Used SEAT Ateca Review (2016 - Present) MK5
Independent review by Peter Hayward from Driving Force
4-minute read
Overview
- Diesel and Petrol engines to choose from
- Excellent agility through corners
- Engaging to drive
- Slightly unsettled
- Not the best acceleration
- Tall sided
What's the SEAT Ateca like?
The SEAT Ateca is an excellent choice of family SUV that includes most of the best features you can have in a car. It's stylish, the driving experience is excellent, and has plenty of room in the front and back seats for the whole family.
Its practicality can be seen inside with the several safety and entertainment features that will make your everyday journey a lot easier.
Engines
The Ateca was a two-wheel drive 1.6-litre TDI diesel from the lower end of the range, but it had proved itself very capable over that 230-mile trip.
Of course, it's also available with more powerful diesels and petrols and with four-wheel drive. The 1.6-litre TDI boasts just 115bhp, but that’s enough for a zero to 60mph time of 11.1 seconds, with economy of 62mpg.
I have to say that it felt quicker than that when I drove it and never seemed to lack urge when needed
Above that are two 2.0-litre TDIs. A 150bhp unit comes with four-wheel drive and brings the sprint down to 8.7 seconds while managing a best of 55mpg, and the top 190bhp models come with both four-wheel drive and the superb VW Group DSG automatic gearbox. They are good for 53mpg and go from 0 to 60mph in 7.4 seconds.
Petrol power starts with a 1.0-litre TSI turbo that has 115bhp and sprints to 60 in 10.6 seconds while managing a very good 62mpg.
Then comes a 1.5-litre EcoTSI with 150bhp that goes from 0 to 60mph in 8.2 seconds and can do 52mpg, and finally there’s a 2.0-litre TSI with 190bhp, four-wheel drive and the auto gearbox. It’s the fastest of the lot, getting to 60 in under seven seconds and yet is still capable of 40mpg.
The automatic gearbox is available with most of the engines, as well as being standard on the top two models.
Driving Experience
The Ateca is one of the sharpest of the new breed of SUVs, with excellent agility through the corners, great steering and very good passenger space inside reasonable dimensions.
The six speed manual gearbox is easy to use, the steering beautifully weighted, and the handling and roadholding excellent despite it being rather tall sided.
Peter Hayward
It’s comfortable over most surfaces, only slightly unsettled now and again. As usual, when fitted with large alloys and low profile tyres, the ride is affected and smaller wheels and larger tyres would probably make it more comfortable without affecting the excellent level of grip.
The SEAT automatic electric parking brake deserves a mention because it’s so helpful. It comes on automatically as soon as you stop, and disengages automatically as you pull away again – a marvellous piece of kit.
Equipment and Practicality
Overall, the Ateca is easy and engaging to drive, and the interior has a lovely ambiance, with a beautiful, very clear dash and binnacle, and excellent seats.
Mid-range SE Tech specification has very good equipment, including excellent sat nav, electric auto folding mirrors, DAB radio with USB and aux, alarm, easy fold rear seats, traction control, cruise, remote audio controls, parking sensors and climate.
You may also be interested in...
Find your SEAT Ateca your way with CarStore
The SEAT Ateca is an outstanding vehicle that came to rock the SUV market. Excellent engine power, great interior navigation and outstanding comfort are some of the words that best describe this car.
Here at CarStore, you're able to buy your car your way. Whether that be online, in-person, or a mix of both, the choice is yours. With an extensive variety of used cars available, we're sure to have a car that suits your lifestyle.
