Do you remember the Škoda Felica? Well those of you that are of a similar vintage to me, will indeed remember the Felica, but what was even more rare was the pickup, which was Škoda’s last commercial vehicle available to the public in Ireland. Since then I think its safe to say that Škoda has essentially reinvented itself under the watchful eye of the parent VW Group and achieved staggering results with over 6.5% market share in 2014. Already in January 2015 alone Škoda has registered 1,635 units and are adding more staff to their current 229 headcount across the 26 retailers dotted around the country. This is a brand going places and as the country gets back on its feet commercial vehicles are once again in demand. To address this Škoda opted to transform the rugged Yeti into a light commercial and named it the Yeti Sherpa. Powered by a choice of 2.0-litre TDI engines in 110bhp two and four-wheel drive or a 2.0-litre 140bhp DSG, Škoda feel they have the right machine for you. Pricing starts at just €17,911 plus VAT which is impressive, but for just €1,300 extra you get all-wheel-drive security meaning you can go pretty much anywhere! Škoda Ireland makes no bones about it they are aiming the Sherpa at Farmers and Vets, which they feel the size and towing capacity of 2.2 tones will suit perfectly.
At the Sherpa launch late last year Škoda introduced three trim levels; Active, Ambition and Outdoor with the basic Active versions featuring 16-inch Dolomite alloy wheels, climatic air conditioning, front fog lamps, black roof rails and a Swing Radio system with MP3 Playback and a CD. Up from this was the Ambition model featuring silver roof rails, chrome inner door handles, 17-inch Scudo alloy wheels, LED rear lights, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth phone kit, a multifunctional leather steering wheel, leather handbrake handle and gear knob. A further €1,100 gets you the Outdoor with a Bolero touch-screen sound system, 17-inch Erebus alloy wheels, Cruise Control, Sunset windows and front and rear parking sensors. Since then the Elegance model has also joined the range and that’s the model we have been testing priced at €21,184 plus VAT. The Elegance has all of the aforementioned along with the addition of leather seats, corner function front fog lights and dual climate control. It’s a nice place to be and it doesn’t feel van like at all. In fact with the tinted side windows it’s hard to even spot the fact that it’s a commercial on the road. The 110bhp engine is as per all VW Group TDI engines, is joyous in the fact that it pulls seamlessly through the 6-speed box and sips just 5.9-litres per 100 kilometers, although when loaded expect that to drop.
Recently we found ourselves making use of the 1,760 litres of space as we loaded up to attend the Irish Motorbike & Scooter Show in the RDS with our sister publication Bike Buyers Guide. The Yeti Sherpa swallowed up hundreds of goodie bags with ease along with merchandise and signage. In our opinion the Sherpa makes sense. As long as you are using the Sherpa for business purposes, some level of VAT discount can be obtained for those who are registered of course. If you are not registered and want to use the Sherpa for private use you will be subject to Benefit In Kind but thankfully no mileage limitation. The BIK tax requirement is calculated at 5% of the open market selling price, which will still work out, far cheaper than a company car. The Annual Motor Tax is just €333 so there are many advantages to having the new Sherpa on your fleet. We certainly recommend it!
