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Jane Hyde

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Isuzu UK has an exciting year of activity planned to mark 100 years since laying down its foundations in Japan. A range of celebratory events and new models will recognise the rich heritage of the company.

2016’s centenary activities come in the wake of a sustained period of strong growth for Isuzu. Last year saw the sixth year of sales growth and the third consecutive annual sales record for the brand.

In spring, a UK-only special edition will join the Isuzu D-Max line-up complete with premium accessories and extensive upgrades to further widen its appeal among an ever growing spectrum of customers. The team at Isuzu UK is also working on a one-off development vehicle based on the standard D-Max, which will show-off the versatile pick-up’s key strengths like never before. Further details will be revealed about the project later in the year.

30 years in the UK

It will be a double-header of celebrations, as 2016 also marks 30 years since International Motors began importing Isuzu vehicles, seizing an opportunity to capitalise on the growing affinity for reliable Japanese vehicles amongst British motorists. While the D-Max has proved the best seller, among the varied range of vehicles it has brought to these shores, it was the Trooper that really set Isuzu UK on its way.

www.isuzu.co.uk/100/

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Volvo’s XC90 SUV has received further recognition – this time in the familiar Volvo territory of safety – receiving the 2015 Euro NCAP Best in Class award for both Large Off-Road and Overall Performance categories.

The Volvo XC90 achieved overall top performance in the 2015 Euro NCAP ratings, scoring 100 per cent in the Safety Assist category, and 97 per cent in adult occupant protection.

“We are always happy to receive further recognition for the work we do. The XC90 embodies everything that Volvo Cars stands for, and this is further proof of our continuing leadership in the field of both active and passive safety systems. Our vision is that by 2020 no-one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car. With the latest safety and semi-autonomous drive functionalities in the XC90, we are well on our way to fulfilling that vision,” said Jan Ivarsson, Acting Director, Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

The Euro NCAP announcement, which celebrates the “outstanding performance” of the XC90 comes hot on the heels of a host of prestigious awards the new SUV has collected in recent months, including the What Car? Safety Award, Motor Trend Car of the Year, North American Truck of the Year and the Auto Express Car of the Year to name but a few.

Sales of the XC90, which continue to outpace production capacity, have had a seismic effect on the Swedish premium car maker’s transformation journey. 2015 saw sales reach an all-time high, with more than 503,000 cars sold.

This was the car that dragged the Discovery from its cheekily chic origins into the world of true luxury SUVs. It was bigger, bolder and packed with new technology – and it was also more reliable

 TARGET RANGE:  £5,000 – £18,000 

The Range Stormer concept car that wowed visitors to the North American International Auto Show in 2004 was a clear indication of the way Land Rover was planning to distance their premium products from the company’s agricultural roots. That concept was eventually developed into the Range Rover Sport, but many of the design cues were used to hoist the already popular and stylish Discovery to new heights of elegance and road presence, with sharper styling and new technologies aimed at reasserting its 4×4 pre-eminence among the new generation of luxury 4x4s from other premium car-makers such as BMW, Lexus and Porsche.

The crisper frontal design of the new Discovery 3, with its designer headlamps, inset foglamps and the clamshell bonnet came straight from the Range Stormer, along with the newly patented Terrain Response system; so did the body-on-frame construction resulting in a stronger all-in-one bodyshell. The Discovery 3 was designed from the start as a seven-seater, the stepped-roof design allowing the three rows of seats to get progressively higher towards the rear, which combined with the large rear glass area makes for a light and airy atmosphere for all seven passengers, the seats being quite comfortable enough to accommodate seven adults.

Observers might find it amusing that Land Rover, which traditionally used aluminium panels for its vehicles, dropped aluminium for the all-steel Discovery 3, only to revert to the lightweight metal for the entire body-frame construction of the new Range Rover. In consequence the Discovery is a relatively heavy vehicle, but performance isn’t disappointing because the engine line-up was taken from the Jaguar range, in the form of a 2.7-litre turbodiesel developing 187bhp – significantly more than the 3.5-litre petrol V8 of the original Discovery – and a lusty 4.4-litre V8 with 296bhp on tap. The V8 drives through an adaptive six-speed automatic, the turbodiesel was offered with a six-speed manual as standard but the six-speed automatic was optional.

Also new for the Discovery 3 was all-independent suspension, coil-sprung on the base model but using height-adjustable air springs on higher-specification vehicles, which also allows the Terrain Response system to apply. A technology now adopted by many other premium off-roaders, the Terrain Response was a startlingly effective innovation at the time, the five separate settings altering the accelerator, transmission and suspension response to suit conditions varying from snow to rock crawling and sand driving. While electronic traction control ought to take care of most slippery off-road conditions, the Discovery 3 could also be specified with a locking rear axle differential, a feature worth looking for in any second-hand car you’re thinking of buying with some serious off-roading in mind. Naturally the Discovery 3 retains low range gearing, though selectable by switch rather than gearstick, leaving the driver with little more to do than watch the moving graphics on the touch-screen display showing which way the wheels are pointing and what the suspension is doing.

