Choosing a Compact SUV ...Skoda?.

[ryeman]

My partner and I are considering options to replace the 09 dual fuel XR6 (too big for her) and the 2012 Jazz (seats too small for me on longer trips) with a Compact SUV (higher ride height, bigger seats, has to be auto for her).
We don't need 2 cars anymore and function is the overriding priority rather than impressing others.
Kuga is obviously one but in such demand and pricy too.
One prospect is a Skoda Yeti. Anyone had/got one, or any Skoda for that matter.

[simon varley]

my sister has had Octavias before and loves them. In England they are still reasonably 'budget' unlike over here. Given that they are on the VAG platforms they should be pretty good. I have to say the Yeti is pig ugly to me, but mechanically I'm sure they are great.

[ryeman]

Originally Posted by simon varley

my sister has had Octavias before and loves them. In England they are still reasonably 'budget' unlike over here. Given that they are on the VAG platforms they should be pretty good. I have to say the Yeti is pig ugly to me, but mechanically I'm sure they are great.

Fm $22K drive away (man) seem remarkable value.
The only worry for me is the DSG auto as far as reliability is concerned.
I quite like its practical no nonsence practicality, for me that's likeable.

[sneaky]

Have a look at hyundai ix35 or kia sportage if you are doing rounds of dealers. We are pretty happy with our hyundai

[Raptor]

I'm a huge fan of Skoda, probably my next new car now that Ford don't want to make local ones anymore. I like the Yeti but if your not sold on a compact SUV check out the new Octavia. It s built on the latest VAG platform, just like the latest Golf which just won wheels COTY. If my old Territory keeps soldering on I'll probably wait for the Octavia Scout next year.

[ryeman]

Thanks Raptor,
My biggest concern is VAG reliability and real world cost of ownership.
Don't know if Skoda reliability is better than Golf/Tiguan.

[Sioso]

We bought 3 MK6 Golf's (through work) and 2 of them had DSG's, and they were both horrible to drive and both had clutch failures along with a number of other problems.
My brother drives a Skoda Octavia RS wagon with the DSG and hasn't had a single problem, the DSG doesn't have the same problems that were plaguing the Golf's either.
Brother in law had an Octavia turbo diesel with DSG and didn't have issues either.
I've only heard positive things from Skoda owners.

[chizzy86]

I have a Roomster 1.9 tdi manual and has been solid as a rock. I bought it used in June 2012 with 47 000 km on it and it now has 97 000 on it. Nothing has gone wrong, is economical and feels solid. Has plenty of load down omph for easy highway overtaking. The 1.2 Yeti might be a bit underpowered though. Have never driven one.

RE: Maintenance, If you are mechanically minded you should be able to do the minor things. My Dad is (is currently doing up a 72 Capri essex 3 ltire v6) and finds the Skoda very easy. For major (timing belt) I'll take it to a independent VW mechanic.

My auntie and uncle have a Hyundai Santa Fe and IX35 and are very happy with both of those as well.

[ryeman]

^^^^ouch, a timing belt!
Roomster, that to me is certainly visually challenging.

Seems odd that they don't have the same reliability issues, are they dif suppliers?.

[chizzy86]

The 1.9 tdi has a belt which needs changing at 120 000 km. It is a pretty old engine in the vw world and generally known to be pretty bullet proof

The 1.2 tsi is a much newer design and has a timing chain. I'm not sure if this ever needs changing or lasts the life of the vehicle.

The looks are something different but I like it. Its extremely practical and you can fit heaps of stuff in it. I wouldn't buy one now because they only come in petrol

[ryeman]

^^^chain that's great.
Petrol for 12K per annum is ok for a 1.2 IMO.

[Syndrome]

Škoda is a good brand. And you'll have a car which not many others have so you will stand out from the crowd.

[Stealth00]

Mazda cx5. Great little rig.

[In Focus]

No issues with my Skoda, even though it's the "dreaded" super and turbocharged/DSG combo. Maybe get a diesel version, if you can. The 1.9L motor is an older design, but said to be bullet-proof.

[XR Martin]

Theres heaps of Kugas sitting unloved at dealers, you should be able to get a real good deal on them.
If you look at carsales, theres nearly double the amount of new/demo Kugas on the lot than Falcons.

[ryeman]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Theres heaps of Kugas sitting unloved at dealers, you should be able to get a real good deal on them.
If you look at carsales, theres nearly double the amount of new/demo Kugas on the lot than Falcons.

Yeah, but at $24K DA the Yeti's price/economy is just so tempting and I like its practical nonconformist style too.
The only thing that concerns me is long term reliability and parts pricing which we're going to have to put up with in future anyway.

[ZA-289]

Yetis are but ugly. But I was impressed when I drove one. They drive really well and have sooo much room inside for a mid sized car. Buy one brand new with extendend warranty and sell it before the warranty runs out.

