2022 Seat Arona long-term test: report 2
When it first went on sale, the Seat Arona was the best small SUV around, but it's been surpassed by other cars. Has a recent facelift put it back on top? We're living with one to find out...
The car 2022 Seat Arona 1.0 TSI 110 FR Sport DSG Run by Kiall Garrett, senior videographer
Why it’s here Can the sporty version of Seat's small SUV be spacious and efficient enough for What Car?'s videographer?
Needs to Practical, comfortable on long journeys and exciting to drive
Mileage 663 Price £20,040 Target price £19,394 Price as tested £25,580 Official economy 46.3mpg Test economy 41.8mpg
6 April – Small on the outside...
The Seat Arona and I haven't been acquainted for long, but I’ve already been able to give its practicality a thorough test, because my role as a What Car? videographer requires me to pack some pretty hefty kit.
So, do all my tripods and cases fit in the boot? Well, no, they don’t, but don't think that means the Arona is horribly impractical; the amount of stuff that I haul around is not typical of a small SUV buyer.
Beside, dropping the 60/40 split-folding rear seats (easily done by pulling levers next to the head restraints) opens up a new world of practical possibilities
Yes, it means that giving a lift to more than one person is off the cards, but it also means all my gear can fit in with little fuss.
The boot floor is height adjustable, too, although I tend to keep it in its lowest setting to maximise the space on offer and to stop things from rolling out when I open the tailgate after a long journey.
It’s not just me that’s impressed by how much the Arona can lug around, either. I recently helped a friend move house and, accepting that it isn’t a van, we were both surprised by how few trips we needed.
True, when it’s packed to the rafters, the performance does seem to take a bit of a hit. But then you wouldn’t expect Usain Bolt to win Olympic gold with 50kg of video equipment strapped to his back.
I, am, though, glad that I didn’t go for the less powerful 1.0 TSI 95 model.
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