SKODA'S first full-size SUV, the Kodiaq, goes on sale early next year but the Skoda Yeti - the brand's first but smaller SUV - is enjoying a rise in popularity.

Now in its seventh production year, debuting in 2009, the Yeti has been one of the most successful compact SUVs ever.

In the UK, Skoda has seen the Yeti's popularity continue to rise, with nearly 60,000 registrations since its 2010 market introduction and last year it had its best-ever year, with 13,306 being snapped up by UK customers.

Skoda has delivered more than 580,000 Yetis to customers worldwide and due to continued high demand is expanding capacity for production.

Michael Oeljeklaus, Skoda board member for production and logistics, said: "We are delighted to be able to deliver as many Yetis to our customers in Europe as they wish.

"By using the production capacities of another European plant within our international production network, we can respond satisfactorily to the high demand."

The compact SUV is currently produced at five plants - Kvasiny in the Czech Republic and also at Skoda'a factories in Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and China.

In order to meet high demand for the Yeti models in Europe, Skoda is using the additional production capacities at the Russian Nizhniy Novgorod plant.

The Yeti has been produced there since 2012 alongside the Octavia.

Production in Nizhny Novgorod is carried out in partnership with the Volkswagen Group Russia and the Russian automobile manufacturer GAZ Group.

In Europe, the award-winning Yeti is one of the best-selling SUVs in its class which underlines its all-wheel-drive competence.

In 2015 Skoda delivered around 99,500 Yeti models. Between January and August 2016, approximately 61,700 customers worldwide opted for a Yeti, with over 14 per cent of those allocated to UK customers.