The perceived quality of the interior also took a leap forwards from the original Discovery, with less cheap plastic and more of a Range Rover look, along with a more comfortable driving position and wider doors making access easier for back-seat passengers.

 Our verdicts 

Our first hands-on experience of the Discovery 3 was with a range-topping Td V6 HSE, and our first impression was the vastly improved driving experience over the earlier 2.5 Td5-powered model. We wrote: “The ‘Sport’ button on the Td5 was clearly just Land Rover showing its sense of humour, but at least in the new car things do actually happen when you kick it down.”  Not that we were all that impressed with the ‘adaptive’ six-speed automatic when allied to the turbodiesel: “Just when we were thinking that Land Rover has perfected the diesel-auto marriage a trip round a twisting single track road reveals a flaw. On an empty sweeping road that ducked and dived around hairpins and sweeping curves the transmission that’s supposed to adapt to suit driving style didn’t adapt; exit a bend and put your foot down and you wait patiently for something to happen. If you fancy the auto, make sure you ‘try before you buy’.”

Our June 2005 issue featured a comparison test in which we pitted the Discovery 3 against a Volkswagen Touareg and a Volvo X90, both notably more expensive than the Land Rover. The Td V6 HSE was priced at the time at £41,995, the VW – admittedly in stonking V10 TDi form – cost a heady £53,635 and the Volvo D5 SE had a £43,966 price tag. Of the Discovery 3 we said: “This V6 is still a relatively small capacity engine, but it makes light work of shifting the Discovery’s 2.7-tonne bulk. Much fuss has been made of the Discovery’s weight problem, but it is a lot of fuss about nothing. The extra weight means the Discovery drives great, and on our 1000-mile round trip to Scotland we managed to return a very creditable 27mpg.” In the end the Discovery 3 outclassed the VW and the Volvo in its style and practicality as well as its impressive off-road agility, so while the more powerful Touareg had better on-road manners the Land Rover was still the easy winner. Our verdict explained: “The Touareg doesn’t have enough going for it to make it a convincing alternative – it may have all the off-road switches and buttons but it makes such hard work of it, highlighting the fact that it is happiest with empty tarmac in front of it. The XC90 with its quality fittings and fixtures and variable seat layout is tailored to create the ultimate family mini-bus, but with its extra size, more luggage room and second and third row seats capable of providing comfortable accommodation for adults, the Discovery 3 has upstaged the Volvo’s party piece. Not only will the Discovery 3 carry seven in comfort, it will take them places the Volvo daren’t even look at.”

With all this going for it the Discovery 3 had every chance of winning our 4×4 Of The Year comparison for 2006 – but for the hard fact that it had to share the Luxury class with the Range Rover in 4.2 Supercharged form and the stunning new Range Rover Sport, also with the supercharged V8. The Discovery shared second place with the Range Rover, just three points behind the also-new Range Rover Sport, which not only took class honours but won the overall 4×4 Of The Year accolade as well. We said of the Discovery 3: “Call it a gimmick, but the Terrain Response feature is a key element in positioning the Discovery so far ahead of its non-Land Rover rivals, for the simple reason that it emphasises its unbeatable off-road capability.” Others may have adopted this feature, but few have since managed to outclass the Discovery in its blend of off-road capability, on-road competence and elegant SUV styling.

 Which one to buy 

All versions of the Discovery have an opulent look about their interiors, though many will have been specified with optional extras, so you’ll find mid-range versions with satnav and leather upholstery while some top models may lack the items you’d expect in a premium car, such as high-end stereo or mobile phone integration. The base version has electric windows front and rear, electronic stability and traction controls including the hill descent control, and a six-speaker stereo with CD player but air conditioning was optional, along with the extra row of seats, air suspension and the terrain response system. There aren’t many base models around, most buyers having opted for the mid-range GS or top-end HSE versions, but you could expect to pay £5000 to £7000 for an early example in reasonable condition, though most will have well more than 100,000 miles on them. Most used examples of Discovery 3 have the 2.7-litre turbodiesel engine, most with the 4.4-litre petrol V8 are range-topping HSE variants.

The GS has automatic climate control as standard plus the air suspension with terrain response, pay anything from £8000 for a high-mileage early example to £13,000 for a well-maintained late model, for instance the immaculate metallic silver ’08 Td V6 with 80,000 miles going for £12,495 at Leicester Auto Sales (07718 077915) complete with a six-month warranty; New Barn Cars of Cheltenham (01242 228197) were offering a higher-mileage one but with full service history and grey full leather interior for £11,000.

The S gets cruise control, parking sensors and bi-xenon headlamps, the enhancements for the XS are mainly cosmetic along with a choice of ICE systems and a convenience pack, but the SE also has front and rear parking sensors and a chiller box. On these look out for worthy extras such as satnav, sunroof, rear DVD system (over £2000 when new), adaptive lighting, phone integration and heated steering wheel. Pay £11,000 for an early SE with under 100,000 miles, closer to £15,000 for a lower-mileage late example.

