Item: Used Seat Arona 2018-present
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

For less money, have a look at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/vitara/4x4/used-review/n882">Suzuki Vitara</a>. Its overly light steering won't be to everyone's taste, but the boxy shape and elevated driving position make you feel like you're driving an SUV, plus it's a pretty reliable choice that shouldn't let you down. Fuel economy is decent, too.

You'll be able to get more equipment on the equivalent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/stonic/estate/used-review/n18483">Kia Stonic</a>, plus it'll have far more manufacturer's warranty left on it than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/seat">Seat</a>. The engine is more thrummy, though.

The quirky-looking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/used-review/n18075">Hyundai Kona</a>&nbsp;is a close relative of the aforementioned Stonic, with similar performance and handling characteristics. There is, however, one crucial difference: electric lumbar support is standard on the driver's seat from SE spec onwards, making the Kona better for your back over long journeys.

<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? Newsletter here</a>

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/seat/arona?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Seat Arona,</a> or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here</a>.&nbsp;

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3>Handbrake</h3>

The travel in the handbrake might increase due to the adjuster working loose on examples built between 25 May 2017 and 6 November 2018. Find out from your local <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/seat">Seat</a> dealer if yours is affected, because it'll need to have the handbrake adjusted and then have a locking device added to prevent future issues.

<h3>Driver's airbag</h3>

The driver's airbag on Aronas made from 1-17 December 2017 might not inflate fast enough to offer the correct level of protection. Speak to your local Seat dealer for further information;&nbsp;affected cars will need to have the airbag unit replaced with a revised part.

<h3>Seatbelt buckle</h3>

There have been two recalls relating to the rear double seatbelt buckle. The first applies to&nbsp;Aronas manufactured between 1 May 2017 and 26 September 2018 and relates to&nbsp;a design flaw with its rear seatbelts;&nbsp;the weight of the middle passenger shifting to the side during a high-speed emergency lane change could unbuckle the seatbelt of the person sitting next to them.&nbsp;Contact your local Seat dealer to make sure the car you're considering has had a spacer fitted between the two buckles to solve the issue.

The second action applies to a small number of vehicles constructed between 26-27 February 2020 in which&nbsp;the bracket of the seatbelt buckle could have been damaged during manufacture. You can find out from a dealer if yours is affected, and arrange to have the recall work carried out free of charge.

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

Our latest reliability data rates the Arona highly, with a reliability rating of 95.2%. Seat, as a brand, came 17th out of 30 manufacturers, which is respectable. With this in mind, the model in question shouldn't prove too troublesome.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Hatchback

Today, the resurgent Seat brand is selling better cars than at any time in its history.

In large part, that’s because it is one of the brands owned by the VW Group. Underneath, all of the cars it sells are strongly related to similar models sold by Volkswagen itself, or the likes of Skoda and even Audi. If you are buying a Leon, for example, the hardware will be similar to that of the Golf, Octavia and A3.

But while Seat makes the most of this tie-up to offer everything from city, small and family cars, including estates, through to a full range of SUVs, it also adds in its own slice of character, both with its distinctive styling approach and because its engineers generally tune the cars to deliver sportier handling.

While all of its cars are decent, it is the SUVs that stand out. The Arona and Ateca are among the class leaders and have enjoyed triumphs at the What Car? Awards.

SEAT

ARONA

The Arona is one of the best small SUVs thanks to&nbsp;its roomy interior, comfortable ride and perky petrol engines

Used Seat Arona 2018-present

<h3>MPG</h3>

Thanks to a range of efficient engines, you’ll find that the Arona gets similar fuel economy <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/family">to a family hatchback</a>. The 1.6 TDI diesel is the most efficient Arona, with the 94bhp version officially averaging&nbsp;70.6mpg and the 114bhp car dropping slightly to 68.9mpg.

However, the 1.0 TSI three-cylinder and 1.5 TSI turbocharged petrol engines get remarkably similar fuel economy. This is because the 1.5 is equipped with cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts off two of the engine’s four cylinders at a cruise&nbsp;to reduce fuel consumption. It works remarkably well, with the 1.5 getting a combined average of 55.4mpg. The 1.0 TSI is only slightly better; the 94bhp version returns 57.6mpg, while the 114bhp alternative in higher-spec cars (and those with the automatic gearbox) gets 56.4mpg.

<h3>Road tax costs</h3>

All Aronas will have been registered after April 2017, so they will be charged under the current flat rate fee of&nbsp;£155 per&nbsp;year, which applies to all petrol and diesel cars.&nbsp;To find out more about the current <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2021-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax costs, click here</a> for further information.&nbsp;

<h3>Servicing costs</h3>

The Arona requires servicing every 12 months or 10,000 miles, and Seat offers fixed prices for servicing and certain maintenance procedures, helping&nbsp;to save you money on upkeep. At the time of writing, a minor service costs £179&nbsp;and a major one is £299. You can spread the cost of these two services over 18 monthly payments of £26.44, and you'll also get UK and European roadside assistance for the following 12 months after the service, or for the duration of your plan.

