Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV?

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Wed 29 Jan 2014 21:57
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - TraceyJC
Hi

I currently own a Skoda Fabia 1.2 hatchback. There are only 2 of us and 2 small dogs but we would like to upgrade to a more robust car for bad weather conditions and long journeys. Can anyone recommend a small SUV or 4x4 at reasonable cost to buy used, cheap to run and insure and reliable? There are so many good car companies it makes choosing so difficult. Your help would be much appreciated.

TraceyJC
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Wed 29 Jan 2014 22:41
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - Avant

You don't say what your budget is, but whether new or secondhand a Yeti should fulfil your needs, particularly if you're happy with your Fabia and your Skoda dealer.

Go for a diesel only if you do at least 15,000 miles a year.

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Thu 30 Jan 2014 20:53
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - TraceyJC
My budget is £9,500 - I'm looking at Yetis 1.2 petrol, just browsing internet for best deals but think I will stick with Skoda dealers to ensure a reliable one
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Fri 31 Jan 2014 11:03
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - SteveLee

For £9.5K you could buy a brand new Dacia Duster. Yetis are decent enough cars but are over-priced - particularly second-hand.


A Kia Sportage would be a better second-hand purchase as you'd still have the bulk of the generous 7 year warranty for peace of mind.

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Fri 31 Jan 2014 21:20
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - TraceyJC
Yes Steve

Yes Yetis do seem to be pricey used! I've looked at the Dacia Sandero Stepway today online might go to showroom to have a look, just worried won't be as reliable long term, want to keep this next car for many years. What do you think? The Duster and Sportage just a bit too big - it's for 2 adults and 2 jack Russell's! Any other small crossover type cars I may have missed - don't mind second hand

Cheers
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Fri 31 Jan 2014 22:12
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - SteveLee

The Dacia engines are all Renault engines - don't let that put you off - mechanically they are very reliable, far fewer problems over the last 15 years than with VAG (VW, Audi, Skoda) group cars as far as engines and transmissions are concerned - the Renault 1.5Dci in particular, as used in the Nissan Juke and Qushqai - as well as the Stepway - is a gem.

Dacias seem to be well put together - like all cars I'm sure there are lemons out there, but the lack of frivolous kit means there's less to go wrong in the first place. Dacia are building a reputation in much the same way as Skoda have of screwing cars together rather better than their parent company.

I'd have no qualms about recommending any modern Dacia car – perfectly good cars sold at sensible prices. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the idiots who spend £20K+ on a pokey little supermini just because it has an Audi badge!

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Fri 31 Jan 2014 23:58
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - TraceyJC
I've never considered Renault ever for a car always Japanese and German makes but I am prepared to change ! Thanks for your comments really helpful. Will go and see for myself ! T
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Sat 1 Feb 2014 08:52
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - Chris79
All this hype about dacia does rather make me smile. To use a previous posters line I don't know whether to laugh or cry. They are based on renaults that have a pretty poor reputation all round and have been produced to a price. Suddenly because they are cheap people are suggesting they are the best thing ever. I hope they do succeed and bring a form of budget motoring to the masses but it is far to early to say. Already we are seeing reports of quality issues with some Dacias. Hopefully this is just teething troubles but time will tell.

Whilst I do agree that we don't seem to hear much criticism on hear about the Renault mechanicals I'm not convinced by their electronics.

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Sat 1 Feb 2014 09:16
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - bazza

T, as a frugal tightwad petrolhead, my advice will be from this angle

Before you splash nearly £10K I would have a really good think about what you need from your car. Fabia 1.2 is a decent car, do you really need to change it? If so, what do you need rather than want from the next one? Do you actually need a 4x4 or SUV or just fancy one -I ask because you could end up with something uneconomical and noisy and maybe not so good for long journeys. If you want more comfort, consider an Octavia estate, ideal for dogs. if you are set on 4x4, the Yeti is popular but over-priced and not entirely problem free, VW 's latest engines including the 1.2 can have expensive failures.VW are not known for fantastic out of warranty help either. For real robustness/reliability you have to look at Toyotas, Hondas and also Hyundai /Kia. I would go for a used Rav 4, or IX35 /Sportage if i were spending up to that.

