Manufacturers offer motorists a wide range. Each of them has its significant advantages and some disadvantages. How can a buyer make a really right choice when buying a car, and choose exactly the model that will satisfy all his needs? In today's review, we will try to give an objective assessment of the Skoda Yeti, which we will compare with its direct competitor. The opponent of the "Czech" will be, who has long taken a leading position in the domestic automobile market due to its excellent exterior design and satisfactory dynamic and speed characteristics. Which car is better Kia Sportage or Skoda Yeti? We will try to answer this question in today's review.
Kia Sportage or Skoda Yeti are compact crossovers that have long been fighting for supremacy in the domestic market.
A bit about exterior design
| Car model: | Skoda Yeti 1.8TSI 4×4 | Kia Sportage 2.0 |
| Manufacturer country: | Czech | South Korea(Slovakia assembly) |
| body type: | SUV | SUV |
| Number of places: | 5 | 5 |
| Number of doors: | 4 | 4 |
| Engine capacity, cu. cm: | 1798 | 1995 |
| Power, l. s./about. min.: | 160/6200 | 136/4000 |
| Maximum speed, km/h: | 200 | 182 |
| Acceleration to 100 km/h, s: | 9 | 10.5 |
| Type of drive: | 4x4 | front |
| Checkpoint: | 6 manual transmission | 6 manual transmission |
| Fuel type: | AI-95 | DT |
| Consumption per 100 km: | city 9.8; track 6.6 | city 7 highway 5.2 |
| Length, mm: | 4422 | 4440 |
| Width, mm: | 1793 | 1855 |
| Height, mm: | 1691 | 1635 |
| Clearance, mm: | 180 | 172 |
| Tire size: | 235/55 R17 | 215/70 R16 |
| Curb weight, kg: | 1430 | 1458 |
| Gross weight, kg: | 1865 | 1912 |
| Fuel tank capacity: | 60 | 55 |
One of the key factors in the popularity of the Kia SUV is its eye-catching appearance, which exudes confidence and aggression. If the car is made in the corporate orange style, the fans simply cannot resist the delightful exclamations. The “Korean” makes a particularly strong impression. The athleticism and variegation of the exterior design deserves only positive reviews. The designers did their best and created a truly unsurpassed refined style of the car.
Car Kia Sportage - the dream of every woman
Unlike the Korean car, outwardly the "Czech" looks more modest. Of course, but no color will put the Skoda on a par with the Sportage in terms of the attractiveness of the exterior design. A middle-aged man and a young girl will look the same at the wheel of Bigfoot, although the strict, masculine exterior design suggests that this car is more suitable for men. There is nothing supernatural in the appearance of a Czech car, and therefore the “Korean” has a significant advantage in terms of external design.
Skoda Yeti - a crossover with a strict character
A few words about the interior
There is nothing bad to say about the ergonomics of the Korean car. A fairly comfortable electric console did not cause any particular complaints. One obvious drawback is the thick pillars that limit the view. The ergonomics of Skoda is distinguished by a high level of convenience in the arrangement of elements. The driving position in a Czech car is excellent. It is worth noting the effective side support rollers, which in the Kia Sportage are not very well adapted to perform their functions, and the driver's seat is a little worse compared to the Czech car, it does not look so elastic and stuffed. The big disadvantage of the Skoda Yeti is the tightness. The salon is not suitable, because only two people can fit on the rear seat sofa without restricting their movements.
In Kia Sportage, on the contrary,. Traveling long distances will bring pleasure to passengers. If there is a choice between Yeti or Sportage in terms of interior design, the “Korean” has the advantage. By the way, the Kia also has a larger trunk than the Skoda.
Comfort and coziness - these are the distinguishing characteristics of the Kia Sportage interior
Dynamic characteristics
Test drive of the car Skoda Yeti:
- the undisputed leader in speed characteristics. A 152-horsepower 1.8-liter turbocharged engine accelerates the “SUV” to hundreds in just nine seconds. The accelerator pedal responds well to driver input. The Czech car perfectly enters into turns of any complexity and perfectly keeps on a straight line. Kia has lower speed and dynamic characteristics. The "Korean" is a little heavier than the opponent, but this is not the main reason why the Sportage is inferior in a high-speed competition. Evenly stretched traction along the entire length of the gears at all speeds, with a sufficiently high engine displacement, without "explosive" points. This is the main reason for the "rotten" course of the Korean car. Kia cannot boast of acceleration either, there are certain problems when overtaking. Regarding the dynamic characteristics, it is significantly inferior. Here the Czech car took revenge after its defeat in terms of interior and exterior design.
