SEAT Ateca review - good value SUV that's fun to drive

Verdict - is the SEAT Ateca a good car?

The success of the SEAT Ateca is in part down to how much it shares with the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Karoq (SEAT is part of the VW Group) but it has enough of its own character to be an accomplished rival to the Nissan Qashqai in its own right. The Ateca sits between the Tiguan and the Karoq on pricing, and depending on what angle you look at it from, is the more stylish one, too. SEAT has also given it the sportiest handling of the trio, and it’s often available at knock-down prices thanks to attractive leasing and PCP finance deals.

SEAT Ateca models, specs and alternatives

The SEAT Ateca was the Spanish brand’s first SUV and it’s made a huge impact in the mid-sized SUV segment, which has exploded in popularity in recent years. A facelift towards the end of 2020 redesigned the Ateca's nose to line it up more closely with the latest SEAT Leon and Tarraco. It now has slimmer headlights and a hexagonal grille, while its tail features different LED lights and 'Ateca' lettering. Some rivals such as the Peugeot 3008 and Hyundai Tucson are arguably even more striking, though.

The cheapest Ateca is the 108bhp 1.0-litre petrol in basic SE trim. This costs less than many of the model’s rivals, but the even better news is that this competitiveness extends throughout the model range. For example, at the other extreme, a 1.5-litre TSI with DSG at nearly £36,000 costs a shade more than a Skoda Karoq Sportline with the same engine and gearbox, but both are significantly cheaper than the equivalent Tiguan.

As a member of VW Group, SEAT has been able to choose from some familiar but excellent engines to power the Ateca. Petrols kick off with the 109bhp 1.0-litre TSI Ecomotive. It’s very efficient, but if you want more power there’s a larger 148bhp 1.5-litre ‘TSI Evo’ although the even more powerful 187bhp 2.0-litre TSI has recently been dropped.

SEAT used to offer two diesel versions of the Ateca that are still worth considering if you can find nearly new examples on dealer forecourts. They were offered in two outputs – 113bhp and 148bhp 2.0-litre TDIs – while a few years back a 187bhp version was also offered. Stick with two-wheel drive and a manual gearbox, and the Ateca promises to return up to 58mpg, but even the cheaper petrol versions of the Ateca will return 45mpg or more, at least officially.

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The more powerful of the diesel pair was the only model available with SEAT’s 4Drive all-wheel-drive set-up, offering a little more traction in poor conditions or in light off-roading. It was available right the way through the range from SE to Xperience Lux trim, so if you need the car’s extra abilities you won’t be forced into a higher trim level than you need. It’s no ball of fire in performance terms, but still entertaining to drive – and if you really do need more performance, there’s always the 296bhp Cupra Ateca from SEAT’s performance-focused spin-off brand.

Every Ateca offers the versatility you'd expect of an SUV and arguably goes further than most rivals in having more than enough space for four adults and, behind them, a large, 510-litre boot. That’s bigger than you’ll find in a Renault Kadjar and a Ford Kuga. However, the addition of four-wheel drive reduces boot space to 485 litres.

Fans of the latest technology should be happy with the Ateca’s connectivity, which includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink, allowing you to access many of your apps on the central infotainment screen and via the steering-wheel-mounted controls. The Ateca is also loaded with safety kit and scored the full five stars in Euro NCAP crash-testing, with a mightily impressive 93% for adult occupant protection.