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Arona SE

FROM £18,605

  • 17" Dynamic’ alloy wheels
  • Contrast roof colour
  • LED daytime running lights
  • Front Assist

 

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SE

Arona SE Technology

FROM £19,715

  • Equipment in addition to SE
  • 17’’ ‘Dynamic’ alloy wheels
  • Satellite navigation
  • Wireless phone charger
  • Rear parking sensor

 

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SE Technology

Arona SE Technology Lux

FROM £20,335

SE Technology Lux 

  • Beats sound system
  • Winter pack
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Kessy (keyless entry and go)

 

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SE Technology Lux

Arona FR

FROM £22,075

  • Equipment in addition to SE Technology
  • 17’’ ‘Dynamic’ alloy wheels
  • Satellite navigation
  • Full link
  • Full LED headlights
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FR

Arona FR Sport

FROM £23,405

  • Equipment in addition to FR
  • 18’’ ‘Performance’ alloy wheels
  • Satellite navigation
  • Digital cockpit
  • Microsuede upholstery

 

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FR Sport

Arona Xcellence

FROM £22,575

  • Equipment in addition to SE Technology
  • 17’’ ‘Dynamic’ machined alloy wheels
  • Blind spot detection
  • KESSY (Keyless entry & go)
  • Rear cross traffic alert

 

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Xcellence

Arona Xcellence Lux

FROM £24,235

  • Equipment in addition to XCELLENCE
  • 18’’ ‘performance’ alloy wheels
  • Digital cockpit
  • Rear view camera
  • Park assist

 

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Xcellence Lux

From £18,605

or from £313 per month

New SEAT Arona

Say hello to the new SEAT Arona; the city crossover built for the bold. An advanced, high-performance engine: Agile. Powerful. Sharp. This is how you take on the world. Are you ready?

Personal Contract Purchase

Arona FR Red Edition 1.0 TSI 110PS

  • With 0% APR Finance**
  • Two services for £199^

This is a representative finance example for a new SEAT Arona FR Red Edition 1.0 TSI 110PS based on a PCP 0% over a 36 month finance period and an annual mileage of 10,000 miles.

Duration 36 months
Mileage 10,000
Retail cash price  £22,500
47 monthly payments of  £313.20
Customer deposit £2,250.00
Acceptance fee £0.00
Optional final payment £9,288.00
Option to purchase fee
(Payable at the end of your agreement)		 £0.00
Total amount payable £22,500.00
Total amount of credit £20,250.00
Representative APR 0.0% APR
Rate of interest 0.00% fixed
Excess mileage  3p per mile

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*At the end of the Solutions Personal Contract Plan (PCP) agreement there are three options: i) pay the optional final payment and own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle: subject to excess mileage and fair wear and tear, charges may apply; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle. With Solutions Personal Contract Plan. 18s+. Subject to availability and status. T&Cs apply. Offer available when ordered by 30 September 2021 from participating Retailers. Exclusions may apply. Indemnities may be required. Subject to changes in vehicle or equipment prices. Not available in conjunction with any other finance offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at time of publication 07/2021. Freepost SEAT Financial Services. ^Excess mileage excludes VAT at the current rate.

Personal Contract Hire

Model Type Arona 1.0 TSI 110PS with Metallic Paint
Cash Price £22,035
Initial Rental £1,110
Monthly Rental* £199
Excess Mileage 3.6p per mile

* No ownership option Based on Arona FR 1.0 TSI 110PS on a 48 month, 10,000 mile per annum Contract Hire agreement. Excess mileage at 3.6p per mile and damage charges may apply. 18s+. Subject to status and availability. T&Cs apply. Ordered by 30 June 2021 from participating Retailers. Indemnities may be required. Subject to changes in vehicle or equipment prices. Not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at 04/2021. Freepost SEAT Financial Services. Please note that some images may not reflect UK specification and some derivatives may not be available to order.

Contract Hire Agreement

Model Arona SE Technology 1.0 TSI DSG-auto 110PS
OTR £21,000
Initial Rental (plus VAT) £1,014
Monthly Rental* (plus VAT) £169
Excess Mileage (plus VAT) 3p per mile

 

* No ownership option. Business users only. Based on an Arona on a 36 month, 10,000 mile per annum Contract Hire agreement including Metallic Paint. Excess mileage and damage charges may apply. All Prices Exclude VAT. VAT payable at 20%. 18s+. Subject to status and availability. T&Cs apply. Ordered by 30 June 2021 from participating Retailers. Indemnities may be required. Subject to changes in vehicle or equipment prices. Not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Accurate at 04/2021. Freepost SEAT Financial Services.