Test drive car Kia Sportage:
Summing up
It's time to take stock. After comparing two similar "" to each other, we can say that the "Korean" has an advantage over the "Czech" in terms of internal and external design, but the unsightly Skoda Yeti has higher speed and dynamic characteristics. So the choice of one of the two compact crossovers is in accordance with the needs of the buyer. If a car is bought for the beautiful half of humanity, then this, no doubt, should be the Kia Sportage. For a more efficient ride that requires higher dynamic and, the Skoda Yeti is better suited.
“Yesterday, five were very big. And today there are three, but small. Now imagine the experiences of the hero of the famous miniature Mikhail Zhvanetsky about crayfish, if "large" and "small" cost the same. Our case! The new Nissan Qashqai and the updated Kia Sportage are more compact than the MazdaCX-5 and Toyota RAV4 - the difference in length is from 10 to 19 cm. And the "small" Skoda Yeti is four decimeters shorter than the largest. But the starting prices for all-wheel drive versions of all five crossovers with gasoline engines of about 150 hp practically the same. Unless those that are smaller will be richer equipped. However, the key issue is the same as in the case of cancers. Which is better: those of today or those of yesterday?
The bigger the car, the more spacious? Yes, but... On the one hand, Toyota is out of competition in this quintet: you sit in the back like in a business class. You can also take a nap, tilting the back of the sofa back like an airplane, you can cross your legs. The remaining four are tighter. But thanks to the vertical landing, the most compact Skoda in terms of space for passengers is no worse than Mazda, Nissan and Kia - a person with a height of 176 cm behind the same driver has a margin of more than ten centimeters in front of his knees!
Moreover, if it is comfortable to sit in the CX-5 and Yeti, then the Qashqai and Sportage, as they agreed, offer a low landing like a grasshopper, with knees up.
The new Qashqai is like a diet hamburger: it looks appetizing, but it tastes bland
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And the trunks? We measured their volumes with the help of "calibrated" balls, and ... Here the connection with the length of the body is direct: Skoda holds only 343 "ball" liters and can only be compared with Nissan (404 l) and Kia (413 l), only if move forward or completely dismantle the three rear separate seats. By the way, only Yeti has such an opportunity, as well as an optional folding front seat.
"Fat!" - the highest praise for Qashqai from the aggressively progressive youth. A bizarre composition of pliable plastic, glossy decor and "fittings" of the new Teana looks rich
But even having infringed on the freedom of passengers to the limit and having received the treasured 447 liters under the curtain, you still cannot load as much belongings into Skoda as Mazda (540 l) or Toyota (537 l) allow. Moreover, the RAV4 has an optional fifth door electric drive, and the loading height is significantly less. Since the spring of this year, Russian “rafiks” have been equipped with a dokatka: the trunk floor has lowered, there is no longer a hump of a full-size spare wheel.
Today, the degree of competition in the compact crossover class is as high as ever. The Russian automotive market is a very unstable phenomenon; only two classes can boast of peak sales: sedans and crossovers. This article is about crossovers and we will have to compare the four most compact crossover models.
For an objective definition, it is necessary to compare the two most attractive car models with each other. Each car, regardless of its class affiliation, has a number of characteristic distinguishing features: price, design style, technical equipment, and a general vector of design thought.
In the Russian automotive market, the most attractive compact model is the Suzuki SX4, if the car is considered from the point of view of its market value. Is this the only advantage of a popular car? Of course not.
The compact crossover Kia Sportage in its class is one of the most popular models in the automotive market of Russia and Europe in terms of the number of sales. After all, there are no coincidences in the world of technology. Korean compact crossovers are really made at a decent level and the statistics confirm this.
The compact crossover Subaru XV currently occupies a certain promising position, when it will use it and whether it will use it remains unknown. is one of the basic advantages of the Subaru XV car in its class.
Skoda Yeti is the only real competitor from the European car industry in the compact crossover class. The design of the Czech car in combination with the German classic stuffing is a very powerful argument in the automotive market. This is all impeccably excellent, however, the question immediately arises: “Does Skoda’s compact crossover correspond to its cost?”. The purpose of the test of all four cars is to determine which of the compact crossovers deserves in Russia.
