Skoda Yeti review

Lots to like here. The engine lineup starts with the 1.2 and 1.8-litre TSI petrols and, via a 1.6 diesel, ends with a 2.0 diesel in either 110, 140 or 170bhp guise. The 1.2-litre, turbocharged unit matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is the most interesting of the bunch. It’s a great little combination – efficient yet rapid, quiet yet revvy, and despite being small in capacity it doesn’t feel short on power.

But the workhorses of the range are the 140 and 170bhp diesels, with plenty of torque to haul families, plus whatever bicycles or canoes they’ve attached to the roof. Show it some pace and it rolls slightly as it leans on those high springs, but it’s not too squidgy and finds plenty of grip. It rides with fluid smoothness and certainly handles better than a Qashqai, which is a pretty unrewarding thing to drive quickly. But the Yeti’s party trick is revealed when the tarmac runs out. It’s surprisingly skilful off-road, and the optional four-wheel-drive system (a Haldex clutch rather than mechanical diffs) finds traction in places you thought impossible.