On Tuesday, 12 May, 2009, the first mass-produced Skoda Yeti left the assembly line of Skoda Auto’s plant in Kvasiny. By starting the mass-production process, Skoda has completed the launch of its brand new model line (fifth in total) and entered the SUV segment. The very first Yeti produced yesterday is a four-wheel drive, has a blue colour (aqua) and is fitted with a 1.8 TSI engine.
Earlier on, Skoda performed a number of tests. In one of the last stages, the vehicle was tested in the surroundings of Oslo, Norway that, in a fairly small area, offered a variety of road surfaces usually seen in European countries and most of the key regions outside Europe. Thanks to this diversity of roads and weather conditions, it was possible to check some of the key systems, such as driving stability system parameters, ventilation system performance, air conditioning parameters, etc. Although done in a small area, the tests have indeed provided valuable information about the desired harmony among the respective control units, the parameters of the chassis, the degree of acoustic comfort, as well as harmony among the respective off-road systems.
The vehicles tested in Oslo included a 1.8 TSI petrol and a 2.0 TDI diesel, both four-wheel drives. The drivers tested the vehicles’ behaviour on forest roads, as well as through extreme downhill rides with the downhill assistant, a new functionality enabling the driver to go down extremely steep hills. All of the engines available for the Yeti are fitted with turbochargers for greater responsiveness. With 180 mm of clear height of a wider tyre tread, the Yeti offers an exceptionally good on-road as well as off-road driveability. With low fuel consumption and CO2 emission values, the vehicle gives a good response to questions around environmental and economic aspects of the SUV class. The Yeti is a compact (wheel base 2,578 mm), progressive and smart SUV based on “Simply Clever” solutions, such as the VarioFlex rear seat system known from the Roomster. The vehicle’s dimensions (length 4,223 mm, width 1,793 mm, height 1,691 mm) make it possible to easily enlarge the luggage compartment to as much as 1,760 litres.
| 
|