On the range-topping HSE look out for examples with privacy glass, hybrid TV and, especially if you are planning to take it off-road, the active locking rear differential. There are lots of these around, with prices for the Td V6 ranging from £12,000 to £18,000 depending on condition and mileage. Rylee James Specialist Autos of Nazeing, Essex (07795 111111) had a smart metallic blue example with cream leather, full service history and convenience pack. If you prefer the power of the V8 and can live with the heavy fuel consumption an early 4.4 V8 HSE with under 100,000 miles could be yours for around £8000.

ENGINE DRIVETRAIN CHASSIS BODY AND INTERIOR
The V8 is rare and thirsty but generally trouble-free so should need only general checks such as ensuring that the exhaust doesn’t blow grey smoke under hard acceleration, making sure that it idles smoothly and accelerates without hesitation. The turbodiesel isn’t particularly prone to failures of any sort, but there have been odd cases of seized water pumps and breaking or slackening of drive belt tensioner pulleys causing major breakdowns, so it’s worth listening out for unexpected squeaks, screeches or grinding noises from under the bonnet. Otherwise problems are typical of any turbodiesel engine, such as erratic running caused by clogged exhaust gas recirculation valves and failed turbocharger seals. On a test drive ensure that the engine revs smoothly, pulls strongly and progressively without hesitation and doesn’t blow grey or excessive black smoke from the exhaust.
The manual gearbox is a reliable item, but clutch problems have been known, such as the failure of the dual-mass flywheel, so ensure that gear changes are smooth and the clutch engages without shudder. Reject a car that crunches its gear change, suggesting worn synchromesh, a problem that could affect a car that’s been used extensively for towing a heavy trailer. The automatic is potentially more troublesome, with several users complaining about a tendency to shudder under acceleration. One source of trouble is the transmission lubricant heat exchanger, which shares space with the engine coolant radiator so that leakages or corrosion can lead to corruption of the fluid. Check that the transmission changes smoothly, kicks down responsively – it will take a little while in the Td V6 but it should still be shudder-free and smoothly executed. Also reject any car where the automatic allows the engine to rev excessively before taking up drive. Make sure low range engages when you expect it to, because it’s done remotely at the flick of a switch there’s no reassuring crunch of gears to inform you that low has, indeed, been selected.
Here’s a case where the base car is the least likely to cause trouble because it’s sat on good old-fashioned coil springs. The air suspension on higher-specification models is great while it works, and while it doesn’t have a reputation for going wrong, as with any air suspension system the individual suspension units can fail leaving the car with a list, but also making a nonsense of the height adjustment feature. Compressors are also known to fail, so when considering an air-suspended car make sure it sits square and adjusts its various heights as it should – not only in its easy-access and highway cruising modes, but in response to the requirements of the Terrain Response system.
Vagueness in the steering or clonking noises from the front could point to failure of the sophisticated hydraulic suspension bushes, possibly as the result of driving aggressively over traffic-calming humps; some cars will have had equally effective but longer-lasting aftermarket polyurethane bushes installed. Check that the electric parking brake works properly. This applies the brakes remotely at the flick of a switch, but accumulated dirt and corrosion can reduce its effectiveness, and component failure can also render it useless. It’s expensive to repair, so reject any car where the mechanism screeches as it engages or doesn’t hold the car on a slope.
Build quality isn’t a major problem with this generation of Discovery, but it’s worth checking that all the doors and windows open and close properly, and that the tailgate doesn’t sag – it shouldn’t because it was designed as a load-bearing platform. Early versions suffered from excessive creasing of the front seat upholstery, but a potentially more troublesome feature is the sunroof, which in some cases has been known to leak – check for signs that seat covers and carpets have been scrubbed or covered to disguise water stains. Fiddly electronic problems aren’t unknown, check that the touch-screen display illuminates properly and responds as it should, and check that the satnav is still functional. Naturally look out for examples with the high-end Harmon Kardon concert-quality stereo system, but also makes sure it works properly without distortion at high volumes because speakers can wear out.

 OR YOU COULD CONSIDER… 

Volkswagen TouaregToyota Land CruiserVolvo X90


That road test back in 2005 said it all – the Touareg is happiest with an expanse of tarmac ahead of it. Yes, it has all the off-road facilities but the plain truth is the Volkswagen isn’t as smooth and refined off-road as the Discovery, and in spite of its traction controls and height-adjustable suspension it can’t cope with the same off-road extremes that the Discovery can tackle with consummate ease. The VW doesn’t offer seven seats, which is no inconvenience if you don’t need the extra accommodation because it’s a superbly crafted five-seater highway-gobbling estate. As for its style and image, all we have to say on the subject is that we can’t see the sense of owning anything other than the 5.0-litre V10 with its 300-plus horsepower, because at least you have the driving excitement to counter the visual blandness of a car that we’ve more than once described as looking like a swollen Passat – beautifully built, luxurious inside, laudably efficient in its 2.5 and 3.0-litre TD form, but not exciting.

