SEAT has never had an SUV. Hard to believe, I know – what with being the stylish, sleek,
Spanish affiliate to the VW Group. Well, it’s never had an SUV… until now...
enter the new Ateca, an SUV that aims to finally give SEAT a fighting chance against the popular
Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, and MQB-platform sharing Volkswagen Tiguan.
And I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say this may just be the biggest and most important
car SEAT has ever launched. And it’s Ah-tek-ah, not Ah-tic-ah, or Ah-tikka. Trust me – I checked.
Much like other VW Group products, the interior of the Ateca can feel quite different depending
on what trim you go for. So, we have the mid-range SE which does feel quite smart, but it’s
in a different league compared to the flagship XCELLENCE model. You also get quite a few scratchy
plastics dotted around, although even the top of the range Tiguan model, this is still the case.
The SE trim still gets you Bluetooth, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, rear parking sensors
and an eight-inch colour touchscreen system. Though if you want sat-nav you will have to climb up to the
First Edition trim– or pay the optional extra price of £525.
Although the SE model may not have that uber up-market VW Group feel, it still feels solid, well screwed
together and ergonomically sound and – yeah, if you're used to the VW layout – then
you will like this. Most people do like this layout. It also has that road-domineering SUV feel and you
actually feel like you're sat on it, rather than in it. Which is great.
Now although it’s very curvaceous from the outside, there's still loads of space back here,
I mean, there's tonnes of leg room, and plenty of head room. Certainly enough for six footers, so I’m told
by a friend of mine... And there's even a convenient arm rest with two cup holders and if you live in Scotland
there's some space for you ski's as well.
That will cost you a few hundred quid. Now,
with a wide opening, up to 510 litres with the seats up and 1,604 litres with the seats down, the
Ateca's boot is much bigger than the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, although it is slightly smaller than
the VW Tiguan. You also get a bit of a loading lip here, and a bit of a hump when you
fold the seats down. But still, over 1,600 litres is pretty impressive.
Speaking to Steve Mirfin, project manager for the Ateca, he told me how the engineers
got its rivals side by side and compared them, in an attempt to come up with a formula for the Ateca to
stand out. And the first thing you will notice
is the slightly firm ride set-up. But, not to worry, it’s not an uncomfortable firmness,
it doesn’t shake or clatter over bumps. Instead it offers enhanced stability when
cornering, as it helps mitigate body roll. And this alone means it is more enjoyable
to drive than a lot of its rivals. This combines with its sharp, well-weighted
steering, which from SE models upwards, come with SEAT Drive Profile, allowing for a range
of different driving modes like Eco and Sport, each one altering throttle response and the
weight of the steering. And the one I want to highlight here is Sport – which on twisty
roads at speed is great. I mean, you get some variable driving modes that are just, well,
naff - this one isn't. There are a few different petrols and diesels
to choose from, but we’ve got a 148bhp 1.4-litre EcoTSI, which is a VW Group favourite. And
yeah this is pretty much as can be expected, punchy when you need it – getting from 0-62 in
8.5 seconds, yet it features frugal cylinder-deactivation technology, allowing for CO2 of just 122g/km
and on average you should be able to get between 40-50mpg. So yeah, it’s great, good all round really.
Especially when combined with this snappy six-speed manual gearbox.
And Like I mentioned earlier, you do get that proper, high-up SUV feel, and you get great insulation
from wind and road noise plus that big piece of glass near the C-pillar helps get rid of
some blind spots on the motorway.
But if you’re after Volkswagen feel, then
why not just go for a VW? Well, there’s 4,500 very good reasons for that. Yep,
the entry-level Ateca is £4,500 cheaper than the VW Tiguan – and it’s actually cheaper than
a Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage as well. You will have to be careful with the options
list though, otherwise that good value for money can fly out the window a bit.
So SEAT have pretty much smashed it with its first ever SUV. It emulates that luxury VW Group
appeal, it looks great, it’s competitively priced, it’s very practical and it is actually
enjoyable to drive. It’s the new class-leader in terms of all-round appeal as far as I’m
concerned – although it will be interesting to see how it tackles the Skoda KODIAQ once
that’s released. But what do you think of the SEAT Ateca? Let
us know in the comments section below, and don’t forget to subscribe you our YouTube channel.