Absolute leader at a glance
At first glance, the Subaru XV compact crossover is absolute. If you believe the factory documentation, the car's ground clearance is 220 mm, which in turn makes it slightly bulky. In terms of compactness, the Subaru XV is the most unique option. The function of the belt in the car was assigned to the variator along with the chain. Together they are well resistant to maximum permissible loads.
Test drive Subaru XV:
Large dimensions are about Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage compact crossover occupies the second position in terms of the number of cars sold in its functional segment. Most consumers opt for the Kia Sportage due to its crossover focus. quite adequate, if correlated with the quality and functionality provided. By itself, the compact Kia Sportage crossover is extremely spacious, so every passenger and, of course, the driver himself will feel comfortable in its cabin, regardless of their physical parameters. The factory setup of the chassis, to put it mildly, hardly deserves a four. All bumps encountered on the track are reflected in the corresponding oscillation of the car's interior, such is the specificity of the functioning of the suspension.
In principle, the overall level of isolation compared to the analogues presented is at a good level, however, this is still not enough. Although the car's engine nominally has a power of as much as 170 horsepower, however, unfortunately, the automatic transmission levels the car's factory power too much. Sportage is equipped with an automatic parking function, and also has a rear-view camera. If you buy Kia Sportage, then only in budget trim levels, since in expensive versions the car loses its profitability.
Test drive car Kia Sportage:
Skoda Yeti - a versatile range of possibilities
The quality of the Skoda Yeti compact crossover is palpable in every element of the car. This car has one of the best ergonomics in its class. Inside the cabin, both passengers and the driver will feel comfortable. The suspension perfectly levels out all the bumps that occur during the movement of the car. Thanks to this, it does not actually fluctuate at all. The factory chassis setup is near perfect.
In terms of handling, the Skoda Yeti compact crossover can serve as a model for other automakers to strive for. True, there are several drawbacks, namely: a small-sized trunk compartment, and the steering actually completely covers the front of the dashboard. However, the engine itself works great in practice, it feels like it has the features of a true crossover.
Test drive of the car Skoda Yeti:
Conclusion
The bottom line is this. The experts were impressed by all the power of the Skoda Yeti, although its way upstairs was blocked by the high price and the dimensions of the cabin, which were not respectable for our man. Kia Sport, on the contrary, looks more solid in terms of roominess, and you can buy it. The downsides of this crossover during the test were, unfortunately, the suspension, which pays less attention to road affairs and the engine, which, in our opinion, is slow and consumable. If it weren't for this, then maybe the first place.
As for the Subaru XV, I was unexpectedly pleased with its price, easy landing, roomy interior and absolute off-road. On the other hand, nothing else impressed me.
Suzuki SX4 is worthy of attention if you evaluate a car in. In addition, Suzuki proved to be quite roomy and versatile, although with a 2-liter power unit, and not the engine that was equipped with a test version, it would have been much more successful.
| Car model: | maximum score | Skoda | Kia | Subaru | Suzuki |
| BODY | |||||
| Place in front: | 20 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 15 |
| Back seat: | 20 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 14 |
| Feeling of space: | 10 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Trunk capacity: | 20 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 12 |
| Transformability: | 10 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Visibility: | 20 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 14 |
| Build quality: | 20 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 13 |
| External dimensions: | 10 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 4 |
| Clearance and overhangs: | 10 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 4 |
| Result: | 140 | 109 | 111 | 99 | 93 |
| ENGINE/TRANSMISSION | |||||
| Acceleration: | 15 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| Elasticity: | 20 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
| Motor Responsiveness: | 15 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 7 |
| Transmission: | 20 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 10 |
| Test flow: | 30 | 25 | 17 | 19 | 21 |
| Power reserve: | 10 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Result: | 110 | 96 | 68 | 74 | 64 |
| COMFORT | |||||
| Ease of landing saloon: | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Driving position: | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 |
| Armchairs in front: | 20 | 17 | 12 | 15 | 13 |
| Rear seats: | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Ergonomics: | 10 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Ride comfort: | 25 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 16 |
| Noise isolation: | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Niches for storage: | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Comfort equipment: | 15 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| Standard multimedia: | 10 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Auxiliary systems: | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Conditioning: | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Result: | 150 | 116 | 106 | 110 | 104 |
| DYNAMICS | |||||
| Ride quality: | 20 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
| The effectiveness of security systems: | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | |
| Maneuverability: | 20 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 13 |
| Controllability: | 20 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
| Banks in corners: | 10 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| Braking dynamics: | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Result: | 100 | 88 | 77 | 82 | 72 |
| PASSABILITY | |||||
| Drive efficiency: | 20 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 8 |
| Electronic efficiency: | 20 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 10 |
| Geometric patency | 10 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 4 |
| Result: | 50 | 35 | 31 | 37 | 22 |
| OVERALL ASSESSMENT: | 550 | 444 | 394 | 402 | 355 |
Without a week 3 years ago, I moved to this car. The age is small and, as it turned out, not critical in terms of reliability, at least for my copy.