In a sense the Land Cruiser from 2003 upstages the Land Rover in providing seating for up to eight people, so it does well as a mini-bus for the big family. It also rivals the Land Rover as an off-road vehicle, even if only because it’s of a slightly more old-tech design with a separate chassis and rigid back axle – some enthusiasts might even prefer it since it also retains a proper driver-operated gear lever to select low range. It also has electronic traction aids that can’t quite match the levels boasted by the Land Rover, but it’s a combination that gives it excellent off-road agility, at the expense of on-road refinement, which isn’t quite up to the levels of competence displayed by the all-independent Land Rover. It’s also an SUV that’s held on to its off-road styling heritage, so it has a more adventurous appearance than other premium rivals. Good choice of punchy 3.0-litre turbodiesel or V6 petrol engines rivals the Discovery for pace and economy, with high levels of equipment.

As you might expect it’s family values rather than off-road capability that feature most strongly in this sound, solid, safety-conscious Swede, so there’s little in the styling to hint at an adventurous lifestyle. It even has a built-in gyro system that can predict the possibility that the car might roll over and activates stability and traction controls. Not only is it a seven-seater, but the centre seat of the rear bench can be quickly transformed into a booster seat for a younger passenger. The environment is also catered for, with the 2.5-litre petrol engine being turbocharged not for power but for efficient combustion and clean exhaust. The interior in the high-specification SE is as luxurious as you can get, with stitched leather upholstery and dual-zone air conditioning; items like satnav and Bluetooth are options worth looking out for in second-hand examples.

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A new Mitsubishi dealership has opened in Worcester as the brand continues to expand in the UK.

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK was the fastest-growing mainstream car brand in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and Startin Mitsubishi is one of 12 new Mitsubishi dealerships to open in the past 12 months.

The dealership, which is part of the family-owned Startin Group, will be run from a temporary showroom at the company’s Bowling Green Garage in Powick before moving into a newly renovated showroom on the same site later in the year. The new partnership means Startin Group now runs eight different franchises across three locations in Worcester and they will be recruiting more sales staff in the coming weeks.

Dealer Principal Ben Winslow said: ‘We are very pleased to be opening a new Mitsubishi dealership in Worcester. This is an exciting time for Mitsubishi, which has seen fantastic growth, and an exciting time for us. There are a number of new models in the pipeline and we are delighted to be part of this ongoing success story.’

Lance Bradley, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: ‘I’m delighted to welcome Startin Mitsubishi to the Mitsubishi family at this exciting time. As a group, they are renowned for their excellent customer service and that is something that’s very important to us. I am confident Startin Mitsubishi will be a fantastic addition to the network and I wish everyone there success for the future.’

Statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show Mitsubishi Motors in the UK has been the fastest-growing mainstream car manufacturer for the past three years. The company saw sales growth in passenger cars of 44 per cent in 2015 compared with the previous year, against an overall market up by six per cent.

Leading the charge is the multi-award-winning Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). It can travel 32½ miles in electric mode alone – more than enough to accommodate most daily average journey distances – and has an official combined fuel consumption figure of 156mpg, while CO2 emissions are just 42g/km.

To find out more about the range of vehicles at Startin Mitsubishi, phone 01905 830361 or visit the showroom at Bowling Green Garage, Powick, Worcester, WR2 4SF.

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An overwhelming majority of motorists want the DVLA to bring back the tax disc. In a recent poll conducted by Motoring.co.uk, the results revealed that 81% of motorists want to see the tax disc’s return – if these numbers run true across the UK, then a massive 35 million plus people (out of around 45 million eligible drivers) want the tax disc back on their windscreen.

Motorists want the tax disc back because they are falling fowl of the law by simply forgetting to tax their vehicles on time – Motoring.co.uk’s research also found a staggering 13.5 million motorists don’t know when their tax is due.

In September, Motoring.co.uk conducted research and found that 1 million motorists are driving around without a valid vehicle excise duty.

Removing the tax disc was, as the DVLA stated, ultimately part of a cost cutting exercise to reduce tax administration costs and burdens associated with vehicle tax, however, it seems that the DVLA may have miscalculated and could now be missing out on more revenue than ever before.

The DVLA stands to save around £7 million per annum from no longer producing, issuing and posting the tax disc, however, those figures looked to be skewed as Motoring.co.uk’s research has revealed that the DVLA could in fact be losing out on around £170m of revenue per year – with average VED costing £170 – far more than the saving accrued from the tax disc abolishment.

The DVLA refuted the results of the poll, with a spokesperson stating: “The vast majority of people tax their cars on time, with over 42 and a half million drivers taxing their vehicles since 1 October 2014“.

They continued: “We believe that the digital system is working well and that more than 29 million have chosen to tax their vehicles online or by phone. When vehicles are due to be taxed, we still send reminders, we send V11 reminders to all motorists except those who have chosen to pay by Direct Debit – they would receive a Direct Debit reminder. If motorists are driving without valid tax then they could be fined up to £1,000 and face having their vehicle impounded so it is paramount for them to make sure their vehicle is taxed on time.”

