Skoda Yeti Yells “Yonder!” After 255,000km of Epic Mishaps

Ah, the Skoda Yeti. The name itself conjures images of abominable snowmen and expeditions into the unknown. Well, my 2010 Yeti TDI wasn’t exactly scaling Mount Everest, but it did conquer a fair share of mountains (well, hills… Finnish hills) and some truly epic adventures from North of Europe to the South and back.

We started our journey in 2017. To replaced my Skoda Roomster that went in flames, but this is for another story. This wasn’t your average showroom Yeti, oh no. This one was a seasoned explorer. Every inch bore the faint scent of chlorine and the lingering ghost of a thousand flat-pack furniture boxes. You see, this Yeti wasn’t afraid to get its metaphorical paws dirty. It was my diving buddy, renovation companion, and all-around workhorse.

The Good: The Tardis of SUVs and the Seats That Disappear Like a Sauna Elf

Let’s talk practicality. The Skoda Yeti boasts a feature that would make Merlin himself jealous: the ability to completely remove the back seats. With a flick of a lever and a minor wrestling match, you’ve got a cargo cavern that could swallow a small moose (or at least all your IKEA purchases). This came in particularly handy during the Great Renovation Debacle of 2022-2023. Let me tell you, fitting enough building material and tools to rebuild a house and a yard, have been a spatial Tetris victory of epic proportions.

Then there’s the legendary TDI engine. It purred like a contented cat on a winning lottery ticket, sipped diesel like a Finn sips Koskenkorva (which is to say, sparingly), and never once complained about the ungodly amount of diving gear I managed to cram in the back (fins? Check. Dry suit? Check. Enough lead weights to sink a battleship? Absolutely. Tanks? Plenty!, Underwater scooters? Many!).

The Not-So-Good: When Your Dashboard Becomes a Rave and Those “Check Engine” Lights Start to Resemble a Christmas Tree on Speed

For years, this trusty steed served me faithfully. We traversed mountains, explored hidden coves for diving adventures, and hauled enough building materials to rebuild a small cabin. But, as with all good things, time and mileage take their toll. The last year was a bit like living with a grumpy grandpa. Every now and then, a new warning light would illuminate the dashboard, turning it into a dazzling display that would rival any Helsinki Christmas market. Turning it off, most of the time required to put my hands deep in the pockets. Not so nice.

So Long, Farewell, and Thanks for All the Fish (and Flat-Pack Furniture)

So, here’s to the Skoda Yeti, a car that embodied the Finnish spirit: practical, reliable, and perhaps a little stubborn at times. It wasn’t the flashiest, but it never let me down (well, not until the Christmas light show incident and one another minor one, in Poland when engine exploded and need replacement). It was the ultimate companion for adventures, both aquatic and domestic.

Now, as I embark on new adventures (with a slightly less illuminated dashboard, hopefully), I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness. But hey, that’s the beauty (and sometimes the curse) of cars – they become more than just metal and rubber. They become partners in crime, witnesses to our journeys, and collectors of memories (and the lingering scent of chlorine).

Farewell, Yeti. You’ll be missed. Just, you know, not the Christmas light show.

About the car:

Skoda Yeti 2.0 TDI Experience
Fuel: diesel
Power: 110 HP
Year: 2010