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Sat 1 Feb 2014 13:27
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - carr
They are based on renaults that have a pretty poor reputation all round and have been produced to a price.

I hope you've warned Mercedes Benz of your news. They are fitting Renault diesels to their A and C class cars.

Meanwhile the Renault 1.5 diesel, as fitted all over the Renault , Nissan and Dacia ranges, enjoys a good reputation for reliability and economy.

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Sat 1 Feb 2014 17:46
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - SteveLee
Whilst I do agree that we don't seem to hear much criticism on hear about the Renault mechanicals I'm not convinced by their electronics.

Exactly my point - Dacias are Renaults mechanically, with most of the electronics stripped out - perfect.

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Sat 1 Feb 2014 19:54
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - Chris79
I do genuinely hope your right Steve lee. That said it is too early to start lauding the reliability of Dacias in this country. Ask me again in 5 years and I ll make my mind up one way or another.

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Sat 1 Feb 2014 21:46
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - TraceyJC
Hi

I've been to see the Dacia Sandero Stepway today and although it looks a great car for the money, I have decided that rather than waste a few thousand on new/used Dacia I will stay with Skoda! I've had 2 Fabias and they have been very reliable, and coincidentally before seeing Bazzas comment tonight, I was thinking the same train of thought with regard to changing! I guess I wanted a more robust car for all weathers and to put my dogs securely in the back, I'm now looking at Fabia Estates in particular the Scout model which has 16inch wheels which might just give that SUV feel without paying out too much - used ones aren't a bad price! An upgrade as it were with less mileage than I have now Will be visiting Briskoda for research! You've all been really helpful thank you
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Sat 1 Feb 2014 22:34
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - xtrailman

You only get the SUV feeling when driving a car with a high ride height.

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Sun 2 Feb 2014 10:58
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - bazza

It might be worth trying out some different makes eg Nissan Quashkai or Note if you want the increased ride height . Think about whether you really need 4 wheel drive. It comes with increased tyre wear and reduced mpg due to all the extra weight and frictional losses, so I would only consider it if I lived up a slippery track or regularly drove off road. Otherwise you simply don't need it. The Fabia estate Scout will be useful but a normal Fabia estate will do the same job cheaper 99% of the time. For much more comfort and solid "feel" try the Octavia estate. I have one and a large black lab, it's perfect!

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Sun 2 Feb 2014 16:22
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - SteveLee

Slightly raised ride height of the Scout would be useful in the snow. These days I run all season tyres on any "normal" car I run, as long as you're not a boy (or girl) racer All season tyres will get you through all but the worst winters with perfectly adequate traction with no need to change wheels twice per year. My missis's C3 with cheapo Chinese all season tyres (M&S marked) was brilliant in the snow we had last year (and the year before). My car's a Range Rover on ATs so snow isn't an issue.

Get a set of modern all season tyres and you can do without an SUV in the UK. Dunlop 3Ds, Vredestein Quatracs etc.

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Sun 2 Feb 2014 19:21
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - Dabooka

Some good advice on here, especially regarding all season tyres; made a massive difference to my Note although it's not been tested in snow as bad as a couple of years ago as they've only been on about a year.

Mind I wouldn't describe my Note as a raised driving position at all, not sure where that's came from. Certainly appears pretty level when I'm stuck in traffic looking at other bored commuters! I would consider a Suzuki SX4, if you can find one in 4grip spec, their 4x4 system. They're quite an accomplished car and decent on a run too

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Sun 2 Feb 2014 20:13
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - SteveLee

I put those tyres on my other half's C3 after I fitted some to my C5 and pulled a collection of stuck cars out of the company car park in the bad snow about 5 years ago - including a four wheel drive Audi saloon stuck fast spinning all four wheels uselessly on his "sporty" rubber.

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Sun 2 Feb 2014 20:25
Skoda Yeti or other - Best Small SUV? - gordonbennet

- including a four wheel drive Audi saloon stuck fast spinning all four wheels uselessly on his "sporty" rubber.

On/off switch auto clutch control of the latest fancy auto box from hell from that stable helping the situation no doubt.

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