The first Škoda Yeti rolled off the production line on 12th May. The Yeti is the fifth model in the current Škoda lineup. Before that a number of final pre-production tests were undertaken in and around the city of Oslo in Norway. This area was chosen because it offers a good variety of different roads and also diverse weather conditions.
Road conditions experienced by the testing team include steep hills - where the downhill assistant function was put through its paces - and forest roads. Key systems that were tested during these runs include the ventilation and air conditioning performance as well as the driving stability system.
Tested were the 1.8 TSI and 2.0 TDI 4x4 models which use the fourth-generation Haldex clutch system. Other engines in the range include a 1.2 TSI with 77kW (103bhp) and a 2.0 TDI with 81kW (109bhp). The Yeti has a ground clearance of 180mm which should come in handy in mild off-road excursions. Standard wheels are 17 inches wide.
Škoda says the 4.2m-long crossover is quite spacious and offers a flexible luggage compartment whose volume can be increased up to 1760 litres using its VarioFlex rear seat system.
The first UK deliveries of the Yeti will begin this September.
Škoda Yeti Production Unleashed
* Production started on 12 May 2009
* Final pre-production test drives conducted in Norway
* Yeti on sale in the UK in September
The first Škoda Yeti rolled off the assembly line at Škoda's Kvasiny, Czech Republic plant on Tuesday 12 May 2009. With the start of series production, Škoda has officially introduced its fifth model line and entered the crossover segment. The very first Yeti spotted leaving the production hall was an Aqua Blue, four-wheel drive model, fitted with a 1.8 TSI engine.
Škoda has designed Yeti as it does all its models - for the way people use cars. Clever solutions include the flexible and practical VarioFlex rear seat system, which also makes it easy to increase Yeti's carrying capacity to as much as 1,760 litres.
Earlier, Škoda performed a number of final pre-production tests. One of the last test stages took place in the area around Oslo, Norway, which offered a variety of road surfaces similar to those seen in all European countries and most of the key regions outside Europe.
The test team used the diversity of roads and weather conditions to check some of the key systems, such as the driving stability system, ventilation and air conditioning system performance. The tests provided valuable information about the interaction between the respective control units, the chassis parameters and acoustic comfort, as well as the characteristics of the off-road systems.
The vehicles tested in Oslo were a 1.8 TSI petrol and a 2.0 TDI diesel, both 4x4 models. The drivers tested the vehicles' behaviour on forest roads, as well as on an extreme downhill course using the downhill assistant, a new function enabling the driver to go down extremely steep hills in complete control.
Thanks to its higher ground clearance (180mm) and fourth-generation Haldex clutch system, the Yeti offers exceptionally good on-road as well as off-road driveability. Add in low fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions and Yeti gives today's drivers exactly what they require: economical running costs, outstanding flexibility, great practicality, and less impact on the environment - the hallmarks of a crossover vehicle.
The Yeti is a modern, smart crossover vehicle with a fresh attitude and compact dimensions: wheelbase: 2,578 mm; length: 4,233 mm; width: 1,793 mm; height: 1,691 mm.
Combining 4x4 strengths with hatchback practicality, Yeti is scheduled to go on sale in the UK in mid-September.
Yeti's dimensions:
Wheelbase: 2,578 mm
Length: 4,233 mm
Width: 1,793 mm
Height: 1,691 mm
Ground clearance: 180 mm
Boot space: 1,760 litres (with seats removed)
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