As a vital member of the greater Volkswagen Group, the Spanish arm of the company has been making its presence felt over the past few years. The magic of the Group’s shared platform strategy, which has been exercised and revised comprehensively for the past 25 years, has resulted in distinctive characters being developed for each of its brands, which include Audi, Volkswagen and Skoda, as well as Seat, despite underpinnings that are largely identical.
In fact, it was the introduction of the latest Ibiza model in 2017 that highlighted the tremendous versatility of the new MQB A0 platform. The most recently launched VW Polo was the second model to use it, followed by the all-new Seat Arona. Wondrously flexible, the enhanced ride quality, improved handling and chassis balance inherent to the new technology are impressive features.
Sharing strong design ties with other models from Seat’s line-up is a most positive way to create range familiarity and, with zestiness and Spanish flair being inherent to Seat, the new Arona is set to enjoy a busy year, for a company that has already announced that it has broken all previous sales records in the UK. Consumer choice is immensely important for the five-door, front-wheel-drive Arona. Six trim levels that start with SE and move upwards through SE Technology, FR, FR Sport, XCellence and XCellence Lux, are supported by six petrol and diesel engine options and a starting price of just £16,555 (not including FCD discount) that includes air-con, metallic paint and bi-colour roof. At the other end of the scale, a fully-laden ‘launch edition’ (based on XCellence trim), with every extra factored into the mix, costs £24,235; all prices that do not include Forces Cars Direct’s discounts.
Interestingly, the Arona was also the first to market with VW’s latest 1.5-litre turbo-petrol EVO engine that features cylinder shut-off technology to improve CO2 emissions and fuel economy expectations. While five-speed gearboxes are standard, six-speed alternatives are fitted to both 1.0TSi (115ps) and 1.5 EVO, with the seven-speed DSG automated-manual as an option on the 115ps engine. The 1.5 EVO will stop the clock at exactly 8.0s for the 0-60mph sprint, which highlights its performance edge.
Storage space can be at a premium in compact cars but the 400-litres of boot space in Arona (823-litres with seats folded and 1,280-litres loaded to the roof) underscores the value of clever design. Deep door pockets and useful bins located around the car’s cabin ensure that there is plenty of space for in-car paraphernalia too. Naturally, there are model-dependent trim and equipment enhancements but, select the right version and your Arona can feature keyless stop-and-go, featuring a pushbutton starter (KESSY), both rain and light sensors, adjustable drive profiles (dynamic chassis control), wireless mobile-phone charging and a full-link touch-screen.
As with other Seat models, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, front assist, blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, hill-holder and autonomous braking are all model features that add to its breadth of appeal, especially as many of them are part of the standard offering. If you consider that XCellence and FR are the luxury and sporting trim levels respectively, the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, 112bhp, 6-speed manual version of the former trim level was my test car of choice, even though the FR grade is likely to be the most popular.
Being a fan of small capacity engines, especially the latest crop of ‘tiddlers’, does help significantly in my appreciation of its installation in Arona. Its three-pot thrum is slightly more noticeable in the Seat than, for instance, the Polo, which may be a result of using more effective sound-deadening materials in the VW product, but it is not an unpleasant noise and seems totally in character with the Seat. It is not lacking on the performance front either, despatching the 0-60mph benchmark in a zippy 9.7s, with a posted top speed of 113mph. Possessing an Official Combined fuel economy of 57.6mpg, while emitting a modest 113g/km CO2 ensures that running costs are maintained at an affordable level.
Yet, the figures do not describe the first-rate drivability of the Arona, as junctions and tight bends can all be conducted in third gear, the engine pulling strongly from little more than idle speed. Most open-road overtaking manoeuvres can be carried out in fourth gear, block-shifting back into sixth to maintain surprisingly high cross-country averages. Much of this ‘lazier’ style lies in the 148lbs ft of torque that fills the important mid-section of its rev-range. The gearchange quality is deliciously slick and there is an absence of ‘flywheel effect’, which can slow down shifts.
Creature comfort levels are well-sorted in Arona. The front seats are multi-adjustable, as is the steering column, which ensures both a great driving position and the view outwards. Although a 5.0-inch screen is standard fayre on the entry-level SE, moving up the range means that the 8.0-inch touch-screen is fitted to every model, complete with full connectivity and Bluetooth, as well as a pair of USB slots and two SD card slots.
On the road, the Arona benefits from quick-reacting power steering and a sporting ride quality. It can hustled through bends and carry out lane-changes effortlessly, which makes exploiting the car’s performance potential a lot of fun. All-round disc brakes provide assured stopping power and parking brake duties are assigned to a pull-up lever, between the front seats.
Seat has always led its rivals by incorporating items as standard that they do not and the SE trim is a very sound base for many buyers. Of course, market demands mean that customers always seek to specify extra-cost items but Seat lives up to its remit to provide excellent value for money.