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The Arona is one of the best small SUVs thanks to its roomy interior, comfortable ride and perky petrol engines

Prices for the Arona start at around £10,000 for an early 1.0&nbsp;SE&nbsp;version. Opt for automatic and you'll need to shell out closer to £12,000, although you'll be getting a car generally with fewer miles on it and a more powerful engine,&nbsp;helping to explain the increase in price. This is also about how much you'd need to spend in order to find a year-old, 2019 example. Spend between £12,000 to £15,000 on a good 2020 car.&nbsp;

To keep up to date with used <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/seat">Seat</a> prices, use our free valuation tool to make sure you're getting the best deal.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">Check the value of a used Seat Arona with What Car? Valuations</a>

<h3>Engine</h3>

We’ve found that the entry-level 94bhp 1.0 TSI petrol engine is more than up to the job of dealing with stop-start city traffic and the odd motorway run. The 1.5 TSI Evo is fun, but you'll have to spend quite a bit more over a similarly specced 1.0 car to get one. The 1.6 TDI diesel, meanwhile, is too gruff.

Specification

SE trim comes with plenty of standard kit, but we’d suggest going for SE Technology, because it comes with&nbsp;a far superior&nbsp;infotainment system and the added benefit of rear parking sensors.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/seat">Seat</a> Arona: 1.0 TSI 95 SE Technology

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Running costs that won’t break the bank </li> <li>Generous kit</li> <li>Pokey engine and tidy handling</li> <li>Spacious interior</li> <li>Boot big enough to cope with family life</li></ul>

The car-buying public has fallen in love with small SUVs, or crossovers as they’re often called, with thousands turning away from conventional hatchbacks in favour of something that rides that little bit higher.

The original baby SUV is the Nissan Juke, which remains a popular choice, but there are plenty of better rivals to consider instead. We’d recommend you look at either the Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq, because they offer&nbsp;a great blend of practicality and value that keeps them&nbsp;clear of the opposition. Equally, if you’ve got more money to spend, the Audi Q2 and Volkswagen T-Roc&nbsp;are both fine choices.&nbsp;

Small SUV

The Arona is a small SUV aimed at family car buyers, so check the interior for stains on the carpets and seats and watch out for scratched plastic trim.

Also, have a look at the alloy wheels; FR Sport models and above come with bigger alloy wheels that are more susceptible to kerb damage, so make sure that no large chunks of metal have been taken out of any of them.

Used <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/small-suv">small SUVs </a>have been growing in popularity lately, because they offer buyers the convenience of a higher driving position (meaning getting in and out is easier), a more practical boot and reasonable running costs similar to those of small cars.&nbsp;The Arona ticks all of these boxes and even manages to be&nbsp;nicer to drive than rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/stonic/estate/used-review/n18483">Kia Stonic</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/vitara/4x4/used-review/n882">Suzuki Vitara</a>.

Powering the Arona is a range of petrol and diesel engines that vary in power outputs depending upon which specification you go for. The 1.0 TSI petrol kicks off the range with 94bhp or a more powerful&nbsp;114bhp version that comes with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox. There’s also a 1.5 TSI Evo petrol engine with a very healthy 148bhp, plus&nbsp;1.6-litre diesels&nbsp;in&nbsp;94bhp&nbsp;and 114bhp forms.

Air-con, 17in alloy wheels, cruise control, a DAB radio, a 5.0in infotainment system and automatic emergency braking all come as standard on the entry-level SE. A bigger 8.0in infotainment system with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>&nbsp;are fitted to SE Technology Aronas, as well as rear parking sensors and wireless phone charging.&nbsp;FR gets you&nbsp;brighter LED headlights, sportier styling, climate control and automatic wipers. FR Sport models have bigger 18in alloys, while Xcellence has a host of additional safety tech such as blindspot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert. However, you'll need the top-of-the-line Xcellence Lux to find a rear-view camera, which is a shame since even a mid-range <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/kona/hatchback/used-review/n18075">Hyundai Kona</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/stonic/estate/used-review/n18483">Kia Stonic</a> has that.

If you want your small SUV to drive well, you’re in luck. Thanks to the Arona’s compact size and relatively light weight, it can tackle corners with enthusiasm. Its steering is nice and light at town speeds yet weights up progressively around bends. The ride on 17in wheels and standard suspension copes well with the worst road imperfections while still feeling a little bit sporty.

The slight mark against the Arona is road noise, which might have you reaching for the volume control on the motorway so you can still hear your tunes, but stick with the 1.0-litre petrol and you'll enjoy a&nbsp;pleasantly smooth engine that's&nbsp;free from most of the thrummy characteristics normally associated with three-cylinder engines.&nbsp;

As is typical in the small SUV class, hard plastics are the order of the day&nbsp;in the Arona's&nbsp;interior. FR models and above try to smarten things up with a touch of squidgy vinyl across the centre of the dashboard, but the rest of the range is fairly conservative. It is well made, though, and highly functional, with all the controls and switches&nbsp;being well laid out, but it'll never beat the smart surroundings that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q2/estate/used-review/n17573">Audi Q2</a> drivers enjoy.

Those with young families will appreciate the Arona’s big boot, which is bigger than a number of its key rivals'. All models come with a height-adjustable boot floor to assist loading and unloading items. Carrying three in the back will be a squeeze, because the Arona isn’t that wide, but knee room and head room are generous. Up front, even six-footers will have plenty of room, and the steering wheel has plenty of adjustment for most.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/seat/arona?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Seat Arona,</a> or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here</a>.&nbsp;

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Used Seat Arona 2018-present review

Ownership cost

What used Seat Arona hatchback will I get for my budget?

Road tax costs

Servicing costs