However, the DfT has since admitted that the number of vehicles without road tax – Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) – has doubled to 560,000 in the summer of 2015 according to the Department for Transport’s survey

Digital savvy motorists are already taking advantage of the digital dashboard on the MyMotoring hub, which safely stores data but also acts as a guardian alerting the consumer to due dates for their vehicle’s service, MOT and tax.

Terry Hogan, Co-Founder and Director said, “With the lack of a physical tax disc, it seems large numbers of motorists are failing to renew their car tax -driving illegally and liable to fines”.

He continued: “We’ve been helping millions of motorists for the past eight years and understand that the every-day motorist struggles to keep on top of their ownership lifecycle. Our innovative MyMotoring hub allows users to easily log a few car details and sends out timely reminders when their road tax is due”.

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Kia Motors unveiled a cutting-edge vision for a full-size SUV at the North American International Auto Show. The Telluride, a  three-row, seven-passenger, luxury SUV concept features a modern and upright shape, muscular stance, and state-of-the-art technology to care for its occupants. Purely conceptual, the Kia Telluride is based on an existing platform and reveals the brand’s interest in potentially offering a premium SUV positioned above the current Sorento.

“The Kia Telluride makes an aesthetic statement for the Kia brand as a bold, all-new luxury SUV with an abundance of advanced technology, focusing particular attention on the experience and comfort of second-row occupants,” said Tom Kearns, chief designer, Kia Design Center America. “Longer, wider and taller than the recently redesigned Sorento CUV, Telluride allows us to envision what a full-size seven-passenger SUV from Kia could look like.”

While there are currently no plans to bring the Telluride to production, Kia has a history of delivering production vehicles that bear strong resemblance to preceding concept.

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The Audi A4 will take the smooth with a little more of the rough at this month‘s Detroit Motor Show as it adopts the tougher stance of the A4 allroad quattro. The all-new Avant version is repurposed as an  all-terrain machine with the help of allroad hallmarks such as flared arches, an increased ride height and of course quattro all-wheel-drive in its latest and most sophisticated ever form.

The successful “allroad” variant first appeared in the A4 model range in 2009, and this latest evolution further refines the concept courtesy of the all-new A4’s advanced TDI and TFSI engines, intelligent multi-material construction bringing weight savings of up to 90kg, more intelligent and reactive quattro drive and a portfolio of assistance systems that are some of the most advanced in the current Audi range.

The new Tiguan GTE Active Concept is being premiered at the North American International Auto Show.

Here are a selection of photos for you to enjoy.

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The majority of UK motorists (three in five) currently worry about the safety of a fully autonomous vehicle, it was revealed in new research.

They are also concerned that technology failing would result in the vehicle breaking down (51 per cent). 40 per cent simply mistrust the concept of a self-driving car with a fifth of motorists even saying it scares them.

The research for Continental Tyres is part of its ‘Vision Zero’ commitment, which aims to eliminate road accidents through innovative tyre technologies and automotive systems.

Despite concerns, the 2,000 people surveyed did express what they consider to be major advantages of driverless vehicles; the top being the possibility of safer roads, more efficient and reduced journey times, and having to concentrate less.

Yet, when asked about their view on the prospects of autonomous vehicles a quarter of UK motorists believe that motoring and technology companies could exaggerate what is possible.

Mark Griffiths, Safety spokesman for Continental Tyres said: “With our award-winning summer and winter tyre ranges, safety is of utmost importance at Continental when it comes to any of our products or automotive technologies, and it is clear from this research that UK motorists identify with safety as a significant trust factor.

“There are very exciting times ahead with the advent of automated technology, though with any advance comes concerns. As a leading automotive business we play an important role in educating people about safety, right across the vehicle from our automotive systems to our premium tyre ranges.”

The top ten list of advantages of autonomous driving as identified by UK motorists in the study are:

  1. Road safety
  2. More efficient / reduced journey times
  3. Less concentration required
  4. Reduced insurance costs (through fewer accidents)
  5. Opportunity to use mobile
  6. Increased mobility for non-drivers
  7. Opportunity to eat in the car
  8. Opportunity to read in the car
  9. More productive use of time
  10. Opportunity to use tablet/laptop

Think of the styling as unique, original, innovative (rather than just plain ugly) and you’ll see the finer sides of the Skoda Yeti, such as the dynamic road behaviour, excellent practicality, off-road capability – and it’s exellent value for money as a second-hand purchase. It could be worth a much closer look

 TARGET RANGE:  £7,000 – £25,000 

There are some who consider the styling of the Skoda Yeti to be as abominable as the apocryphal creature after which it’s named, but you have to admit that it’s a good name for a 4×4 with off-road pretensions, and it didn’t take long even for doubters to appreciate the Skoda crossover’s true values of economy, practicality and good-value pricing, backed by the perceived appeal of the reliability of Volkswagen Group products. The car’s instant popularity is clearly good news for second-hand buyers, because five years after its UK launch there are already hundreds of well-maintained examples available, their numbers spurred last year by owners trading up into the facelifted range for 2014.

