 157g/km).

However, while the 1968cc 2.0-litre DI turbo-diesel pumps out 103kW at 4200rpm, its torque output increases 30Nm to 350Nm (from 1750-2500rpm), to help the Yeti Outdoor 4x4 in sole six-speed DSG mode to hit 100km/h in 10.2s, reach 187km/h, and manage 6.7L/100km and 174g/km of CO2 pollution.

The AWD hardware is a latest-generation Haldex Version 5.0 electronically controlled multi-plate coupling system, twin part-time unit, driving the front wheels until traction losses send torque rearwards.

This means the Yeti employs an electro mechanical rack and pinion steering system, four-wheel disc brakes, MacPherson strut suspension up front and a four-link independent arrangement at the rear.

Built on the fifth-generation Golf’s PQ35 transverse engine platform, the Yeti measures in at 4223mm in length and 1793mm in width, while the wheelbase is 2578mm long.

All Australian-built models are built at Skoda’s Kvasiny plant in the Czech Republic.

2014 Skoda Yeti pricing*

Active 77TSI	$23,490
Active 77TSI (a)	$25,790
Ambition 90TSI (a)	$28,290
4x4 Outdoor 103TDI (a)	$33,590

*Excludes on-road costs.