[nitinbose]

Hi Friends,

As many of you many know, I have an Innova which was purchased an year ago. I am considering trading it for an SUV. Obviously, the Fortuner caught my attention and I somehow like it, except for the cost.

The Skoda Yeti also caught my attention, especially because of its rich features.

I require your advice on which would be better.

What is the condition of Skoda ASS?
What would be the service costs of Skoda (regular services)?
Any idea on cost & availability of spares?
Skoda resale value?

The Yeti comes with an audio system which is also integrated with some internal systems such as climate control, can we therefore install our own audio system, (HU)?

I have had good reviews on Yeti from one of the Bhpians (Sushil), I would like other Bhpians to help me decide on which way to go.

Awaiting your valuable suggestions,

regards,

Nitin

[GTO]

Inevitable comparison for many in the segment:

Looks & Presence: Fortuner. 'Nuff said. The Yeti looks rather small on our roads. The Skoda's design is quirky too.

Interior Space: Fortuner. Has a 3rd row of seats too. Yeti's middle-row isn't as bad as its made out to be, but Fortuner is more spacious.

Interior Quality: Yeti. No comparison. The Skoda's quality easily matches that of the Merc C Class or BMW 3 series. The Fortuner's interiors are, well, Innova like and atleast 3 segments below the Yeti's quality.

Engine & Performance: Both have extremely competent, torquey engines. You won't complain in either. Yeti has a better manual gearbox.

Ride & Handling: Yeti. Drives more like a Laura than an SUV & has immaculate ride & handling balance. The Fortuner rides & handles like an old school body-on-frame truck....not a plush ride, and not a handler either.

Offroad-ability: Fortuner. No comparison. It can also take a lot more abuse than the Yeti.

Reliability: Toyota. Will be as reliable at 200,000 kms as it is brand new. The Yeti's long-term reliability will be below average, and parts will be expensive too (if the Laura, on which it is based, is anything to go by).

Features: Yeti has all the bells & whistles, and then some. Fortuner is poorly equipped for the price.

After-Sales: Is there even a discussion required here? Toyota is amongst the best, and Skoda the worst in India.

My choice is the Fortuner. Test-drive both and update us on your preferences / observations.

[gautamkhadse]

Awesome comparison GTO , to the point I must say !

I don't know if you would find my suggestion any valuable , NItin , but have you considered the TATA Aria , Before you make a decision with these 2 at least take a test drive of the vehicle even if you don't wish to buy it .

Also , it would help us narrow down to a possible winner if we know what are your primary requirements .
Ex :
Lot of off road travel
Lot of space for mainly outings
Just plain fancy looks and road presence

[nitinbose]

@GTO: Wow GTO... Hats off to you for such a wonderful comparison! I dont think even the sales person at showroom can give such a wonderful comparison. When you say the long term reliability of Skoda is below average, till what km would you be able to drive without serious maintenance/repairs? Would you be knowing the average service/repair cost comparisons? The sales person told me their service is only once per year or every 15k Kms. Wonder whether this is some sales trick.

@gautamkhadse: I'm aware of Tata Aria, but that's an Indian vehicle, further, reliability of the engines seems quite less. The body build quality is also low, similar to the old generation honda city. So I'm not considering that.

regards,

Nitin

[mayankjha1806]

@GTO is spot on. I would also recommend Fortuner, long lasting trouble free service, Although low on features it compensates with loads of space (Not sure if you need it). My guess is TCO would turn out to be cheaper with Fortuner although in the initial cost Yeti is cheaper (No data to support my claim though, its just a feeling).

[roy_libran]

There is nothing anyone can add, to what GTO has already summarized.

But, if I were not too finicky about the Image the vehicle projects, or it's absolute off-road abilities, I'd go for the Yeti. Although a wee bit over-priced, the Yeti is still the best all round vehicle your money can buy for that price. Plus it's equipment and specs list is fab.

There is a very recent accident thread on Laura. Look at that, and that will give you some idea of costs with the Skoda platforms. However, also note that the car involved in the crash was 4 years old.

[fuel_addict]

GTO's spot-on analysis cannot be debated.

The reliability factor coupled with the much better A-S-S are strong points in Fortuner's favour. With both vehicles having equally potent engines, the above two factors may eventually help you decide.

[tsk1979]

GTO, great comparison, however you missed one thing, after sales service. Considering experience of members on this forum, if anything goes bad with engine/gbox, it can lead to big bills for customer as the dealerships are not at all customer friendly.

[download2live]

Reliability? Fortuner wins.
Road presence? Fortuner wins.
Ruggedness? Fortuner wins.
Looks? Relative

Go for fortuner.

One thing however. Will you be selling off our one year old Innova? If thats the case than financially its reckless. You will be losing money in the process.

[creative420]

The toyoto's A-S-S is definitely way way better that Skoda's. But you should mention how many people will be traveling in it? Anyways, here's a video which you should look at hope it'll show you what yeti is capable of.

YouTube - ‪Top Gear - Skoda Yeti road test - BBC‬‏

[Dr.D]

Hello nitin bose here are my two rupees of advice. If you want to make roads into the land of the lama,cross a swamp Or pose as a city slicker who owns a very reliable mini truck that has undergone plastic surgery then please just shut your eyes and buy the Fortuner.
On the other hand if you are a guy who wants a comfortable ride,good handling, loaded features, high quality interiors and a vehicle which is not as common as potato go for the yeti.
The Fortuner is great off-road agreed! so is the gypsy which is cheaper. On road and in the city they both look a bit .. scratch that ,they look very out of place.Yes Yes all the posers will not agree with me and I see another lynch mob coming to get me.
Lets keep it simple the yeti does it all relatively well off road and on road. The fortuner does not!
After sales service of the Fortuner compared to the Yeti may be better but reliability is equivalent.
I would buy the Yeti.

[sudev]

Skoda is having a Yeti demo road show in Bangalore on 9th/10th next month. Test out the abilities there.

[ghodlur]

Thanks GTO thats a fantastic comparison. Can you also put up the price comparison too.

I remember reading on the forum about Fortuner brake issue, how's that when compared to Yeti's brakes. Rehaan's review on the Yeti in the Official New car review section can be referenced.

[nitinbose]

Hi,

Thanks for all the info. I would be solely using the car as I dont have anyone. The car would be used in the city for 80% and 20% for long drives/offroading. So which would be better?

I'm just worried about the Yeti's maintenance costs, spare availability etc. It should not happen I have to spend some 1L after 2-3 years or wait for 6 months for spares.

Please suggest.

regards,

Nitin

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by nitinbose

I would be solely using the car as I dont have anyone. The car would be used in the city for 80% and 20% for long drives/offroading. So which would be better?

I'm just worried about the Yeti's maintenance costs, spare availability etc. It should not happen I have to spend some 1L after 2-3 years or wait for 6 months for spares.

Since you already own an Innova, the Fortuner will be a familiar ground for you. And from a proven reliability point of view, the Fortuner does make sense.

However, with this 80-20% split you mentioned above, the Yeti should do the trick. It’s a proven vehicle internationally, and you have the Skoda Shield warranty which covers you for 4 years. I don’t know any Yeti owners personally, but those who are T-Bhp seem to be pretty content with their purchase. And I guess the Yeti scores better on safety, drivability and fuel efficiency.