In mid-April, the dealer had a suspension diagnosis, which did not reveal any problems. I was pleasantly surprised by this circumstance. The suspension has a good safety margin.
Also, the dealer eliminated the chirping in the glove compartment from the fuel pipes (a little annoying childhood sore). Connected vag-com a few weeks earlier and looked for errors. Nothing! The car is in perfect order.
Strengths:
- I consider the main advantage that the Skoda Yeti for these 3 years has not bothered me at all. Good car!
Weak sides:
- 2010 and 2011 build years cars have a lot of "childhood sores". In my case, the local dealer successfully fought them.
Review of Skoda Yeti 1.2 (Skoda Yeti) 2011 Part 4
It's been a year since the last review. Mileage has already exceeded 45,000 km. Despite the reviews of all the spiteful critics about the products of the VAG, the car did not bother with problems, although it also failed to avoid “childish” sores. Perhaps I'll start with them.
The main problem is swelling of the door paint below the molding. The first time was on the driver's side. The dealer did the work without problems, but they did not stick the protective film well. On a second appeal, they said that this was a problematic place, but they re-glued it at their own expense. In mid-April 2013, after washing already gasped. Those doors that were painted looked deplorable. Plus, I found bubbles on the passenger side, but their appearance was in perfect order. Why did you paint? Went back to the dealer with my problem. Everything was filmed, everything was agreed. Additionally, they reported that the action will replace the door seals, which rubbed the paint on the racks. A couple of weeks later I went for a week to ride on a replacement Fabia. They did everything well. This time there were no problems with the protective film.
The second sore is the timing chain. In the spring, several times when starting the engine, a loud roar appeared. A couple of weeks before the end of the warranty came with a problem to the dealer. He spoke about his suspicions. They said they would let you know. A week later, a call - come tomorrow. They took the car without inspection and performed work on replacing the timing chain with a modernized one. When I picked up the car, the manager said that the work is being done at the first request of the client, there is no general action.
Strengths:
- Still a crossover, albeit a front-wheel drive
- Nimble 1.2 TSI engine
- Good running characteristics
- compact city car
Weak sides:
- Lots of childhood pain
Review of Skoda Yeti 1.8 (Skoda Yeti) 2012
I went to myself on a diesel pajero.
2005 mileage 180 thousand. Didn't rejoice. Traveled for 6 years. But he started to get tired. Big, vibrating. I'm getting old. Hard. Yes, and I straightened it from all sides. I don't want to do any repairs. I wanted something small, light and gasoline. Well, I took a yeti. The test drive seemed to take an hour.
On this machine, too, traveled for a long time. 1.8 4na4. 43 thousand kilometers. At first, everything seemed to be as it should be. Design, interior, handling, ergonomics are just wonderful. Road holding is great. Light, torquey. Short-turn around without problems BUT! The suspension is stiff and feels flimsy. Any crack sticks into the back seat and gives all over the body. There is no strength buzzing. (Rubber-studded Pirelli). Made a double vibration-noise isolation (40 thousand rubles). A little better, but not by much. Just changed the tone of the hum. Became lower. On an ideal road, everything seems to be fine, but the rumble still gets it. And you leave the city and that's it .... a rattler.
Strengths:
- Controllability
- Pickup
- Ergonomics
- Excellent road holding
- Good interior build
Weak sides:
- Rigid. Feels like a flimsy suspension
- Poor vibration isolation
- Takes a long time to warm up
Review of Skoda Yeti 1.2 (Skoda Yeti) 2012
Hello everyone, I finally got to the computer and decided to write my review about my typewriter.
