Can the range-topping Seat Ateca tempt those in the market for a classy compact SUV. Al Suttie finds out.
1 – The Ateca has rightly drawn praise for its looks, which was underlined by the number of admiring comments out test car garnered.
2 – This is half the battle in the style-conscious compact SUV sector, so job done for the Spaniard, then.
3 – Um, not quite. Our Xcellence trim test car came with optional 19-inch alloy wheels and this caused a problem.
4 – Those rims might look good but, jeez, they don’t half ruin the ride quality and cause the car to rattle over bumps.
5 – We know from driving other Atecas this would be solved by sticking to the standard 18-inchers.
6 – Otherwise, the 2.0-litre TDI 150 engine and six-speeder manual work very well, while 55.4mpg and 129g/km are decent for the class.
7 – We’re fans of the interior space, layout, design and infotainment, which all gel together.
8 – Not so impressive is the abundance of cheap, hard plastic trim that’s much less prevalent in the Seat’s Volkswagen Tiguan cousin.
9 – The keen pricing helps to forgive this and so does the enjoyable way the Ateca drives thanks to poised handling.
10 – With 4Drive sure-footedness, this Ateca will suit those living in further flung areas, but just resist ticking the box for the larger wheels.
