No joke as Skoda win What Car? award

The transformation of Skoda from the joke firm of yesteryear to What Car? award winners for 2010 should surprise no-one, writes motoring editor Pete Carroll.

The Czech manufacturer has comprehensively revitalised its range over the past decade since becoming part of the Volkswagen Audi Group.

Its "bread and butter" cars, the Fabia and Octavia, are competitive in their fields with the Octavia managing to pip the Golf for the best small family car title.

The estate version of the Octavia was voted a better load-lugger than either the Mondeo or Volvo V70 by What Car? readers.

Jeremy Clarkson confessed to being a huge fan of the new Yeti 4x4 when Top Gear Live called in a Birmingham at the weekend.

And it's now clear that he's not the only one.

• Read Peter Carroll's review of the Skoda Fabia vRS