[ryeman]

Originally Posted by ZA-289

Yetis are but ugly. But I was impressed when I drove one. They drive really well and have sooo much room inside .........
.

I actually like its front simply because it is so different and not the least bit Asian generic and so adaptable.....substance over style.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by ryeman

Thanks Raptor,
My biggest concern is VAG reliability and real world cost of ownership.
Don't know if Skoda reliability is better than Golf/Tiguan.

Skoda has consistently come out better in reliability/ownership surveys than other VAG group cars over the last decade or so, e.g.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...-model-results

and has usually been playing leapfrog with Lexus in the top manufacturer quality surveys.

To me it seems its only drawback is that it shares some unreliable VW technology like the DSG and I find it funny that dealers like to promote its "German" technology. I would have thought they'd be running a mile to dissociate themselves from it after last years' debacle!

Generally speaking, Skoda has been using proven, previous-gen VW bits to avoid the problems of untried components. They also have the benefit of a local, very skilled, educated and committed labour force without the industrial issues and management/labour divides that many other countries, including Germany, face. They've had a particular push on quality to get themselves up to the top and that's caused some conflict with Wolfsburg and chipped away some of the badge-snobbery that's favoured VW.

The other thing is that Skoda design their own cars and they're usually a bit larger inside with some better features than their VW counterparts.

As everyone probably knows by now, I drove an Octavia with 200,000 km on the clock for 12,000 km in Europe a couple of years ago and it was just awesome. Not only still rock solid but a very nice drive and very comfortable and roomy inside - and that was the previous model.

For our creaky old selves, we're stuck on the SUV entry-height of our Territory and would find it hard to go back to a low car and so far we think Skoda doesn't have a vehicle that would replace the Territory, so my interest is pretty theoretical.

I should try stepping in and out of a Yeti I guess but I don't think it's as high as a Territory. Maybe I'll do that next time the car is serviced as our Ford dealer is also the Skoda/VW dealer and the staff there are mostly driving Skodas, they love them - shhh! Interestingly their service guys say they have fewer problems with them than the VWs, so there's another clue.

[ryeman]

^^^^we haven't tried a Yeti on but are hoping vis fm the drivers seat is better than our cars and like you am over stooping down to get in.
Never heard a bad word about a modern Skoda amazingly.

[Raptor]

Originally Posted by new2ford

... so far we think Skoda doesn't have a vehicle that would replace the Territory, so my interest is pretty theoretical....

Just wait a year or two and they will; http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...926-2ughc.html

[BDA074]

With 2.9% finance on the Kuga, I would not be able to past it. Looks great too...

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by Raptor

Just wait a year or two and they will; http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...926-2ughc.html

Thanks, that sounds interesting, as long it continues the Territory's crossover theme and doesn't try to be a 4WD. It should be able to match the Territory's driveability if they stick to their present good performance path.

As you well know Raptor, leaving the Territory would be a wrench. It doesn't even bear thinking about yet!

[ZGM86]

I would probably look past an ix35 and keep looking at the Skodas, if I were you.

I had an ix35 as a work car for 3 months last year and put a couple of thousand klms on it, and absolutely hated it. Horrible handling (lots of body roll and understeer through corners), cheap & nasty feeling interior (mainly the plastics), and the most unresponsive braindead automatic I've ever had the displeasure of driving (I'm sure the manuals are better in this regard). If you put your foot down, it just took forever for it to figure out that it needed to go back a gear. Work replaced it (and 5 others in the fleet after multiple complaints about how poorly they handled) with a new Forester just before xmas, and that is a real gem to drive in comparison.

Funnily enough, the i30 that we had for a couple of weeks over xmas had none of the problems that I experienced in the ix35. That was an alright car. Must be due to them having decades of experience building small cars as opposed to small SUVs.

[ryeman]

^^^^they used to be about value for money.
Now they don't seem to be great value for money either.

[Fordman1]

Ix35 is junk, go the Skoda !

[Mark^^]

A Range Rover Evoke would be a better drive than Skoda Yeti and as there is a new MY14 RRE model coming soon there should be some good prices on the MY13 models on the dealer floors just now.

[ryeman]

Originally Posted by Mark^^

A Range Rover Evoke would be a better drive than Skoda Yeti and as there is a new MY14 RRE model coming soon there should be some good prices on the MY13 models on the dealer floors just now.

Yeah, if they take 30K off the top, that's all.
Apparently demand exceeds supply as it is.

[ryeman]

Drove a Yeti today, and my spec dual fuel XR6 is now on gumtree, a beautiful car, I will miss it.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by ryeman

Drove a Yeti today, and my spec dual fuel XR6 is now on gumtree, a beautiful car, I will miss it.

So why are you abandoning Falcons?