Item: Used Seat Tarraco 2018-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The Tarraco’s most obvious rival is probably the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/peugeot/5008/estate/used-review/n962">Peugeot 5008</a>. This sharply styled seven-seat SUV is both practical and desirable, and its quality and image are a real cut above the rest in this class. It’s great value used, too, to add to its versatile seating, sophisticated driving experience and first-rate safety credentials.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kodiaq/estate/used-review/n954">Skoda Kodiaq</a> is a sister under the skin of the Tarraco. It’s good looking, well priced, with a classy and spacious interior and good driving manners. Those looking for a dependable seven-seat SUV should definitely consider one.&nbsp;

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="http://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/seat/tarraco?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Seat Tarraco</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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Estate

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

TARRACO

The Tarraco is good to drive, smart inside and well equipped. It’s not quite as versatile as some of its rivals, though.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Seat Tarraco

On paper, the most economical Tarraco is the 2.0 TDI 150 diesel version, with an official WLTP fuel consumption of 57.6mpg. Meanwhile, the 2.0 TDI 190 claims 50.4mpg. The best-forming petrol is the 1.5 TSI 150 car, which claims 42.8mpg.&nbsp;

All Tarracos will have been registered after the tax changes of April 2017 came into force, so will be taxed at a flat rate, currently £155&nbsp;a year. Beware the cost of the Tarraco you’re buying having sneaked above £40,000 new, because it will attract a supplementary luxury car tax of £335&nbsp;a year, currently, for five years.&nbsp;

Insurance groups have been kept low, so premiums shouldn’t be outlandish, and Seat offers a number of highly competitive servicing plans that will help to spread the cost of maintenance.&nbsp;

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Used Seat Tarraco 2018-present

The Tarraco is good to drive, smart inside and well equipped. It’s not as versatile as some, though.  


Tarracos kick off with 2019 models. Prices for the Tarraco start at around £20,000, this for a 1.5 petrol-engined car of that vintage. Spend a fraction more on the larger petrol engine or the diesel-engined cars. Look to splash out between £21,000 and £23,000 on a good condition, low mileage, full service history 2019 Tarraco of any type, bought from a franchised dealer, and around £23,000 on a good 2020 car. Look to fork out around £23,000 to £25,000 on a 2021 model.&nbsp;

Unless you plan to do big miles or cart around a fully loaded Tarraco all the time, in which case we’d urge you to seek out the 2.0 diesel-engined car, we’d look for a 1.5 petrol in its 148bhp (TSI 150) form, which is really smooth and refined and provides a good blend of performance and economy.&nbsp;

As far as trims go, although the Tarraco is pretty well equipped as standard we’d seek out the SE Technology version, which comes with climate control, automatic wipers, sat-nav and upmarket features such as 18in wheels and tinted rear windows

Our favourite Seat Tarraco: 1.5 TSI 150 SE Technology

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Large SUV

This is a large SUV that will have been used in urban areas so it’s worth checking the bodywork and the wheels carefully for any damage. Check all the electrics work inside.&nbsp;

There have been three recall notices so far. Check with your dealer that any remedial work has been done. They are:

The specified wall thickness of the fuel tank can in some places fall below the threshold.

There is a possibility that due to a manufacturing error there is a crack on the frame of the left front seat.

Too little torque may be provided by some of the engines at low engine speeds.

There are few other reported problems with the Tarraco, so far. However, the Tarraco finished in 17th place out of 24 cars featured in the large SUV class in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey/n23397">our most recent What Car? reliability survey.</a>

Seats as a whole have an excellent record for reliability, with the brand finishing in 17th place out of 30&nbsp;manufacturers in our reliability survey.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/seat">Seat</a> may have been a little late to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/large-suv">SUV</a> party but it’s made up for that with the quality and the individuality of its offerings. The family-sized <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/ateca/estate/used-review/n840">Ateca</a> shot straight to the top of its class when it was launched in 2016, and the smaller <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/arona/hatchback/used-review/n17875">Arona</a> impressed us nearly as much with its driving abilities and roomy interior.&nbsp;

What was missing was <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/large-suv">a larger, seven-seat SUV</a>, and to fill that void in 2018 the firm served up the chisel-jawed and capacious Tarraco. Designed by Seat but based on the underpinnings of similar and existing <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/volkswagen">VW group</a> products – and even manufactured on the same production line in Germany – the Tarraco has the firm’s sporty and more youthful ethos to distinguish it from its siblings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Under the bonnet, new buyers could have chosen from petrol or diesel-engined options. The petrols are a 148bhp 1.5-litre or a 187bhp 2.0-litre; the diesels a 2.0-litre unit in two differing states of tune, either 148bhp or 187bhp, later upped to 197bhp. A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard, along with front-wheel drive, but a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic ’box and four-wheel drive were also available from new.

Trim-wise, entry-level SE models are reasonably equipped, with 17in alloy wheels, three-zone climate control, automatic wipers and power-folding door mirrors. There’s also an SE Technology trim, which includes sat-nav and upmarket features such as 18in wheels and tinted rear windows. Xcellence trim adds keyless entry and go, adaptive cruise control, a hands-free electric tailgate and a system that will steer the car into parking spaces for you, while Xcellence Lux specification includes heated front and rear seats.

On the road, the 1.5 petrol-engined car is smooth and quiet and fast enough for most purposes, but it can feel a little underpowered occasionally, while the 2.0-litre is a brisk performer. However, the abstemious diesels both have more low-down grunt.&nbsp;

Seat’s earlier SUVs had a reputation for taut handling and the Tarraco is no exception. The suspension setup is on the firm side, so it keeps this large and heavy SUV in check in corners, with little body lean. The flip side is a ride that can occasionally be unsettled, especially by dips and crests in the road, but, for the most part, this car rides well and smothers everyday potholes and imperfections, especially if you can find one fitted with the standard (18in) wheels.&nbsp;

Road and wind noise are both very well contained, too, and all the power choices are smooth and refined, meaning that progress is easy-going, especially in the cars equipped with an automatic gearbox.&nbsp;

Inside, the driving position is multi-adjustable and should suit all. The dashboard is a paragon of simplicity, with easy to use buttons and logically laid out switchgear. An 8.0in touchscreen, with sat-nav and DAB radio, is standard on all trims. Thanks to good use of soft-touch, tactile materials, the interior of the Tarraco feels quite up-market.&nbsp;

There’s plenty of space, too, with second-row seats that slide and recline. Only in the third row do you have to compromise on space - children will be happy but teenagers and adults will not want to spend long back there. The boot, meanwhile, is large and easy to access, although the Peugeot 5008 does have a larger capacity.&nbsp;

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/seat/tarraco?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Seat Tarraco</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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