Skoda's Yeti concept tests the water for a future model

There is a lot of PR tosh accompanying Skoda's Yeti concept at the Geneva Motor Show. Our favourite bit describes the rugged styling: "The Yeti's body looks good even when it is dirty or slightly dented. The beauty of the functional design is not marred by the marks of use - they were taken into account and naturally become part of the design." Quite...

Marketing drivel aside, the Yeti is actually quite a cool concept car, and though it appears to be a more production ready version of Skoda's Roomster concept, Skoda insists that this show car is purely a design study to assess whether the market would support an SUV with front-wheel drive only. Drivetrain aside, the Yeti's designers have come up with some neat touches.

The aim of the Yeti is not to itself drive off-road, but to transport passengers to such places in which they could trek, climb or bike. The tailgate in particular has been designed with the function of carrying extra equipment (though the show car's tailgate only carried lightweight female models). Split in two, the lower half further splits to allow a load bearing support for two bicycles or a purpose-made aluminium storage box. Muddy feet won't worry the Yeti's owner either as there are no carpets, replaced instead by washable plastic trays. The luggage compartment is just as practical, with large rubber belts provided to tie the cargo down. The act of driving has also been thought out, so if you get frostbite you should still be able to drive yourself to the hospital thanks to large buttons and levers.

We really did like the Yeti concept, as it aims to give the market a more socially acceptable SUV. It would be constructed in the same way as a regular hatchback, and should be just as fuel efficient, yet it maintains the chunky looks and high ground clearance buyers seem to crave at the moment. All you need to do now is convince Skoda to make it.