Skoda Yeti: common problems, best years and what to check
Quirky, practical small SUV with a cult following. Covers 2009–2017 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Skoda Yeti a good used buy?
Best buy
2.0 TDI 4x4 or post-2015 1.4 TSI
Avoid
1.2 TSI with chain noise
Who it suits: Buyers wanting a practical, characterful small 4x4.
What's good
- Very practical VarioFlex seats
- Great 4x4
- Good visibility
- Excellent DfT survival
What's not
- 1.2 TSI chain issues
- Discontinued
- Dated interior
- DSG mechatronics
By the numbers
- #112 most common model on UK roads, with about 73k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2016: 13.0k cars still licensed.
- 2009 cars survive 36% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2.0 TDI uses a belt (130k / 10 yrs): budget £500–£750 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: DSG mechatronic failure (up to £2,000).
Skoda Yeti common problems by generation and engine
Skoda Yeti Yeti (2009–2017) · small SUV; Outdoor
How to spot it: 09 plate to 17 plate. Boxy, upright small SUV; 2014 facelift has rectangular headlights.
1.2 TSI (EA111, petrol, 2009–2015)
Chain issues
- Timing chain stretch£600–£1,20050k+
2.0 TDI (CR, diesel, 2009–2017)
Strong
- DPF / EGR£400–£1,20070k+
Faults on any Yeti (2009–2017) engine
- DSG mechatronic failure£800–£2,000any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Skoda Yeti years
How many Skoda Yetis from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Skoda Yeti MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2009+ cars)
Skoda Yetis pass their MOT first time 4 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (74% vs 70%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62% | 59% | 109k miles |
| 2011 | 66% | 61% | 102k miles |
| 2012 | 67% | 63% | 99k miles |
| 2013 | 71% | 66% | 88k miles |
| 2014 | 73% | 69% | 78k miles |
| 2015 | 75% | 72% | 69k miles |
| 2016 | 79% | 75% | 60k miles |
| 2017 | 82% | 78% | 51k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4.72 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken4.42 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2.17 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.12 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.83 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.72 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction1.72 per 100
- Position lamp: not working1.7 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm20.5 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak16.52 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened15.96 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear14.32 per 100
- Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened13.75 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick8.7 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn7.9 per 100
- Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened4.56 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Skoda Yeti have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 TSI EA111 | chain | check from 50k | £600–£1,200 |
| 2.0 TDI | belt | 130k / 10 yrs | £500–£750 |
Skoda Yeti running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Skoda Yeti ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Skoda Yeti vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skoda Yeti | 73k | 10–22 | 416 l | 2.0 TDI 4x4 or post-2015 1.4 TSI |
| Nissan Qashqai | 646k | 13–22 | 430 l | 2018–2021 J11 1.3 DIG-T manual |
| Kia Sportage | 373k | 13–25 | 491 l | 2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 316k | 16–30 | 520 l | 2016+ Mk2 2.0 TDI 150 |
| Dacia Duster | 97k | 8–20 | 445 l | 2018+ Mk2 1.3 TCe or Bi-Fuel |
| Mini Countryman | 144k | 15–30 | 450 l | 2017+ F60 Cooper 1.5 or Cooper S |
What to check when buying a used Skoda Yeti
- Chain history on 1.2 TSI
Skoda Yeti FAQ
›Is the Skoda Yeti reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2.0 TDI 4x4 or post-2015 1.4 TSI. Avoid: 1.2 TSI with chain noise.
›What is the Skoda Yeti MOT pass rate?
74% of Skoda Yetis passed their MOT first time in 2025 (66,688 tests), better than the 70% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn.
›What are the most common Skoda Yeti problems?
The costliest known faults are Timing chain stretch; DPF / EGR. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Skoda Yeti have a timing belt or chain?
1.2 TSI EA111: chain; 2.0 TDI: belt.
›What is the best year Skoda Yeti to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2010, 2011, 2012 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Skoda Yeti cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.2 / 1.4 TSI 40–46 mpg; 2.0 TDI 48–55 mpg. Insurance groups 10–22. A minor service is about £160–£230 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Skoda Yeti?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Skoda Yeti ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.