Mileage: 6,502
Economy: 45.7mpg
Crossovers are core family cars. UK motorists buy them in their droves, and at Auto Express we’ve tracked the amazing growth in this market right from the start to the point where, in our opinion, the SEAT Ateca is now the best example of the breed on sale today.
It picked up the Best Crossover crown at the Auto Express New Car Awards back in July, which meant we simply had to have one on our fleet to experience what it was like to live with over a longer period.
I took delivery of the car from Motorvogue Bedford, which is a multi-franchise dealer sporting SEAT’s latest corporate look. Helpful sales executive Jamie Rowe talked us through the car’s infotainment system, explaining the benefits of SEAT’s upgraded £525 eight-inch multimedia package with sat-nav and Full Link smartphone connectivity.
I must admit, I’m not a big infotainment buff, but even I’ve been finding the system useful, as it’s easy to pair your phone up. Travelling the country to snap pictures for Auto Express, I’m always plumbing new destinations into the nav, and I’m pleased to report that doing so is a simple task in the SEAT. I’ll be exploring the car’s Android Auto capability more in the future as well.
It was going to take something special to follow up the brilliant Renault Kadjar I was running before, but since I’ve swapped the keys, I’ve warmed to the Ateca’s charms.
For a start, it’s much more car-like to drive than the Kadjar. SEAT is known for its sportier approach and this is definitely reflected in the Ateca.
Despite its lofty ride height, it still handles with more precision than some family hatchbacks. It feels very positive on the road, with pointy steering and great body control – but as my wife and children have noted, this does hamper ride comfort a bit. It’s far from knobbly or jittery, but the firmer set-up is noticeable following the Renault.
• SEAT Ateca vs Renault Kadjar
However, the good body control means you can make the most of the engine – and it feels strong compared with the Kadjar. The 113bhp 1.6-litre TDI diesel pulls well, but sounds coarse when you rev it. Still, with 250Nm of torque it’s not always necessary if you want to whisk the family along in more refinement.
While the £575 Samoa Orange metallic paint finish might not be to everyone’s taste, I really do like the Ateca’s sharp lines. You could criticise it for looking a little like a jacked-up Leon, but when SEAT’s family hatch is as attractive as it is, there’s no shame in the Ateca borrowing some design cues.
There are some neat touches, too, like the puddle lights in the wing mirrors that project a silhouette of the car on to the ground below. They’re teamed with £820 full LED headlights on our car. These cast a cool white glow far into the distance at night, and are a big help now the days are short and I’ve been driving in darkness a lot.
However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the SEAT since I picked it up. It’s already had to be returned to the dealer to have its tailgate looked at; the bootlid wouldn’t latch properly when swinging it shut.
Aftersales manager Robert Coleman told me that the lock didn’t have much lubrication on it, so a dose of grease has improved the issue – although the £765 optional electric tailgate that opens with a swish of your leg would be preferable.
Still, once it’s open, the 510-litre boot is a great shape and very practical, swallowing all of my photography gear with ease.
*Insurance quote (below) provided by AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old living in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.
- Model: SEAT Ateca SE 1.6 TDI Ecomotive
- On fleet since: November 2016
- Price new: £21,900
- Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 113bhp
- CO2/tax: 113g/km/£30
- Options: Metallic paint (£575), sat-nav (£525), Winter Pack (£320), Advanced Driving Assistance Pack (£790), Full LED headlights (£820), Park Assist (£325), privacy glass (£180), 17-inch alloys (£340), configurable ambient lighting (£150), heated windscreen (£325)
- Insurance*: Group: 10/Quote: £519
- Mileage: 6,502
- Economy: 45.7mpg
- Any problems?: Sticky boot latch