Nil Advance Payment

Nil Advance Payment

  • Front Assist
  • Digital Cockpit
  • Adaptive Cruise Control
  • Chrome roof rails
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Available paragraph headlines for vehicle: 0 - By Line 1 - Ten Second Review 2 - Background 3 - Driving Experience 4 - Design and Build 5 - Market and Model 6 - Cost of Ownership 7 - Summary Available photo URLs for vehicle: 0 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219(2).jpg 1 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219(3).jpg 2 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219(4).jpg 3 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219(5).jpg 4 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219(6).jpg 5 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219.jpg 6 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219Int(2).jpg 7 - https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/new/large/SeatArona10TSI0219Int.jpg Available scores for vehicle: 0 - category 1 - categoryshort 2 - subcategory 3 - id 4 - isdefault 5 - performance 6 - handling 7 - comfort 8 - space 9 - styling 10 - build 11 - value 12 - equipment 13 - economy 14 - depreciation 15 - insurance 16 - total Every volume brand seems to have its own idea of what a small supermini-based SUV should be. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at SEAT's offering, the Arona, in its popular 1.0 TSI petrol guise.

Every volume brand seems to have its own idea of what a small supermini-based SUV should be. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at SEAT's offering, the Arona, in its popular 1.0 TSI petrol guise.

Arona
Arona
Arona
Arona
Arona
Arona
Arona
Arona
performance
60%
handling
80%
comfort
70%
space
80%
styling
70%
build
70%
value
70%
equipment
80%
economy
70%
depreciation
60%
insurance
70%

By Line

Every volume brand seems to have its own idea of what a small supermini-based SUV should be. Jonathan Crouch takes a look at SEAT's offering, the Arona, in its popular 1.0 TSI petrol guise.

Ten Second Review

SEAT's Arona is a small SUV with an important role to play in the Spanish maker's model line-up. Sophisticated underpinnings make possible a more spacious cabin and a more engaging driving experience than most rivals can offer and across the range, this car has a sense of style that its fashionable clientele should like. Here, we test the volume 1.0-litre TSI petrol version.

Background

As you would expect, the Arona is based on the Barcelona brand's Ibiza supermini, which means that it also shares that car's sophisticated MQB A0 platform - making it the first 'B'-segment Volkswagen Group SUV to get it. That's important because it leaves the Arona lighter than many of its rivals, so potentially more efficient. If this chassis can also play its part in delivering the kind of engaging handling that's endeared the larger Ateca to so many buyers, then this car really will be well set. We'll see. For now, we'll merely tell you that in the arguably more important areas that potential buyers in this segment tend to prioritise - practicality, media connectivity and scope for personalisation - the Arona makes a strong case for itself on paper, especially in this 1.0 TSI guise. But what will the reality of buying and owning one be like? That's what we're here to find out.

Driving Experience

With its only slightly larger Ateca SUV, SEAT has already shown it can produce a compact Crossover with class-leading standards of ride and handling and if you come to this car in search of a slightly smaller Crossover of that kind, you'll find that the Arona continues that strong showing. If you happen to be familiar with rivals in the small SUV segment, you may well notice that the steering here is more direct, the corner turn-in's more precise and that body roll is rather better controlled. Credit for much of this can be given to the stiff, sophisticated MQB A0 platform this model shares with the fifth generation Ibiza supermini it's based upon. That's not to say that it feels in any way really sporty: no car in this segment is. SEAT's preference has been to set the Arona up for the low speed, traffic-jinking needs of the urban jungle and sure enough, it feels right at home in that environment, with its great all-round sight lines and tight turning circle. As for engines, well most will choose the likeable 1.0 TSI turbo petrol variant we tried. As usual, two variants of it are available, most folk likely to stick with the 95PS version which, if you're quick through slick ratios of the 5-speed gearbox, makes 62mph from rest in 11.2s on the way to 107mph. The alternative option is the 115PS unit we tested, which improves those figures to 9.8s and 113mph, gives you a 6-speed manual gearbox and comes with the option of 7-speed DSG auto transmission.

