Skoda Yeti: Farewell

And so, the Yeti has come to the end of its six months with the Parker's team. My time with the Skoda seems to have flown past, mainly because it has been an easy-going and hassle-free time. In fact it's been more than that. While it may just be a load of metal, I've become quite attached to the Czech beast.

First off is the performance and handling. The 2.0 TDI with 140bhp is excellent. It offers good pulling power and decent acceleration - it will reach 62mph in 9.6 seconds, not bad for a car of this size. Despite the high roofline and faux 4x4 looks it also corners well, with very little body roll and good grip.

There were a few little things that annoyed me, but these mainly personal pet hates like not being able to control an MP3 player through the stereo system. However, the little convenient touches easily outweighed the little niggles I experienced.

The real test for the Yeti and its four-wheel drive system came when arctic-like weather hit Britain in December. As well as the four-wheel drive proving its worth, the extra technology that comes with the 'off-road' button was also a useful addition. I wasn't the only member of the Parker's team full of admiration for the Skoda; everyone thought it was an excellent all-rounder.

At the beginning of my time with the car I questioned whether it was a viable alternative to the regular family hatchback such as the Ford Focus. After experiencing six months in both a Focus and a Yeti I would opt for the crossover every time and take it over rivals like the Nissan Qashqai and even the Peugeot 3008 - just.

Current mileage: 17,129

Average mpg: 43.6