Jeep Renegade vs Skoda Yeti

The Renegade isn't due here until October so details like price and specification have yet to be set. Australia is unlikely to take the base head unit, which has just a radio display and so does without a reversing camera. In Limited guise, expect a 6.5-inch touchscreen, rain-sensing wipers, leather-trimmed seats and heated front seats.

The Yeti line-up plays to Skoda's strengths of reasonable features for relatively little money. Prices go from $23,490 for the front-wheel-drive Active to $28,290 for the Ambition model with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto to $33,590 for the top of the range diesel AWD Outdoor. Standard equipment for all includes rear-view camera, infotainment touchscreen and cruise control. Capped price servicing for the first six years has an average annual cost of $495.

Sold with a 1.4-litre turbo engine or naturally aspirated 2.4-litre. The turbo is the pick for enthusiasts, while the 2.4 does the job with less fuss. Both have yet to be officially rated for fuel use but did about 8.0L/100km during the international launch last month. The nine-speed auto shifts early and often and you won't see much of eighth and ninth gear in normal driving. Australia is not (yet) taking a diesel engine.

AWD, underbody cladding and a willing 2.0-litre turbo diesel give the top-spec Yeti credible off-road credentials. Fuel consumption is a stated 6.7L/100km and the six-speed dual-clutch auto's ratios suit the engine's torque spread. There's the typical hesitation on takeoff, then efficient and early shifts up and down the cogs.

Outdoor adventure was used to inspire the interior, from the coloured metal bezels around the vents and speakers to "Easter egg" Jeep motifs in the cabin. Vision and interior room are good and the latest Uconnect infotainment system is a step up on the norm in this class. Externally the Renegade is being pitched as a Wrangler homage, with round headlamps, square, seven-slot grille and removable MySky roof panels.

A two-box design is squared away with angular styling and is good but the 321L cargo area is roughly 10 per cent shy of the Jeep's. Rear headroom is good, shoulder room less so. The Varioflex rear seating slides and tilts the tree pews individually and they can be removed if more space is needed.

The Renegade cedes an airbag to the Skoda but is still has five stars and Jeep says it has the highest percentage of high-tensile steel of any vehicle in its line-up. It can also be optioned with the likes of autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot and lane departure alerts and more.

Seven airbags and a five-star rating put the Yeti near the top of the small SUV pack. But the Yeti was tested in 2011 and the safety criteria have been toughened since. VW Group technology underpins the construction, so the body should stand up to a hit.

Firm suspension keeps it from rolling through corners. The frequency selective dampers quell secondary jostling and make the Jeep a comfortable place to play. AWD and 200mm of wheel articulation make it an impressive off-roader. Driving position is relaxed and electric steering feels solid under the palms.

It won't ascend the Himalayas but the Yeti is more than capable of scrabbling up a slope. Ride height is the limiting factor, so snow, sand or mud are the obvious playgrounds and the Skoda will acquit itself well on all surfaces. On the bitumen it is just as competent, if not particularly rewarding to drive. Grip is rarely an issue and the light steering is perfect for city duties. Vision is good and the reversing camera is clear in most light conditions.