Family car practicality is the Yeti’s strong point. It’s a compact but roomy five-seater five-door estate, one of the key interior features being the way the rear passenger accommodation can be adjusted to give 20 different configurations including the removal of all the rear seats to give van-like carrying capacity.

With all this emphasis on the requirements of a busy suburban family, it’s hardly surprising to discover that not all Yetis have four-wheel drive, and where four-wheel drive is installed it’s not a ‘true’ yeti-like go-anywhere mechanism, it’s the same auto-engaging Haldex type as fitted to a whole variety of other crossovers. How it works is that the front wheels are driven most of the time, the Haldex clutch adding drive to the rear wheels in a fraction of a second if either or both of the front wheels lose traction. It’s a very good system for maintaining steady progress on roads or trails with a light or occasional covering of mud or snow.  Higher-specification versions have an ‘off-road’ button that allows more adventurous progress off-road by switching in hill descent control, off-road traction control and hill start assist, but the low ground clearance and lack of low range gearing ultimately limit the level of off-road excitement the Yeti is able to impart.  The “off-road” button was a £95 option on S and SE versions, and it’s also worth looking out for examples fitted with the dealer-option ‘rough road’ pack which includes a thermoplastic tray to protect the engine and transmission, a plastic cover for the fuel and brake lines and a reinforced parking brake cable.

Four-wheel drive versions of the Yeti come with a choice of 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine, developing a lively 157bhp or a 2.0-litre turbodiesel, it’s important to check which version since these come in 110, 140 or 170bhp form. Often when faced with a choice of engine power output it’s a case of balancing fuel economy against performance, but interestingly the easier power of the 170bhp turbodiesel makes it more economical than the less powerful engines. The transmission is a six-speed manual or, on higher-specification versions, an optional seven-speed DSG automatic transmission.

It’s quite common for anyone driving a Yeti to compare it to a Volkswagen Golf – it has a similar taut feel, the same crispness to the steering, the same reassuring roadholding, not to mention a Golf-like feel to the driving position – hardly surprising since the Yeti is a Volkswagen at heart. Many also compare the performance of the higher-power turbodiesel to that of a Golf GTi – the 167bhp engine not only has the strong low-rev torque to pull the car away from a standing start in almost sports car fashion, but also has broad mid-range flexibility for easy overtaking and relaxed motorway cruising. The Yeti manages an excellent balance between ride comfort and sure-footed handling, and all-round visibility is excellent – the good view afforded the upright rear makes parking easy, though top-specification versions have a useful Park Assist system – also optional on other trim levels, so look out for examples fitted with it; this isn’t just a matter of reversing cameras, it’s a fully automatic system that identifies a suitable gap among parked cars whereupon the Yeti parks itself with minimal input from the driver. For the 2014 model year a facelift saw a more appealing frontal treatment with revised grille and headlamps, the bug-eye fog lamps shrinking and taking a more logical position in the lower bumper. At the same time the range was split into Yeti and Yeti Outdoor, the Yeti with two-wheel drive and aimed at urban users, the Outdoor boasting a more rugged front bumper treatment and offering a choice of two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. One key technological improvement is that the Yeti Outdoor 4×4 has the newer fifth-generation Haldex system, which engages even more quickly than the fourth generation system in the earlier model, so that  (just as with the fourth-generation system) the driver is completely unaware of the transition between two- and four-wheel drive.

 Our verdicts 

The combination of keen pricing, the promise of legendary reliability, impressive practicality and unconventional styling makes the Skoda Yeti hard to resist, a situation backed up by its maker’s boast that it’s become one of the most successful vehicles in its class worldwide, and one of the best-selling compact SUVs in Europe. It seems odd that we were hardly aware of its existence for several years before its first appearance in our magazine as a contender in our 4×4 Of The Year comparison for 2012, but this was almost certainly because of its rather oddball appearance. It boils down to what styling cues define an off-roader? Once upon a time it was bull bars, rugged-looking underbody protection panels, extended wheel arches and bodyside cladding, but as manufacturers aim their SUVs more and more towards urban users rather than off-road enthusiasts these features have largely fallen away, leaving, certainly in the case of the Yeti, a design exercise that exhibits a total lack of any of the 4×4 or off-road visuals that would more immediately have brought it to our attention. However, when we did sample the car we couldn’t have been more impressed, awarding it the winner’s spot in the mid-range class with the comment: “Looks, and slightly odd names, can be deceptive; the Yeti seems to have passed us by, which it is now obvious is our loss.” That was the petrol-engined turbocharged 1.8 TSI; we commented that from a practicality point of view the Yeti scores in being a more estate-like design than most other crossovers, which gives it a significant advantage not only in luggage carrying capacity but also the extra headroom and, thanks to its wrap-around rear window design, better visibility for rear seat passengers.

