SEAT will be oping to build upon what has been a strong 2020 for the brand in Ireland with the renewed and refreshed Ateca and Tarraco SUVs. SEAT, although it has seen its sales fall along with the rest of the new car market in absolute terms, has done better than many rivals this year, seeing its market share actually grow to 3.9 per cent, and has been receiving many plaudits for the new Leon range.
New styling for the Ateca
To sit alongside the Leon, we now have an updated Ateca SUV. The design changes on the outside are subtle, but we'd say rather effective - there's a new, more upright, grille and equally new, slimmer, LED headlights. At the rear, the bumper and lights have been tidied up, and there's a new script-style Ateca logo at the base of the bootlid.
Inside, the emphasis is on improving overall quality, rather than dramatically changing the looks. There's a new 9.2-inch infotainment screen, with the latest software, and wireless connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, new chrome details, and some new seat trims. There's also a new 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, and a host of online connectivity options, including voice recognition, and access to online services such as parking info.
Optional safety tech includes predictive adaptive cruise control, 'Pre-Crash Assist', 'Travel Assist' and 'Side Assist'.
There's a new trim, called Xperience, which adds 'a dash of off-road character' to the Ateca. It includes black front and rear bumpers, side and wheelarches, with side mouldings and front and rear mouldings finished in aluminium look.
The basic engine in the Ateca is a 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder turbo petrol (don't laugh, it's surprisingly peppy) with 110hp. The next engine up is the 1.5 TSI turbo petrol four-cylinder with 150hp (priced from €33,035), and then there are pair of 2.0-litre diesels with either 115hp (from €33,415) or 150hp (from €34,690). A DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox is optionally available.
Milestone in the brand's evolution
Niall Phillips, Brand Director at SEAT Ireland commented: "We are delighted to bring the new SEAT Ateca to our customers in Ireland. The new Ateca has been redesigned for an improved, more robust feel - the same great model brought up to date with needs of today's driver. We want to provide our customers with everything they need for a more convenient drive and so the Ateca has become fully connected for the driver, integrating in-car connectivity with SEAT Connect. The new Ateca marks another milestone for our brand's evolution, particularly for our SUV range and we're so happy to be able to present our customers with a variety of high-quality cars across our SUV range. As our retailers fully re-open for business we're delighted to offer customers 0 per cent PCP across the entire Ateca range from only €259 per month and a discounted three-year service plan for just €9.99 per month."
As far as the Tarraco is concerned, the exterior styling changes are even lighter, really just tidying up around the edges. There's a new sporty FR trim which includes the new 9.2-inch infotainment screen, as well as a butch exterior bodykit, and some rather gorgeous new high-backed bucket seats up front.
Diesel still core for the Tarraco
Prices for the new Tarraco start from €38,260 for the standard model and €45,605 for the FR version. As SEAT puts it, 'diesel remains core to the Tarraco' so the range kicks off with the 2.0-litre 150hp TDI, and there's an optional new 200hp TDI version too (which comes as standard with four-wheel drive and a DSG automatic). If you fancy petrol, there is the option of the 1.5 TSI 150hp turbo engine. If you're feeling guilty about buying a diesel, SEAT can help assuage that guilt, a little, by pointing out that the core 150hp 2.0 TDI has seen its CO2 emissions fall by 23 per cent compared with the previous version, and has 22 per cent better fuel economy. Those CO2 emissions start from 143g/km for the 2.0-litre 150hp TDI under the WLTP test.
Later in the year, SEAT will start selling the new Tarraco e-Hybrid, which promises 49km electric-only range and CO2 emissions starting from 37g/km, but if you want the plugged version, you'll have to do without the optional seven-seat layout that has become a hallmark of the Tarraco.
That half-electric Tarraco will be part of a bit of an electric revolution at SEAT, with plug-in hybrid versions of the Leon and Leon SportsTourer estate arriving soon, plus PHEV versions of the sporting Cupra Leon and Formentor models, not to mention SEAT's first all-electric car, the El Born hatchback which arrives later in 2021. (Oh, and don't forget the folding electric e-Kick scooter, and the eScooter 25 electric moped).
Speaking about the Tarraco, Niall Phillips, commented: "We are very excited to welcome the New SEAT Tarraco FR to Ireland. The Tarraco was the first seven-seater SUV we launched to the market back in 2019 and has been a great success for us and was awarded Ireland's Large SUV of the Year 2020. The new Tarraco FR brings a level of sportiness in its design and its focus is on an improved digital experience. The launch of the Tarraco FR marks another innovative moment in the overall evolution of SEAT. It's great to be able to offer our customers even more variety of high-quality vehicles and very attractive offers with, as with the Ateca, 0 per cent PCP across the entire Tarraco range and a three-year service plan for only €9.99 per month".