I'll start with how I decided to purchase this beast. I have little driving experience, this is my second car in my life, and I consider it necessary to say a few words about my first miracle, it was a 2006 Chevrolet Lanos. I chose and bought it myself, and at that time I knew absolutely nothing about cars, as a result I bought a copy beaten in a circle in a terrible technical condition, I owned it for three years, during this time I drove 8000 km and invested 200,000 rubles in it , after all the torment, the car was sold and vowed to himself never to mess with used cars again.
And now I am looking for a new horse, I did not make any special requirements, but there were a number of parameters when choosing: high ground clearance and a price of no more than 1,000,000 rubles and the absence of a clutch pedal. Quite a few cars fell into this category, but the main options were a time-tested cat, an attractive hover 5 diesel with a gun, and a yeti with a robot. Frankly speaking, my wife and I wanted to buy a hover until the very last moment, there were only two doubts - this is that the main drive is rear-wheel drive and this is China. Although a test drive and just an inspection of the car gave her 100 points, but it was in Moscow, upon arrival from vacation in Murmansk, it turned out that while the hover was driving, it went up by 50,000 rubles and its price with all the necessary preparations for the car became 970,000 rubles. In this regard, right from the Great Wall salon, I went to the Skoda salon and four months later, exactly by the end of November 2012, I took from the salon of my white Bigfoot 1.2 TSI DSG ambishin configuration with dopami.
Strengths:
- Small on the outside, spacious on the inside
- frisky motor
- Great robot
- Interior transformation system
- High-quality materials finishing and assembly of the car
Weak sides:
Unfortunately, our campaign did not include Dzhuk or Qashqai, one of which was also planned to be tested. Representatives of Nissan dealerships as one insisted that in order to issue a car they need a request, time to approve the request, permission, approval, confirmation of approval, a resolution with a seal and fingerprints of all editorial staff. We joke, of course. That is OK. Talented members of the group and in an incomplete composition were able to play a good game.
Many will immediately notice that the company is rather heterogeneous. Cars differ in size, engines, transmissions, equipment and price. However, our goal in this test is not to identify a winner and a loser. It is more interesting to see who each car is aimed at and how the expectations of buyers coincide with the real possibilities. After all, whatever one may say, all three cars belong to the class of compact all-wheel drive crossovers. And by and large, small discrepancies in the characteristics are not as great as consumer qualities are similar.
At first glance, it may seem that Opel is one of the smallest crossovers. But it's not. Mokka, for example, is 2.3 cm taller than Sportage, 5.5 cm longer than Yeti, and Juka is much larger in all respects.
Let's start, of course, with a beginner. As expected, Opel Mokka was born thanks to the efforts of two parents: Opel and the Korean division of Chevrolet DAT. In a happy family, triplets were born right away (Mokka has two more twin brothers Buick Encore and Chevrolet Trax, and the latter will also appear in Russia, however, under the less ambiguous name Tracker).
But despite the joint German-Korean Gamma II platform, external data does not allow us to doubt that we have Opel in front of us, a very nice and pretty Opel. The absence of any kind of brutality in the exterior design, the contours of the headlights summed up with “black ink” and a variety of chrome and silver “frills” - overlays immediately determine the target audience - it is, without a doubt, female.
The opposite of the Opel Mokka is the Kia Sportage. "Korean" literally exudes aggression with all his appearance, although he has no less chrome decorations, but they are rather for pathos. In many ways, it was the eye-catching style that was a key factor in popularizing the Kia crossover. The only pity is that the test car turned out to be in an inexpressive dark gray color, and not the branded orange.
Skoda Yeti is a kind of unisex. Both a young girl and a middle-aged man will look equally harmonious in it. The main thing - again, to choose the right color. And if at the beginning of his career the exterior of the Bigfoot seemed a little frivolous for the thoroughly pragmatic Skoda brand, then after the release of brighter competitors, the style of Yeti became quite ordinary.
Interior. The most spacious of the three, of course, was the Kia Sportage - in terms of dimensions, it is the largest. There is enough space for everyone, without exception, but it is especially comfortable for those who sit on a comfortable and wide sofa with the largest legroom of the trinity.
In addition, the Kia crossover has the most expensive looking and touching interior: high-quality finishing materials with black lacquered plastic inserts, a spectacular instrument panel, a multimedia system touchscreen display and (in our configuration) a leather interior and a panoramic sunroof. And the best part is that this wealth does not run counter to ergonomics - it is intuitively easy to use almost all functions.
