5 Seat Ateca 2016

Seat has released details of the price and specification of its first SUV – the Ateca.

Prices will range from £17,990 to £29,990 with the choice of two petrol and three diesel engines, six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG-auto gearboxes and the option of four-wheel-drive in conjunction with 2-litre TDI engines.

Order books are set to open on May 3rd, ahead of UK showroom launch on September 9th.

The most frugal engine in the Ateca line-up is the 113bhp 1.6 TDI, which claims 65.7mpg. The 2-litre TDI is available in 148bhp and 187bhp states of tune, meanwhile.

A 113bhp 1-litre, three cylinder TSI engine lines up alongside the 148bhp 1.4-litre EcoTSI to make up the petrol offerings, the latter featuring Active Cylinder Shutdown to save fuel under low power.

Three specifications of Ateca will be available from launch (S, SE and Xcellence) with air conditioning, the Media System Touch five-inch touchscreen, a leather steering wheel and gearknob, plus split-folding and reclining rear seats among the standard fayre on the S.

Exterior styling highlights include 16-inch Design alloy wheels and LED daytime running lights.

In SE trim – expected to be the biggest-seller – the Ateca adds dual-zone climate control, cruise control, electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors and rear parking sensors.

Full Link – Seat’s connectivity solution for smartphones and tablets – together with the eight-inch touchscreen Media System Plus, with voice control and Bluetooth audio streaming are among the SE specification’s technology features.

Externally, the mid- level SE trim gets 17-inch Dynamic alloy wheels, LED taillights and black roof rails.

Xcellence specification ushers in Seat’s new Connectivity Hub – which features a wireless phone charger which also boosts in-car phone signal – multi-colour interior ambient lighting, an exterior light which projects and Ateca silhouette onto the ground from the bottom of the door mirrors and Seat Drive Profile with Driving Experience selector.

Automatic lights and wipers, an auto-dimming rear view mirror keyless entry and starting, satnav, DAB digital radio and black leather upholstery, rear view camera and heated front seats also also part of the Xcellence specification.

Full LED headlights, 18-inch ‘Performance’ alloy wheels, chrome roof rails and window surrounds and chrome double exhaust pipes complete the exterior styling cues.

The Ateca also features a raft of safety systems, with City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Protection among the available kit.

And among the noteworthy options is a foot-activated electric tailgate ( £415), a 360-degree camera (£470) and Lane Assist, which costs £470 as part of a Driving Assistance Pack which also features High Beam Assist Blind Spot Detection.

A self-parking Park Assist system, meanwhile, is available for £325.