A year later we had the pleasure of a high-specification Elegance with the 170bhp engine, and we appreciated its performance: “The smooth-revving and responsive engine scorches the Yeti from a standing start to 60mph in just over eight seconds and pulls on to an easy 125mph autobahn cruise.” Even so, our main reason for making it the winner of our mid-range section in the 2013 4×4 Of The Year contest was the value-for-money pricing – the Elegance, trimmed in neatly-stitched leather, with bi-xenon headlamps and dual-zone air conditioning, heated front seats and a six-disc autochanger, was a whole £12,000 cheaper than the Land Rover Freelander HSE.

By 2014 there were enough other unusual SUV designs around for us to describe the Yeti as ‘almost mainstream.’ We featured the new range-topping Laurin & Klement edition, which reached even greater heights of luxury, including some £4000 worth of additional features for just £2000 more than the Elegance it’s based on.

All this added opulence didn’t spoil the understated elegance of the interior, nor did it reduce the excellent practicality. We wrote: “The rear seats have a very simple fold-down action, the backrests simply flop on to the cushions to provide an extended load bay, flat-floored if the boot shelf with underfloor storage is fitted. The rear seats have fore-aft and backrest rake adjustment, the centre section can be folded to provide a table for two rear passengers or removed to increase luggage capacity.”

The Skoda lost out on the 2014 4×4 Of The Year comparison to the more conventionally styled Subaru Forester XT, which was quicker, more dynamic on the road and better off-road (and also more expensive), but we still liked the Yeti package enough to award it the Highly Recommended accolade.

 Which one to buy 

The base E version was only available with two-wheel drive, so for a 4×4 the S will be the entry level, an impressive specification that includes electric windows front and rear, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, stereo with CD changer, air conditioning, driver, passenger and curtain airbags, remote central locking and 16inch alloys. Look out for examples with the optional rear parking sensors, a £300 extra. Expect to pay at least £10,000 for a tidy low-mileage early S, one of the keener deals we spotted was the white 2011 (61) 2.0 TDI CR S with 48,000 miles at  Park’s Motor Group of Hamilton (01753 903994) going for £9995. Higher mileage does dent the price, we saw several 2010 and 2011 examples on sale for around £7000 with over 125,000 miles on them, for instance GP Car Sales of Halifax (01422 298872) had a 2010 (60) 2.0 TDI S with 137,000 miles, but with a recently changed cam belt, three-month warranty and a new MOT going for £7000.

The SE adds tinted and privacy glass, traction control, cruise control, headlamp washers, dual zone air conditioning with a cool box in the glove compartment and 17inch alloys, while options include heated windscreen (originally a £215 extra), park assist system including front and rear cameras (£495) satnav (worth £1510) and the panoramic sunroof (£870). This extra equipment doesn’t necessarily command a high premium second-hand – you could be asked to pay as much as £13,000 for a low mileage SE in immaculate condition, but Motorsave Trade of Stockport (01614 833303) had marked down a 95,000mile SE 140 to £8895 with a new MOT and full service history, while Bayer Car Sales of Fareham (01329 800088) had a pristine 2011 (11) one-owner 2.0 TDI SE with 97,000 miles going for £8985.

During 2011 a new SE Plus trim level was introduced, with touch-screen satnav, electric adjustment for the front seats and folding tables on the backs of the front seats. Expect to pay £10,000 for a clean high-mileage early example; Trust Skoda of Stourbridge (01384 592810) were offering a 140PS 2011 (11) example with 71,000 miles for £11,349, Arnold Clark in Aberdeen (01224 426082) had a blue ’13-plated SE Plus with the rough road pack and just 22,000 miles for £15,000. Look out also for the Adventure special editions of 2013, based on the SE trim level but with more than £2000 worth of additional equipment.

Step up to the Elegance to get Bluetooth preparation, the off-road button, auto-dimming rear view mirror and rain sensor, bi-xenon headlamps, front fog lamps and full leather upholstery; an optional extra worth looking for is the 12-speaker hi-fi system. Four-wheel drive versions seem to be quite rare, the shark blue metallic 2011 (11) 2.0 TDI CR on sale at Ashridge Vehicles of Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire (01442 843884), 84,000 miles but in very well-maintained and offered with a six-month warranty, and long MOT, seemed an attractive proposition at £10,495, but the metallic silver 2010 (60) Elegance with black leather upholstery with just 33,000 miles, also with six months’ warranty. long MOT and pristine condition to go with it, might just be worth the £14,999 being asked by Davies Group in South Wales (01834 860362).

For this kind of money you’re approaching low-mileage nearly new territory, particularly as dealers hurry to shift pre-facelifted cars taken in part exchange. However, there are good deals around on newer cars – Volkswagen West Midlands (01384 592810) were selling a 2014 (14) Outdoor TDI SE in cool Black Magic Pearl Metallic with just over 3000 miles for £15,676.

