Skoda Yeti will help Scout

The company last week confirmed the Yeti off-roader will hit local showrooms early next year. The much-needed compact off-roader will be available in both front and all-wheel drive with a range of petrol and turbo-diesel engines.

Skoda Australia boss, Matthew Wiesner, says the wagon, which shares its hardware with the Volkswagen Tiguan, will be a critical part of the local operation's lineup and help drive more sales. "It will attract a younger audience to the brand," he says.

"There's no doubt the compact off-roader segment is on fire and the Yeti will give us an opportunity to get into that."

Wiesner also believes it will help shed more light on the Czech carmaker's other off-roader, the Octavia Scout. From October the Scout gets a dual clutch transmission to supplement the current six-speed manual. "I think it will be a nice little surprise package," Wiesner says. He expects that by adding a DSG Scout sales will lift considerably.

The Subaru Outback rival currently gets by with a six-speed manual gearbox but with most off-roader sales automatics it has struggled against its opposition. Wiesner expects between 80 and 90 per cent of Scout buyers to tick the DSG option.

The arrival of the Yeti and Scout DSG will also coincide with a lift in Skoda servicing centres across the country.

At present there are 22 dealers nationally but the company is adding more specific service and after-sales centres in regional and rural areas to give the brand a solid national coverage. Apart from the Yeti, Skoda will add an entry 90kW TSI Octavia to the lineup in a few months.

Skoda Australia is forecasting a lift in sales of up to 40 per cent this year, on the back of the arrival of the Superb wagon, Octavia update and addition of a DSG on the Scout. The company has sold 340 vehicles so far this year with the main seller being the Octavia. Despite its low base sales are up 27 per cent this year.