This fun car with an attractive price tag hosts a wide range of standard equipment and technology for a smaller car with all the big features of a larger vehicle.

Interior

Modern technology for your modern life. The new SEAT Arona keeps you connected so you can have what you want, when you want it. Wherever you are.

​Interior design equipped with a brand new soft dashboard and new leather multifunctional steering wheel. Its interiors ensure that comfort is maintained regardless of the road surface- whether country roads, residential streets or long, smooth motorway. There’s no fighting for headroom and space in this car. Even those that are over six-feet tall won’t have your hair brushing the roof lining, with the seats going far enough back for longer-legged passengers. It is also wide enough for broad-shouldered people to sit together comfortably.

seat arona with roof bars on

Exterior

​​In our eyes at least, the Arona is a very handsome car. There’s a considerable amount of design influence from the larger Ateca, but it translates to the smaller car well. A new design of front grille, front bumper and fog lamps. Complimented by Eco LED headlights, you’ll be sure to turn heads. Redesigned front and rear bumpers with integrated exhaust pipes combined with Eco LED headlights and new Performance 18” alloy wheels to complete the look.


Technology & Performance

Top of your game? Get the tech to match. Whether it’s the Connectivity hub with wireless charger​, floating 9.2″ touchscreen with Navi System, Keyless System or Full Link, the SEAT Arona keeps you connected and in control.The SEAT Arona’s got your back. ACC with Front Assist. Six Airbags. Blind Spot detection. Rear Traffic Alert. Tiredness Recognition System.

​Whether you are looking for performance or economy, there is a SEAT Arona engine option for you.​ There are currently three options on offer​ 1.0 TSI 95PS, 1.0 TSI 110PS with the FR Sport including a 1.5 TSI 150PS.

Grey CUPRA Ateca parked inside a building
seats and dashboard in seat arona
seat arona air vents
interior of the seat arona
SEAT Arona front alloy
Grey SEAT Arona parked with wheel turned
close up of Seat Arona infotainment system showing three screen split

What trim levels are on the SEAT Arona?

SE

  • 17" Dynamic machined alloy wheels
  • Metallic paint
  • Full Link smartphone integration
  • 8.25" Colour touchscreen media display

SE Technology

  • 9" Colour touchscreen navigation
  • Navigation system with 3D map display and voice control
  • Wireless phone charger
  • Rear Parking sensors

SE Edition

  • 17" ‘Dynamic Machined’ alloy wheels
  • ECO LED headlights
  • Satellite navigation with 9.25” display
  • Wireless phone charger

FR

  • 17" Dynamic alloy wheels
  • Dark tinted rear windows
  • Full LED headlights
  • Front sports seats

FR Edition

  • Microsuede seats
  • Keyless entry
  • 18” ‘Performance’ machined alloy wheels in black and grey
  • Metallic paint

FR Sport

  • 18" Performance Cosmo Grey matt alloy wheels
  • Digital Cockpit
  • Microsuede Upholstery
  • Heated front seats

XPERIENCE

  • 17" Dynamic alloy wheels
  • Full LED headlights
  • Adaptive Cruise Control
  • Keyless start & keyless entry

XPERIENCE Lux

  • 18" Performance Nuclear Grey alloy wheels
  • Digital cockpit
  • Microsuede Upholstery
  • Park Assist

SEAT Arona Test Drive Review

First Drive: The Seat Arona is here to shake up the compact SUV segment

What is it?

What is it?In what began as a steady stream, the new Seat Arona joins a veritable tidal wave of new compact crossovers set to flood the market. Using the platform from the current-generation Ibiza, the Arona offers that all-important high seating position but in a more compact package, ideal for those who don’t fancy larger SUVs like the Volkswagen Tiguan or Seat’s own Ateca. A wide range of engines is available, along with a sizeable choice of trim levels – all giving plenty of customisation options.What’s new?It’s a mixture of the familiar and not-so familiar with the Arona. The exterior looks much like that of the larger Ateca, while the interior will be instantly recognisable to anyone who has driven a current-generation Seat product. That’s not to say it’s bad – all the main switches operate with a good amount of solidity and, save for a few scratchier plastics, it’s a nice place to be. Engine choices start with a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol in three different power outputs, rising to a 1.6-litre diesel – again, with a trio of power choices. There’s also the option of a five-speed, six-speed or dual-clutch automatic gearbox. ~1 min read steady stream, the new Seat Arona joins a veritable tidal wave of new compact crossovers set to flood the market. Using the platform from the current-generation Ibiza, the Arona offers that all-important high seating position but in a more compact package, ideal for those who don’t fancy larger SUVs like the Volkswagen Tiguan or Seat’s own Ateca. A wide range of engines is available, along with a sizeable choice of trim levels – all giving plenty of customisation options.

What’s new?

It’s a mixture of the familiar and not-so familiar with the Arona. The exterior looks much like that of the larger Ateca, while the interior will be instantly recognisable to anyone who has driven a current-generation Seat product. That’s not to say it’s bad – all the main switches operate with a good amount of solidity and, save for a few scratchier plastics, it’s a nice place to be. Engine choices start with a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol in three different power outputs, rising to a 1.6-litre diesel – again, with a trio of power choices. There’s also the option of a five-speed, six-speed or dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

What’s under the bonnet?

