Fun in the New Forest with the Seat Ateca
Aidan Rennie-Jones has been to see what the Ateca can do in treacherous conditions. How did it do? Let him explain
From the outset the weather for our journey was miserable, bleak skies and spits of rain told us a downpour was imminent, and naturally we were right. However, we had the perfect vehicle for dealing with the weather – our long-term Seat Ateca test car.
Although I’ve driven this car several times, this is the first time I’ve spent several days with it and the first thing that strikes you is that it’s rather good-looking, especially with the LED headlamps with built-in LED daytime running lights. These give it a distinctive face and generally make the car look sharper and more expensive than it actually is.
At the back it’s the same story – a well-styled boot lid for example means the tinted glass extends across the entire upper part of the boot and gives the impression that it is all one piece rather than two large metal pillars on either side. This also improves rear visibility.
A couple of friends and I decided to go for a hike in the New Forest one Saturday. As I arrived to pick them up they both seemed very impressed with the Ateca’s styling and commented that it looked rather ‘sporty’ – clearly they have a lot to learn about cars.
We started the day by having lunch at a pub overlooking the sea down in Gosport. As we ate my friend jokingly pressed the boot release button on the keyfob and to my amazement, despite the fact a building was in the way, the boot actually opened, meaning I had to walk all the way into the car park and close it. That’s some impressive range.
Back on the road and this time the journey was much longer, giving my friends time to explain to me how comfortable they felt the car was, and I definitely agree. There’s a lot of adjustability in the leather seats, although it would be nice to have fully electric ones in the front. Lumbar support is also missing, something that should definitely be standard in my opinion.
Inside it’s business as usual for a Volkswagen Group car – lots of nice soft touch plastics mixed with a solid build quality.
The steering wheel is a very nice object with lovely soft leather and very easy to use buttons alongside a stalk for the superb radar-guided cruise control system.
However, although the quality and comfort are strong, the cabin is just a bit dull. If it wasn’t for the panoramic roof fitted to our car, the interior would be even gloomier. And despite most materials feeling of a good quality, there are various plastics that certainly don’t belong in a car that costs over £20,000. Even less so if, like our car, you’ve spent more than £30,000.
The major gripe with this car, however, is the DAB radio. It’s completely useless, constantly losing signal to even Radio 1 and local radio stations. On our long journey down for some hiking around the New Forest this was infuriating to say the least. You’re listening to your favourite 90s dance anthem and then suddenly it loses signal and you are left in utter silence for 20-minute durations. Then it comes back briefly and goes away again.
Another issue is the stop/start system that very alarmingly turns the engine off and locks the steering while you’re still coming to a halt. This is very disconcerting when it first happens and a few times I decided to turn the system off – especially in traffic jams where it became annoying and fairly alarming for my friends seeing as the weather had become torrential.
On the road and the Ateca does redeem itself. It might not be the most engaging car to drive, and it certainly isn’t exciting, but it feels very refined and handles excellently for an SUV. The seven-speed automatic gearbox is mostly seamless, although doesn’t engage quickly from a roundabout or junction.
Take the Ateca on the motorway though and this is where it shines. It’s a superb cruiser and feels very relaxing. You ride fairly high and have a commanding view of the road ahead. Stick it in sport mode on the small dial that allows you to change the setup of the chassis and you can really feel the difference. The steering weights up slightly and the gear changes become rapid, with higher RPMs being held on to for longer.
Mile after mile of country roads going through Brockenhurst, Lymington and up towards Beaulieu and the rain had no intention of stopping so our idea of hiking quickly went out the window. Instead we went on a scenic drive, something the Seat proudly took in its stride.
One thing that impressed me a lot, however, was just how capable the car felt going through torrential rain on the motorway and country roads in the New Forest. It didn’t wallow around and didn’t judder or skip through large areas of standing water either, instead it seemed to glide along, giving you full confidence.
In short, the ateca feels sure-footed on the road but is a little lacking in excitement, with no real communication to let the driver take any real pleasure from the driving experience. It’s not a bad car, however, as it feels solidly build, impeccably reliable and above all is a stonking good family cruiser that is practical, very refined and is excellent value for money, especially when compared to the Volkswagen Tiguan or Audi Q3.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH: Very capable in the pouring rain going from Gosport through the New Forest and back down into Southampton
MODEL: Seat Ateca Xcellence
PRICE: £32,720
ENGINE: 2.0-litre diesel
POWER: 187bhp
TORQUE: 400Nm
MAX SPEED: 132mph
0-60MPH: 7.3 seconds
MPG (COMBINED): 53.3mpg
EMISSIONS: 135g/km
MILEAGE (TO DATE): 9,514
