Skoda Yeti Goes Down Under

Skoda's young-oriented Yeti will finally debut on the Australian market in the last months of this year and will be offered in either two- or four-wheel drive configurations. Skoda Australia's head Matthew Wiesner told drive.com.au that the all-wheel drive version will be powered by a diesel unit, while the front-wheel drive flavors will be powered by turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engines.

''Yeti is likely to be a game changer for Skoda,'' he told the aforementioned source. ''It's going to be the first time that as a brand we can turn around to buyers aged 35 and under and say 'here you go, buy this'.''

Skoda Yeti will thus become the smallest model in the Czech manufacturer's Australian lineup and will compete against Kia Soul and Toyota Rukus, two already popular young-oriented models already on sale in several regions around the world.

Across Europe, the car is offered with a choice of five engines, two gasoline and three diesel, producing between 103 and 167 horsepower. The 1.2-liter TSI with front-wheel drive is the smallest displacement-engine in the lineup, followed by the 2.0-liter TDI CR DPF unit that comes with either front wheel drive or 4x4. The top of the range engine is the 2.0-liter TDI CR DPF all-wheel drive that produces 167 horsepower.

Skoda Yeti debuted in 2009 at the Geneva Auto Show and went on sale across Europe last year.

"The Yeti is a clever response by Skoda Auto to the increasingly important ecological issues in the popular and growing SUV class. Skoda has met the demands for a cleanly styled body, a high seat position and versatile operating options with a design, which despite its robustness, exudes lightness rather than bulky shapes," Skoda said in a statement.