SEAT TARRACO
Seat goes big with its all-new 7-seat SUV, designed to be as great to live with as it is to look at
Not everybody knows, but Seat is a member of the Volkswagen family. Underneath its Spanish-styled exterior lies innards and engineering developed by the German giant. The new Tarraco is Seat’s very first 7-seater SUV, and in keeping with Seat traditions it takes its name from a settlement or region of Spain. In this case, ‘Tarraco’, the Roman name for Tarragona, which was the first Roman settlement in modern Spain.
Like a true Volkswagen Group product, the Tarraco is dressed smartly, with an exterior design that doesn’t take too much risks but looks tidy and at home in any environment. Seat’s design touches are clearly there still, with the distinctive light clusters an immediately recognisable Seat touch. The interior is also very much a Seat look, sensibly and laid out for easy use and operation with plenty of head and leg room for passengers throughout the vehicle. Usefully, Seat has given the second row of seating the ability to move forwards and backwards to increase space for users of the third row of seats. Space for cargo is going to be tight with all 7 seats in use, but without there’s going to be a cavernous amount of room – 700-litres with the third row not in use, or a whopping 1,775-litres with only the front seats in use.
Anyone familiar with the Volkswagen Group cars won’t be surprised to learn that the engine line-up for the Tarraco features a 2.0-litre ‘TDI’ turbo diesel 4-cylinder engine. This mainstay of the Group returns strong economy and comes in either 148 or 178bhp outputs. There are also 2 petrol engines offered, a 1.5-litre 148bhp engine and a 187bhp 2.0-litre. Entry-level cars will get front-wheel drive and a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, while cars higher up in the range can expect to see a 7-speed ‘DSG’ automatic and an all-wheel drive system.
With a strong line-up of standard equipment and safety technology, this family SUV makes a good choice for Synergy customers with a growing family and looks like great value on a business or personal lease agreement.