New Seat Arona SUV 26 | 06 | 2017
THE NEW 2017 Seat Arona SUV is poised to go head-to-head with the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur. The newcomer will go on-sale at Scottish Seat dealers in October, with prices expected to start around £15,000.
The all-new Arona is the latest to join the ever-increasing Seat SUV range, which includes the Ateca and will feature a new seven-seat Skoda Kodiaq rival, which is due next year.
Based on the same MQB AO platform as the new Ibiza supermini, the Arona — which will make its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. — is 4138mm long. That makes it a few millimetres longer than the Nissan and Renault.
Compared to the Ibiza, the Arona is 79mm longer, while its ride height is 15mm higher. Seat also claims there’s 37mm more headroom in the front than in the Ibiza. As for bootspace, the new Seat swallows 400-litres of kit.
Engines? Not surprisingly, they’re all largely adopted from Seat’s supermini line-up, are all turbocharged and have stop/start technology.
From launch, there will be three petrol engines, with a 95bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder, linked to a five-speed manual box, while a 115bhp version is available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG auto.
There’s also a 148bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation, which helps reduce fuel consumption. It’s available only with a six-speed manual gearbox.
For diesel lovers, the Arona gets a 1.6-litre engine with either 95bhp or 115bhp. While the 115bhp model gets a six-speed manual, the lesser-powered unit is paired with a five-speed manual box or a seven-speed DSG.
Seat has yet to confirm specs for the UK range, but it’s expected to mirror the Ibiza line-up, which will mean S, SE, SE Technology, FR and range-topping Xcellence.
As for styling, both externally and inside the cabin, the Arona features aspects from both the Ibiza and Ateca. While the rear lamps and chunky body cladding come from the mid-size SUV, the triangular headlamps and sculpted flanks are lifted from the supermini.
The cabin is almost identical to that of the Ibiza, meaning an eight-inch touchscreen display dominates the middle of the dash. As is de rigueur nowadays, the Arona will also come with wireless phone charging. There’s also cruise control and a reversing camera.
Safety too will feature strongly, with Blind Spot Detection, Multi-Collision braking and and Rear Traffic Alert — which monitors traffic when reversing — all available.
Related: VW reveals all-new 2017 Polo
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Jim McGill