The Skoda Yeti carried me through some very tricky terrain in the wilds of Bhutan last year, so I have a certain attachment to this funny-looking SUV which has gained a cult – if niche – following.

So I’m as surprised as many that Skoda has decided to abandon the Yeti name and instead call its compact SUV, the Karoq. More on that later.

The Yeti has been a quiet success for Skoda – since launching in 2009, its sales continued to grow each year until 2016. It might not be on the scale of the ubiquitous Nissan Qashqai, but it’s held its own in a fast-expanding segment.

It’s always been a bit of a Marmite car stylistically. Refreshing that it isn’t generic like every other rival, but not appealing enough to be bought by the masses.

But what’s charming about the Yeti is how quietly capable it is, with genuine off-road ability when necessary. In a Yeti convoy in Bhutan, there was not a single drama on the most rickety roads I’m yet to encounter.

And on a recent Thames-side stroll, I saw a Yeti confidently reversing over an urban beach to drop off a small boat in the water, having towed it from somewhere or the other.