Design and Build

The Arona, says SEAT, 'transcends age barriers'. Not sure about that. The truth is that it's very obviously targeted at the younger folk driving sales in this segment, though there's also enough boxy practicality here to interest more adventurous small families too. These people will see at a glance that the Arona is a more versatile proposition than the Ibiza supermini it's based upon, 79mm longer and 99mm taller than that car. From the side, what would otherwise be a square rather unremarkable profile is enlivened by these two almost arbitrary upper coachwork slashes just below the glass line. And plenty of crossover trinketry - most obviously the contrast-coloured roof. While other makers in this sector have merely dabbled with this concept, SEAT has whole-heatedly embraced it, standardising this feature for those that want it and offering customers orange, black or grey colour options. And inside? Well if you like the funky attitude of the exterior, you might be a little disappointed to find that little of it has been carried over to the cabin, which is virtually identical to the rather conservative interior you get in an Ibiza - though you do sit a little higher. What's not up for debate is the quality of what's provided here, something nicely complemented by the classy glass-fronted 8-inch infotainment screen that most models get. As well as the usual Bluetooth and DAB tuner, this incorporates 3D navigation, voice recognition and SEAT's 'Full Link' smartphone-mirroring system. There's also a decently-sized 400-litre boot.

Market and Model

Arona pricing starts from around £16,000 and runs to just under £25,000 and there are three core trim levels - 'SE', 'FR' and 'XCELLENCE', with variants in each case. We'll get into detail on that in a minute. The engine choice on offer is pretty much the same as you get in an Ibiza and as usual in this segment, is primarily geared towards petrol power. The green pump-fuelled options are mainly 1.0-litre three cylinder units and most buyers will want the 1.0-litre turbo TSI powerplant we tried, offered with either 95 or 115PS, with the faster version gaining a 6-speed manual gearbox. That perkier 1.0-litre TSI derivative is the only variant in the range that can be ordered with an automatic gearbox, a 7-speed DSG transmission that costs an extra £1,300. The other Arona engines on offer will be rarely seen, but both have plenty to be said for them. For petrol people, there's a 1.5-litre TSI EVO unit that has plenty of power - 150PS - and impressive frugality too, thanks to clever cylinder deactivation technology. If efficiency really is a priority though, you'll want the 1.6-litre TDI diesel, offered with either 95 or 115PS. You've really got to be covering a much higher annual mileage than is typical for cars of this kind though, if you're to justify the TDI powerplant's price premium of more than £2,000 over the equivalent 1.0-litre TSI petrol variant.

Cost of Ownership

Of course, like all Crossover SUVs, the Arona is heavier than the conventional hatch it's based upon: in the case of the base 1.0-litre TSI variant, the weight gain over a directly comparable version of the Ibiza supermini is 43kgs. You'd think this wouldn't be enough to drain that frugal little car's fuel and CO2 showing too much and, sure enough, the impact is fairly minimal, the downside over an Ibiza being about 2mpg and 5g/km of CO2. You could cope with that couldn't you? To be specific, both 1.0 TSI Arona models can return up to 57.6mpg on the combined cycle. As for emissions, well the 95PS version delivers 111g/km of CO2 and you'll do no worse than 114g/km in the pokier 115PS variant. Opting for the 1.0 TSI 115PS model with DSG auto transmission has virtually no impact on these figures. Overall, it's difficult to do much better than that in this class. As for the reasons behind this showing, well they're not solely down to questions of weight. There's a lot of very clever engineering on offer here. Take the 1.0-litre TSI engine's particularly efficient variable camshaft adjustment and its optimised thermal management, which significantly reduces emissions in the warm-up phase.

Summary

Overall, the scorecard here is pretty complete. If you like your Crossover cues, you'll find that they're virtually all standard here, rather than being limited to pricier models or being restricted to the options list, as is the case with most rivals. The ride and handling combination is pretty much as good as you're going to get from a car of this kind. And the price premium over an Ibiza is, at least to some extent, justified by the extra versatility and equipment on offer. And in summary? Well we love the fact that the buying public has rejected the collective wisdom of most so-called motoring 'experts' and bought into cars like this one in their droves. People power has produced this kind of product. And if you've been a part of that, we reckon you'll like this end result.

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