The second largest is the Skoda Yeti. The main feature of the Czech crossover is the second row, three parts of which can be adjusted separately by changing the backrest or moving the seats back and forth. It is from the chosen position of the rear seats that the space in the cabin or in the trunk depends.
The appearance of the Skoda's interior is the simplest - even an advanced radio with a large touch screen does not save. It should be noted that, unlike the two rivals, we got the Yeti in a modest configuration. However, the quality of the materials is not satisfactory, and the ergonomics are traditionally excellent.
Despite the fact that the Mokka is longer than the Yeti, there is a little less space in the Opel. A man with a height of 180 cm sits almost back to back, and there is no question of seating the three of us at the back - in terms of width, the German crossover wins only the Nissan Juke and Suzuki SX4 from all direct and indirect competitors.
The back row let us down from the point of view of landing - the non-adjustable back is set too vertically, and the sofa cushion is a bit short - it will be convenient only for people with perfect posture. The tactile sensations from the interior leave a favorable impression, the design pleases the eye a little less than in the Kia. The only thing you have to get used to is a scattering of buttons on the front panel, among which you can’t immediately find the right one.
But the Opel Mokka has the most comfortable driving position. "Baranka" has the most optimal thickness and diameter, the chair tightly hugs the lateral support, but only as much as necessary. A lot of adjustments, including changing the length of the pillow, allows you to choose the position of the seat for any landing.
Skoda's driver's seat is a little worse - it pleases with a verified profile and equally dense filler, but it loses to Opel's in terms of the number of settings. But the relief of the Kia seat is only visual - the Sportage has the widest and flattest chair with indistinct lateral support. But it is on such seats that it will be convenient for people of dense complexion.
1 / 4
2 / 4
3 / 4
4 / 4
The largest trunk is predictably in the Kia Sportage - 564 liters. He is the only one who has a full-size "reserve" in the underground. The cargo compartment of the Skoda Yeti with a volume of 405 liters is the most functional in terms of transformation - the rear seats can not only be moved or folded, but even pulled out of the passenger compartment. Opel Mokka has the most modest hold - 362 liters. Its capabilities are quite enough for urban needs.
Dynamic characteristics and controllability.
In terms of speed parameters, the undisputed leader is Skoda Yeti. Its turbocharged 1.8 engine with 152 horsepower takes the crossover to 100 km/h in 9 seconds. But the best part is that the worthy protocol figures of the performance characteristics completely coincide with the sensations. The agility with which the Yeti reacts to the pushing of the accelerator encourages a hooligan manner of movement.
And the chassis of the Czech crossover is ready for provocations. Skoda keeps well in turns, and, moreover, on a straight line. And the steering does not leave gaps in unity with the machine. For active driving, the preselective DSG box with the ability to turn on the sport mode is also well suited. She is afraid of only one thing - a “torn” ride, when the electronics get confused with the inclusion of a downshift or upshift.
It is even more interesting to drive Opel Mokka. The Opel's suspension is tuned more sensitively, and the power steering is filled with more weight than that of the Skoda. Due to this, accuracy is increased both in the deviation of the “steering wheel” by the driver, and in the reactions of the car itself.
Eh, if Opel had a more powerful motor, it would look great as a drivers car. However, Mokka cannot be called slow: the old 1.8 naturally aspirated engine honestly carries on its 140 forces, accelerating evenly and picking up in the upper zone of the tachometer. In addition, a smooth, but agile six-speed “automatic” works in tandem with the motor.
Kia Sportage in high-speed disciplines is an outsider. It is clear that he is 75-80 kg heavier than his rivals, but this is not the difference in weight that justifies such a sluggish dynamics. The reason is the traction of a two-liter gasoline engine, evenly spread over the entire tachometer scale and six gears, without a pronounced pickup.
It is useless to spin the 150-horsepower Kia engine - acceleration cannot be achieved by this, which is especially sad when overtaking. In addition, the Kia Sportage has the most uninformative steering wheel - in the near-zero zone it “dangles”, and when turning it stumbles on an artificial “step” in terms of effort. However, the “Korean” keeps on the road properly, not allowing any noticeable rolls or departures from the trajectory.
Ride comfort.
