Seat Arona long-term test review

The Seat Arona is our reigning Small SUV of the Year. We’ve added one to our long-term test fleet to see if it’s as impressive when you live with it every day...

Seat Arona long-term test review
  • The car Seat Arona 1.0 TSI 95 SE Technology
  • Run by Kris Culmer, sub-editor
  • Why it’s here To validate its position as head of the burgeoning small SUV class
  • Needs to Prove practical enough for a family, display the pleasant driving characteristics of its relatives and be economical to run

Price £17,545 Price as tested £17,545 Miles 10,500 Official economy 57.6mpg Test economy 46.2mpg Options fitted None


28 June 2018 – safety recall

Last week, a chap from Seat came to collect my Arona in order to perform remedial work as part of a safety recall.

It was recently discovered that if you make an emergency lane change in the Arona with three people sitting in the back, the middle passenger falling sideways can unbuckle the person to their left.

The recall is simple: a redesigned rear buckle fixture is fitted. The work only takes a couple of hours and isn’t a visual difference (that I can see, at least).

 

Seat Arona long-term test review

If you own an Arona – or a new Seat Ibiza or Volkswagen Polo – your dealership should be in contact about this soon. And it should be a painless experience, given that Seat’s network recorded a good 85.5% rating in our latest dealer satisfaction survey.

And, remember, you can always check online whether your car has any outstanding recalls – they’re more common than you might expect – here.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Next: more on our long-term Seat Arona >

Also consider