With thanks to Western motors Seat Drogheda we recently enjoyed a fun filled weekend road trip along the Wild Atlantic way in the amazing Seat Ateca.
Seat may not be well known for their SUV’s , mainly due to being late to the SUV party, but with the Ateca they have come out with a cracker.
Along some of its V.W. group cousins, the Seat Ateca has plenty of good foundations in its DNA. Built on the very same underpinnings as the V.W. Tiguan which means it shares most of that car’s important features.
However this car is a Seat and the Ateca is far from just a Tiguan with a different badge, its full of the flair and fun that we have come to expect from Seat. The general gist, though, is that it stays true to the Seat brand’s ethos of being a bit sportier than many of its key rivals.
The Ateca has been around for a few years, now, its had a facelift through its life and now sports more muscular styling than the original. The engines were also improved, it gained some new tech along with some interior updates and added more equipment.
The Seat Ateca’s entry-level 108bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine (badged 1.0 TSI 110) delivers good performance for short trips about town. For motorway driving, staying up with faster traffic requires some use of your right foot and plenty of revs – especially with a loaded-up car – its 0-62mph is a fairly leisurely 11.4sec.
The 148bhp 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine (1.5 TSI EVO 150) might be a better fit for motorway drivers, This builds power smoothly and progressively, allowing you to make swifter progress over any type of road and 0-62mph takes 9.3sec. It also has more low-end grunt than most of its rivals. If you want even more power, the 2.0 TSI 190 petrol, which comes as standard with four-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, it can achieve 0-62mph in just 7.1sec. There’s also the performance-focused 300bhp Cupra Ateca.
If you are thinking about diesel power. There are a couple of options: the 113bhp 2.0 TDI 115 is flexible and great for both motorway and about town, but if you need some extra grunt the 148bhp 2.0 TDI 150 might be all the power you will ever need, It’ll tow a caravan with relative ease, and it’s also available with four-wheel drive and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox
SUVs don’t handle as well as hatchbacks, so the Ateca’s never going to have the handling of a Seat Leon, however the Ateca proved itself to be a lot of fun to drive on the tight winding roads in Western Donegal. We certainly put it to the test along the coastal roads past Kilcar, out along the Sliabh Liag cliffs, and through the stunning scenery and rugged coastal roads of Glencolumbkille, we thoroughly enjoyed its performance. It’s certainly well ahead of most direct rivals.
The suspension is firm enough to make sure you don’t get too much body lean when cornering, helping the Ateca’s agility. Meanwhile, there’s ample grip and the steering is precise with great feedback, making it easy to place the nose just where you want it. The steering’s well-weighted, with a drive-mode profile selector that means you can alter its weight on demand.
Put simply, if you like driving and want to buy a family SUV in this price bracket, the Ateca should be at the top of your list.
Gearbox options are a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic. The manual is a delight to use with a smooth action, while the automatic option slips easily through its gears. Whichever engine you choose, road and wind noise are very well contained.
Its ample boot has more than enough space for a weekend away, it will hold 8 carry on cases so we had enough room for our luggage and all the video/photography equipment we needed for a weekend shooting in Donegal.
The interior is very roomy, lots of head room with plenty of clearance for a 6ft 3 videographer and leg room is ample for all occupants front and rear.
Thanks to its relatively high-set driver’s seat, the Ateca gives you a great view down the road and its windscreen pillars aren’t so thick so pulling out of junctions is done with ease.
All models come with front and rear sensors to help with parking, while Xperience models also have a rear-view camera. The range-topping Xcellence Lux even has a bird’s eye view camera, which makes it easier to see how close you are to obstacles and kerbs. .
Full LED headlights and tail lights are standard-fit, as are LED front fog lamps. FR models have rear indicators that scroll in the direction you’re turning.