But in this nomination, Kia Sportage performed better than its rivals. In the cabin of the "Korean" pleases, above all, silence. The noise isolation of the crossover does an excellent job with both the rumble of tires and the sound of the engine. True, here Kia had a head start in the form of friction winter tires, while Skoda and Opel moved on spikes. But the work of the Sportage suspension to align domestic potholes does not need any odds. The crossover swallows all the flaws of the road surface without choking.
Skoda Yeti copes a little worse with the realities of Russian roads. The suspension also does not notice small and medium-sized potholes, but the passengers in the cabin shake more strongly than in the Kia. It is better to try to go around large obstacles - it’s not even an hour, as the shock absorbers can close on the rebound. Despite the presence of studded tires, Bigfoot did not bother with intrusive noise accompaniment.
I was surprised by the Opel Mokka - it was he who turned out to be the loudest, which is usually not characteristic of Opel. The howling of the wind, the rumble of tires and the sound of the engine, especially at high speeds - all this makes the sound of the radio turn up, and the passengers speak louder. It is pointless to expect lulling comfort from a dense and active suspension set up for active driving - either one or the other. She does not allow breakdowns, but with the accuracy of a gramophone needle she transmits the slightest bumps in the road to the salon.
Off-road capabilities.
Such a check may seem pointless to many - the lion's share of compact crossovers is sold in Russia exclusively in a single-wheel drive version. And even those who choose the 4x4 modification most often move off the asphalt, except perhaps on the primer. Car manufacturers know this too, so they don’t bother too much with the all-terrain capabilities of their models. But since the test Opel Mokka, Skoda Yeti and Kia Sportage row all four wheels, we could not help but feel the limit of their capabilities outside the asphalt.
The declared ground clearance of the Kia Sportage is the least - 172 mm. Skoda Yeti and Opel Mokka have 180 mm each. All three cars are equipped with descent assistants, Opel and Kia have an additional hill start assist system. And only the Sportage has an electronic clutch lock.
The surprise was presented by Sportage. It turned out that this glamorous “Korean”, sparkling with chrome, xenon and LEDs, which looks great in the parking lot of a business center or fitness club, crawls better and easier than anyone on snow-covered hills. First, only Kia has an electronic clutch lock. Secondly, it has the widest, albeit non-studded tires, which increased the contact patch in deep and loose snow. Thirdly, the “Korean” has the most loyal settings of electronic “collars” - the traction control system and ESP intervened very correctly, without particularly interfering with the movement by slowing down the wheels and dropping speed.
And fourthly, on the off-road Kia Sportage, the “sleepy” settings of the engine and gearbox just helped - precisely due to the fact that the “Korean” has absolutely even traction without peak pickups, it is easy to move evenly tight on unsteady virgin soil without the risk of overgassing and bury the car. But putting a heavier Kia on your belly is the easiest thing - the Sportage has the smallest distance to the ground under the protection of the crankcase.
Judging by the name, one would assume that for a white Czech crossover, almost untouched snowy hills would be a native element. And, in general, Yeti did not disappoint, overcoming all the obstacles in which we sent him.
But in order to wallow in the snow, on Skoda you need to work a little more carefully with the gas pedal. In addition, it is also desirable to switch the DSG box to manual mode, since playing the accelerator too actively again confuses the two transmission clutches. But Skoda has the most correct front bumper in shape, which without much fear allows Yeti to climb quite steep climbs.
But Opel Mokka has a real problem with the front bumper. For a third of the obstacles that Kia and Skoda overcame without problems, we were afraid to send Mokka precisely because of the possibility of damaging the front bumper or at least tearing off its “skirt”. But Mocha definitely has potential.
Let Opel climb the virgin snow the most difficult thing - often he has to step back and make his way a second, third time: the car lacks traction on the “bottoms”, and at the upper limit of speed there is a risk of pressing the damped gas pedal and burrowing. Mokka also interferes with the overly timid safety electronics that work ahead of the curve - it had to be turned off. But still, Opel crawls through fairly deep snow - both in a straight line and uphill! It only requires an experienced hand from the driver. So we don’t dare to recommend driving off the asphalt on Mokka, but if necessary, the crossover will pass through light off-road.
Mokka could not afford to drive in and out of this slide. What the people from Opel were thinking about when they made an all-wheel drive crossover with a “muzzle lying on the ground”, with which Mokka catches almost everything, is absolutely incomprehensible. Even if the potential owner never finds himself out of the asphalt, in the city, when parking, the front end of the Opel will collect all the curbs.
