OPINION

BY all accounts, we’re now less than a month away from the reveal of Skoda’s new crossover – so it’s remarkable to hear a senior source admitting that the name is still under discussion.

On the face of it, sticking with Yeti is a no-brainer; it’s a well known badge in lots of Skoda’s biggest markets, and one with solid equity in the UK.

On the other hand, that name is less of an asset in China – a region that’s set to play an ever-increasing role in the brand’s bold growth plans.

If the name does change, this could also be a reflection of the fact that Skoda’s smaller SUV is about to grow up, with far more conservative styling than the funky creation that made the Yeti name.

So Skoda may be considering the switch not just for global marketing reasons, but also because the car itself isn’t quite the direct successor to the existing Yeti that thousands of customers will be expecting.

“Yeti name is less of an asset in China, which is set to play a big role in Skoda’s growth plans”

Our images show how replacement for Yeti could look, but it’s not yet clear what it will be called