They're trying so hard these days to meet our expanding needs in contracting times -- and the buzzword is 'crossover'. They want you to feel your car has enough versatility -- from the attributes of saloon, hatch, estate, people carrier, SUV and God-knows-what -- to be a Jack or Jill of all trades, if not necessarily master of any.

Now Skoda has come up with its own version. The Yeti is not a name one immediately associates with a compact yummy-mummy crossover and may convey unwarranted, if understandable, images of a great white half-beast lumbering mysteriously into the mists of snow and mountain.

However, the eponymous four-wheeled version smacks of quite the opposite. It is upfront and straightforward with not a hint of mystery or uncertainty about it. The only question mark over it is how it will go down with its perceived market, despite its obvious proficiency. The area it attempts to cross over to, if you'll forgive the pun, has been the near-sole preserve of the Nissan Qashqai for some time.

More , Peugeot has dipped a big toe in the water with their 3008, a bright, breezy and bountiful attempt to tweak tastes and attract buyers.

The Yeti?

I initially made the mistake of taking it at face value. It didn't strike me as being as urban chic or sleek as either the Qashqai or 3008. Indeed, its more robust visage suggested an outdoors/family lifestyle sort of motor.

Where the Qashqai is a modern mix of curve and edge, the Yeti is staunchly upright and sturdy. Where the 3008 is svelte and unmistakably continental, the Yeti is get-up-and-go angular.

That sense of compact strength follows you into the cabin, where you get the feeling of something wholesome and chunky, from steering wheel to up-opening tailgate.

As mine was a four-wheel-drive version, I have to emphasise that the heavier feel of the steering should not transmit itself when the front-wheel-drive-only version takes to the road in the next few weeks. There was a wonderful seating position, which I only had to nudge a little to get exactly as I wanted. Yet it took me all of 100kms to settle properly to its particular inclinations.

With the 140bhp diesel engine ticking over quietly and the motor absolutely rock solid on poor bog road conditions, it was easy to see where its strengths laid. It is a smart motor with decent quality fittings and fixtures and an ability to cover ground in a deceptively easy and comfortable manner.

The difficulty is seeing it as the preferred choice of Deirdre from Dalkey or Moira from Monkstown. Yummy mummies (that I know of anyway) tend not to hightail it along the Woodfield Bog road in the pitches of rain and mud, like I did just to test its impressive solidity and pace.

I took it off the tarmac for a right good muddy and boggy plunge and criss-crossed a green, grassy field several times without a hint of wheel slip. It gave the impression of being at ease in the great "outdoors". It is the sort of motor you feel could take a fair bit of a battering from its occupants as well as outside forces.

And that's where a broader band of buyers might step into the picture, because this mixes tough and smart in a different package to the others.

But what was it like in suburbia?

Back we headed through the south city with a full complement on board (in other words, three passengers in the back). Or with less people onboard, if you wish you can fold the middle seat forward and use it as an armrest/cupholder. Or take it out altogether and give yourself more room for two. There are several combinations that appear to be easy and straightforward. If you get a chance do try out the audio system. It was brilliant. Try the start of 'Street Fighting Man' by the Rolling Stones on full volume. We rocked, I can tell you.

You have to look beyond the obvious with it, though. The cabin is comfortable, the driving deceptively easy and access is excellent thanks to the high roof. In other words, it's a different sort of crossover. I'm not sure it will have yummy mummies clamouring out of their Qashqais. But t it did everything asked of it -- and more. And its equipment levels are well worthy of note for a price in the region of €20,000.

How big an imprint this will make will also depend on how its 1.2-litre petrol and lower-powered 2-litre diesel (110bhp, €156 road tax) perform. It is so often the case that two-wheel drive and a less powerful engine can have a major impact on a car's "feel".

Taken on its own merits, it is a punchy amalgamation of "cross" and "over". Unlike the creature after which it is called, I think we'll see a fair bit of the Yeti.

ecunningham@independent.ie

Irish Independent