The Škoda Yeti drove off with the top award in the 2010 Auto Express New Car Awards, being named ‘Car of the Year’ by the top-selling weekly automotive magazine and website.

Yeti was not alone in being honoured, however, as Škoda scooped a record-breaking five awards at the event, held Tuesday evening, 3 August.  Joining Yeti in the winners’ circle were the Škoda Superb hatch, named ‘Best Family Car’, and its sister model, the Superb Estate, named ‘Best Estate Car’.  Yeti was also awarded ‘Best Crossover’ on its way to the top award.

But that wasn’t all for the brand. As the top manufacturer in the Auto Express Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, Škoda was awarded the prestigious ‘Driver Power Award’.

Praising the Škoda Yeti on the award, Auto Express Editor David Johns said: “The winner of our Car of the Year prize has to be the unanimous choice of our judging panel, and is picked from our line-up of class champions. This year, the award goes to a car that blends the looks of an off-roader with the versatility of a compact MPV, but doesn’t demand the dynamic or financial compromises usually associated with either. The Škoda Yeti mixes tough Tonka toy looks, sharp handling and a high-quality and spacious cabin with the brand’s famed value-for-money pricing and customer service… In a year that has seen the arrival of some truly special new cars, the Škoda is a worthy winner of our overall crown.”

Škoda UK Director Robert Hazelwood commented on the awards: “This is a fantastic honour!  We’re delighted that Auto Express thinks as highly of the Yeti as we do.  It’s a fantastic car and is selling well ahead of even our optimistic forecasts.  It provides, as Auto Express said, stylish looks and great value with a huge helping of fun.
“The awards for Škoda Superb Hatch and Estate, and the Driver Power award are also fantastic. Driver Power is especially rewarding, as it recognises the work that our retailers do to provide outstanding customer service to Škoda owners across the UK. Škoda is having a great year, with record sales and the largest order bank in our history.  We believe the reasons for that are simple and are reflected in what Auto Express recognised with these awards – great products built with excellent engineering and a retailer network that takes outstanding care of our customers. It is still a tough market, though, and I’d like to thank Auto Express for the work they’re doing to keep the industry in the minds of consumers across the UK.”

Source: Škoda UK