With a variety of engines to choose from, there should be a powertrain for everyone with the Arona. That range starts with a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol with either 94bhp or 114bhp, sending power to the front wheels via a five-speed, six-speed or dual-clutch automatic – though the auto box is only available with the more powerful engine. There’s also a more powerful 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol with 148bhp, as well as one 1.6-litre diesel pushing out either 94 or 114bhp. The smaller petrols are more than up to the challenge of powering the little Arona along, though of course if you’re planning on undertaking more motorway miles then we’d opt for the diesel.

It’s worth mentioning, however, that the 1.5-litre engine is only available in FR-spec cars.

What’s it like to drive?

Seat had a lot of success instilling a level of sporty handling into the Ateca, and it would appear that it has cracked it once again with the Arona. The steering has a surprising amount of weight to it, and when combined with the car’s low weight and eagerness to grip, is quite a lot of fun to drive, particularly on twisty roads like those on our Spanish test route. There’s not all that much body roll, and yet it manages to remain soft and supple over inconsistencies in the road surface. On the motorway, it feels composed and stable – far more so than you’d expect in a car of this size. Wind and tyre noise are kept impressively low, and it all gives the impression of a far larger car than it truly is.

We tested all three engines in various outputs. The most popular is likely to be the 1.0-litre, as it provides the best combination of power and economy. Acceleration is hardly what you’d call brisk, with the sprint to 60mph taking around 11.4 seconds – but there’s more than enough grunt for nipping in and out of traffic. Seat also claims that the 1.0-litre will return 57.6mpg on a combined cycle and emit just 111g/km CO2 – ideal for those looking to keep fuel costs down.

Grey and orange SEAT Arona driving down the road
interior of arona
side view of seat arona drive on a road
Grey SEAT Arona parked exterior rear parked

How does it look?

In our eyes at least, the Arona is a very handsome car. There’s a considerable amount of design influence from the larger Ateca, but it translates to the smaller car well. Sporty FR trim cars benefit from a sportier look, while Xcellence models feature a glitzy chrome grille – a good way of differentiating the trim level from the rest of the range.Inside, it’s quite spec-dependent. Lower models still get an impressive five-inch colour touchscreen, but the cabin is brought down by a large slab of hard plastic on the dashboard section in front of the passenger.

This is replaced by leather-effect material on higher-spec models, and this really does improve the overall feel of the cabin.There is a huge number of customisation options available with the Arona, with nine exterior body colours alongside three roof colour choices to pick from. We’d opt for one of the brighter colours – ‘Eclipse Orange’ is a particular highlight, and really helps the car stand out.

Inside, it’s quite spec-dependent. Lower models still get an impressive five-inch colour touchscreen, but the cabin is brought down by a large slab of hard plastic on the dashboard section in front of the passenger. This is replaced by leather-effect material on higher-spec models, and this really does improve the overall feel of the cabin. There is a huge number of customisation options available with the Arona, with nine exterior body colours alongside three roof colour choices to pick from. We’d opt for one of the brighter colours – ‘Eclipse Orange’ is a particular highlight, and really helps the car stand out.

What’s it like inside?

Given the compact chassis upon which it is based, it’s quite remarkable how much space is on offer in the Arona. Those sat in the front are well catered for in terms of head and shoulder room, while those in the rear are equally looked after. Even with our seat set in place for a 5”11 driver, there was more than enough room for a similarly sized passenger to sit behind.

There’s also 400 litres of boot space to play with, and this can be increased to 823 litres by lowering the rear seats. The space itself is square and, although there is quite a high load lip, is easy to access. A variety of different storage options are dotted through the cabin, which will no doubt please family buyers looking to keep their cabins clutter-free.

What’s the spec like?

Buyers have plenty of options in terms of spec choices – there are six to pick from.

The range starts with SE, and this brings with it 17-inch alloy wheels, a five-inch colour touchscreen and air conditioning – SE Tech adds to this with a full media package, including satellite navigation and rear parking sensors. From there, FR trim contributes a sporty look and feel to the Arona, with large 17-inch alloy wheels and a sports bodykit giving added presence on the road. FR Sport then brings 18-inch alloy wheels and chassis control.

Lastly, Xcellence and Xcellence Lux get the bumper crop of options, with additions including a chrome front grill, rear view parking and machined alloy wheels. Prices start at £16,555 for an SE model car with a 1.0-litre engine – an impressively low price given the amount of equipment on offer as standard.

Verdict

There’s no doubt that the compact SUV market is booming – just this month we’ll see a new release in the segment from nearly every manufacturer. However, Seat has provided a serious offering with the Arona. It’s well styled, good to drive and competitively priced. In short, it’s well worth considering and can more than handle any competition it has coming its way from the likes of Volkswagen and Hyundai.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

  • Model: Seat Arona Xcellence 1.0-litre
  • Price: £21,040
  • Engine: 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol
  • Power (bhp): 94
  • Torque (Nm): 175
  • Max speed (mph): 107
  • 0-60mph: 11.4s
  • MPG: 57.6
  • Emissions (g/km): 111

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