Cut-price deals on new cars are rarer, but worth shopping around for. Simpsons of  Preston (01282 344823), for instance, were offering a new Outdoor 2.0 TDI Elegance  with 4 miles on it for £21,925, around £3000 off the normal list price, while Mitchell Skoda of Chester (0843 320 1439) had a Laurin & Klement with the DSG transmission, high-end Columbus satnav and panoramic sunroof, with just 50 miles on it, on offer at a fiver under £25,000, a good £1500 under list price.

ENGINE DRIVETRAIN CHASSIS BODY AND INTERIOR
The VW engines used in the Skoda are generally reliable, though the petrol unit is not only thirsty in its fuel consumption but also tends to need frequent oil top-ups. The main problem affecting diesels is a tendency for the exhaust gas recirculation system to clog up, particularly in cars that aren’t regularly used on long drives, so do make sure it runs sweetly on a test drive, and doesn’t blow excessive black smoke under hard acceleration. This may be caused by a failing turbocharger or a performance upgrade; if the latter make sure you’re aware of it as it could affect your insurance. The 2.0-litre turbodiesel has a belt-driven camshaft, so on any car with 80,000 to 100,000 miles on it make sure the belt has been changed before you buy it.
The manual transmission is generally sound, but do make sure the changes are slick and positive, and make sure that the hill start assist function works. Excessive clutch wear might affect a car that has been used for towing, especially on the lower-power turbodiesels, so check for excessive pedal movement and make sure the clutch takes up smoothly and progressively. The automatic gearbox is a seriously high-tech seven-speed shifter which, when it works properly, is a dream to drive with, however some reservations over its reliability lead us to suggest sticking to a manual, or at least making sure your secondhand purchase has warranty cover that includes transmission failure. Before you buy an automatic make sure it changes smoothly and look out for shuddering, suggesting that it’s trying to pull in too high a gear, or any unusual clonks or clatters during gearshifts.
Steering, suspension or brake components should not have suffered serious wear even on older Yetis, so reject any car exhibiting clonks, groans, rattles or squeaks. Check the state of the brake discs, if they’re badly scored it might indicate that the car’s been used off-road, in which case also check the state of the sills and the lower edges of the front and rear bumpers for signs of scoring or dents that might have been hidden under filler and paint. A look under the bonnet might reveal mud splash residue trapped in awkward corners; if the car’s been driven exuberantly through muddy puddles the wheel bearings might be at risk of excess wear.
Check that the air conditioning works, since the condensers are vulnerable to stone damage, some fail because they were part of a faulty batch and should have been changed under warranty. Also make sure central locking, electric door mirrors and electric windows work as they should, as there have been cases of the wiring leading into the doors coming adrift. On older models check for signs of paint cracking around the side protection strip, where corrosion might have taken a hold around the mounting holes.

 OR YOU COULD CONSIDER… 

Honda CR-VKia SportageNissan Qashqai


The original CR-V did have some off-road appeal and good estate practicality with it, so some might consider it a shame that with successive generations it’s been transformed into a purely road-going family car with hatchback styling that robs it of the sort of headroom and luggage space boasted by the Yeti. Even so, the CR-V is a roomy five-seater and if the rear seating arrangements aren’t as varied at those in the Yeti, they’re also less complicated. What the CR-V does have to offer is refined and comfortable road manners with smooth-revving and refined engines, along with an auto-engaging 4×4 system that’s every bit as functional as that of the Yeti. The new model from 2012 is bigger and more refined but also more expensive, however early examples with less than 80,000 miles are available for as little as £12,000 with the 2.2-i DTEC engine.

Originally something of a rough-edged budget plaything, the Sportage has grown into a serious modern SUV competitor with its smooth and powerful petrol and diesel engines, all-independent suspension and good-value equipment specifications. Even the rather dumpy-looking 2005 model is worth considering as a reliable low-cost family runabout, since the interior is well-appointed, comfortable and practical, and excellent value since a high-specification run-out 2010 XE shouldn’t cost more than £8500. The latest version launched in 2010 is a much smarter proposition all round, with striking modern looks and refined 2.0-litre common-rail turbodiesel, pay around £12,000 for a KX-2 of 2012 with part leather and a panoramic roof to £26,000 for a nearly-new 2014 top-specification KX-4 with delivery mileage.

The Qashqai may well be an SUV in name only, shifting the off-road on-road crossover compromise almost entirely on to tarmac, but that’s unlikely to be a concern for anyone considering a Yeti either, so we can only point to the remarkable popularity of the Nissan as a reason to consider it. The styling, like the interior, is a bit on the bland side, and again it lacks the kinky versatility of the Yeti’s seating arrangements, but equipment is good through the range and the 2.0-litre engines are smooth and responsive whether mated to manual or CVT automatic transmissions. The All-Mode four-wheel drive system works as seamlessly as that on the Skoda. Note that from 2011 the 1.6dCi turbodiesel was made available with stop-start technology. Pay around £10,000 for a four-year old Visia or five-year old Tekna.

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