Independent Reviews of SEAT New and Used Cars

With this Mii, SEAT at last had a class-leading citycar: the brand waited long enough for one. True, it’s a model that may not be uniquely Spanish, but then, nothing SEAT makes ever is. What matters is that it ticks all the important citycar boxes. As do, you could argue, the Volkswagen and ŠKODA versions of this same design. Which means your choice could come down to the value proposition on offer. Ultimately, it’ll come down to personal preference of course: your Mii always should reflect your personality. And you’ll find this one ready to do just that.

The Ateca was SEAT’s very first Crossover. This updated version continues to look a strong proposition. Jonathan Crouch checks out what’s on offer.

Privately, SEAT were frustrated by the Volkswagen Group’s tardiness in developing many products for the compact Crossover segment. But Wolfsburg’s Spanish outpost must also be grateful to its German masters for the thoroughness with which they corrected this oversight. This provided a standard of technology and design that enabled SEAT to create in this Ateca one of the very finest cars of its kind. It set a fresh standard for the way that contenders in the Qashqai-class could drive, at a stroke making most rivals seem dull and lifeless in their dynamics. More perhaps than any other model SEAT made in this period, this one actually delivered on its brand promises of a more interesting and involving drive. Plus it helped enormously that this car was also well priced, good looking and, for the most part, pretty well equipped. In short, there’s plenty to like here. It may have had a bit of a siesta before joining the class, but this SEAT proved to be more than worth the wait.

The Arona, says SEAT, is designed for ‘drivers looking for a sense of excitement, distinction and functionality. People who know that age is just a number, not an outlook on life.’ In other words, the people who’ve been busily buying Nissan Jukes and Renault Capturs in considerable numbers over the last five years. The Spanish maker wants in on this lucrative market and the improved version of this little Crossover looks to have everything necessary to entitle them to a useful slice of sales in this segment. The potential for personalisation will be key to this car’s prospects, as will the efficiency made possible by its efficient engines and light, stiff MQB-A0 chassis. It took some time for the Iberian maker to bring us a Crossover of this kind but over 350,000 global sales since this model’s original 2017 launch have shown that quite a market exists for it. This crossover’s got plenty of life left in it yet.

This improved version of the fifth generation SEAT Ibiza supermini offers small car buyers a smarter set of more media-savvy talents. It’ll need them if it’s to distance itself from its Volkswagen and ŠKODA design stablemates and continue as a credible alternative in this tightly fought segment. There aren’t many exterior changes to this revised version of the MK5 model, but you might spot the now-standard full-LED headlights and the revised alloy wheel designs.It’s still a five-door-only design with short front and rear overhangs and at the front of the car, triangular full-LED headlights dominate. Inside, the update changes are a little easier to spot, with a new floating central infotainment system with bigger screen sizes - either 8.25 or 9.2-inches, depending on spec. Top variants now get a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit instrument binnacle screen too. The car’s MQB A0 platform allows for a longer-than-average wheelbase, which translates into decent rear seat space and a decently-sized 355-litre boot. SEAT has had a good look at the engine range. It’s nearly all petrol-powered, things kicking off with the old 80PS 1.0 MPI unit at the foot of the range. Try your hardest to ignore this aging unit and graduate instead to the far-preferrable (and more economic) 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder turbo powerplant which produces either 95 or 110PS.