Tuning the Skoda Yeti

"One of the best cars we've seen from Skoda YET(i)"

The Yeti, is an innovative leap forward, an off road family car designed to work and run like a car with lots of convenient options and facilities.

Using VAG group engines we have a great line up of engine choices and plenty of aftermarket upgrade options. The petrol versions of the Yeti use FSi turbocharged engines and produce lots of power and still turn in quite good economy figures when driven carefully (not something most of our readers are worried about). 

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As a result all Yeti engines respond well to tuning, especially the TDi engines which gain around 40% power and 14% better economy when remapped.

Our choice is the 4x4 170 TDI but the 140's make good projects and can reach the power figures of the 170 when remapped without the silly DPF filter issues.

Throw in a turbo upgrade and you can virtually double the power of the standard 2.0 engines.

Yeti tuningLets see what the best Yeti tuning modifications would be. The Skoda Yeti are popular cars, try finding a used one and it's not easy as people keep hold of them. Choose the right performance modifications and you can greatly increase your driving enjoyment.

The Yeti has loads of potential as a tuning project and still retains it's drivability.

Handling modifications (suspension and roll bars) are usually your first port of call for the Yeti. We suggest that you fit uprated suspension and lower the car by 20-30mm for better handling but this upsets the off road stance you bought the car for in the first place.

It also depends on the size of alloy wheels that you choose with larger wheels filling the arches nicely. We love really chunky tyres and bull bars making the car look aggressive.

Our aim in Yeti engine tuning is to increase peak power and Torque on the Diesel Yeti's from around 1500rpm and extend the usable power band to around 5500 rpm (4500 rpm for the 1.2) and more for the larger capacity petrol models..

Following our tips for tuning your Yeti you will end up with a practical family car that responds well when pushed hard on the track.

The smaller 1.2 Turbo engines do not provide as much of a return in terms of power from tuning compared to the diesels, but you can still expect to see an extra 30% power. When you start with the 1.8 or the 2.0 TDi the power gains are much larger but still cost the same.

Skoda Yeti modifications.

You really need to keep as much low end power as you can and aim for a wide power band rather than a top end spike. A fast road cam will be one of the best power mods you can do mechanically to the Petrol FSI engine. When pushing up the power you will need to pay attention to the fuelling but the fuelling in the standard car can usually cope with power gains of 20% or more.

For larger power gains you may well need to uprate the injectors and fuel pump, ask in our forums if you are interested or having fuelling issues on your project.

Yeti Intake & Exhaust Upgrades.

The next area for modification a Yeti owner should pay attention to is intake and exhaust tuning. For small Yeti engine sizes go with a washable panel air filter. IF you want an induction roar then fit a full induction kit (cone filter) but you must ensure it has a cold air feed or you could be losing out on some power.

Sports exhausts will certainly help air flow through the engine but do not go too large or you will reduce the flow rate. Stick to 1.5 to 2.5 inches for best results. A sports catalyst will also do much to improve the engines breathing and will free up some top end power. 

Head work including a polish and port and 3 angle valve job will really help to release the potential of the engine allowing more air to enter the cylinder. Your clutch can seriously let you down if it starts to slip and the standard clutches are only ever good for power gains of up to 40%. Fit an uprated clutch to avoid power losses through the transmission.

The VAG group turbo charged engines are just begging to be remapped. You will see big power gains on most turbo engined cars including diesels making a remap one of the most cost effective modifications.

Skoda Yeti Wheel modifications.

Alloy wheels will help the brakes cool down and are usually lighter than the steel ones. Be aware that large Yeti alloys will decrease performance. If you get big alloy wheels you will be changing your final drive ratio, and this will reduce your acceleration. So aim to keep the overall rolling diameter of the wheel the same as supplied from the factory. In all cases we do not recommend going above 19 inches with ultra low profile tyres, the 18's are good for weight and handling but 19's look better.

For more information on Tuning your car please join us in our friendly forum where you can discuss Yeti options in more detail with our Yeti owners. It would also be worth reading our unbiased Skoda tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

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