New Ateca

[CyberGene]

That's why there is the Leon Xperience

Sure, I like the Xperience a lot but it's longer than a SUV. The underground parking where I live is so tight it's already a challenge where every centimeter counts The Leon ST is 18 centimeters longer than the Ateca and 31cm longer than my SC

Basically estates create additional space with length whereas SUV-s do so with height

On the other hand, a higher vehicle means higher center of gravity hence less stability on the road. Many people buy SUV-s because of perceived safety in a crash but that's only half of the truth since it is also more likely to crash in a SUV owing to the added weight and height An estate is obviously better in that respect.

 

[veno]

Sure, I like the Xperience a lot but it's longer than a SUV. The underground parking where I live is so tight it's already a challenge where every centimeter counts The Leon ST is 18 centimeters longer than the Ateca and 31cm longer than my SC

Basically estates create additional space with length whereas SUV-s do so with height

On the other hand, a higher vehicle means higher center of gravity hence less stability on the road. Many people buy SUV-s because of perceived safety in a crash but that's only half of the truth since it is also more likely to crash in a SUV owing to the added weight and height An estate is obviously better in that respect.

I totally agree on that! That's why I went with the Seat Leon XP instead of any midrange/small SUV.
Also I like to carry roofbox or bikes on top of my car, so I think SUV is not the best for this!

 

[Syphon]

Moved thread from MK3 Leon forum and merged in the Ateca thread.

 

[Tell]

What is the quality of the speakers they are fitting in Seats these days ?. I see the head unit seems to be possibly Pioneer if I have understood that correctly from my Googles. Do any get a special sound system these days or are they all the regular paper speakers of 12 years ago dated to my Altea where I replaced them ?. Well not man made fibre poly stuff. Trying to gauge whether I will be on a speaker refit. It was thought at the time that Skoda put better speakers in their cars than Seat, you never know.

Head unit, been reading up on them. I see at the minute the MirrorLink doesn't have a lot of mapping apps that support it. Nice if Co-Pilot produced theirs which they showed in beta form in 2014. Sygic does work. I don't fancy data rates with Google Maps. Only thinking Android.

On speed cameras it would appear that the head unit doesn't beep at you for cameras. You have to load up the POIs and use your own device for the beep functionality. Seems tedious explained on a VW site. That hasn't changed of recent on Seat's offering ?. I know I shouldn't mention the Kadjar but that does have speed camera warnings built in. Hence perhaps MirrorLink is better since you don't have to fiddle with getting POIs in and running the sound off your device, might as well run the lot off your device. (BTW I didn't like the build quality of the Kadjar, I thought it was tinny)

What do we think a few cars in the showrooms in May shared around to be looked at, orders taken from then and shipping from September or are they taking blind orders from May ?. I see London Motor Show first week of May so that's when one gets to see it, I expect.

 

[andrewpain]

I want to get a test drive soon as practicable. Like lot's of people with FRs it's the climb up out of the car that's taking it's toll. Boot will be a compromise with my ST, which is a good size. Driving position is getting more important as time goes by!!
Certainly keen to look closer when it hits showrooms....

 

[m0rk]

I'll be watching this with interest.

I'm the target market, and already have the 'market leader' in the form of the Qashqai

Should be interesting to see where it's priced, taxed and the lease prices (mines a co. car)

 

[Tell]

I get the old backache which is why I bought the Altea in 2004. The blurb says it's targeted at the over 30s with kids... they don't get backache in general although I did then as well.

I see the Telegraph had a thing on the Qashqai v Kadjar. Kadjar has the dual clutch but not the 4x4 with diesel yet as per my questioning of the Renault guy when they show cased it at the Islington design week last year, the bigger engine wasn't out yet for it. If that appears in 2016 before decision time then that's something to think about as a contender for those who want a diesel dual clutch with 4x4 in SUV form like me. I don't fancy the rubber band gear box of Nissan. That one I had up for consideration if Seat failed to unveil the model in the form I wanted.

I see there was an outbreak of materiel on the Ateca this week on the net linked to it's showcasing in Spain. Seat UK site has pictures that other people don't have and you can download the full quality launch video from the net - think that's on their international site. It's like a lot of Xmas' this week.

 

[red line fun]

from the pics, I really like it. I'll be waiting for the FR

 

[Rog.]

This will definitely be on the shortlist in two years time when I'm due to replace the Leon (particularly if the lease prices are as competitive as the Tiguan has been). I miss my Freetrack.
The 2.0 TDI 180 will be fine thanks.

 

[Tell]

On the last sentence, fine by me.

I see that there are a number of Youtube videos of the press launch in Barcelona to wet the appetite. The originals with the music, the intro video projections, lights, lifting of blind, dry ice and the car pulling to the left and right. Plus some press pieces to camera and interviews are worth a look if you haven't caught them yet.

Question is a spare wheel going to go in there with the rear axil ?. There is one shot with the spare wheel Altea style under the false boot floor although I think that might have been dropped later Alteas as I recall. I'm wondering whether you forgo the spare wheel if you go for 4x4 although that doesn't feel right. Seems to be a cubby compartment under the parcel shelf which got dropped from the Altea as I recall. Mine in the Altea drops down in the hot weather as the tabs that hold it flex, eleven months of the year it holds the contents. It's useful having that to put your vest, triangle and stuff in. It looked to me that the parcel shelf that that there.

I see they have dropped the side netting from the boot, which wasn't present in the Kadjar. That ones a pity since it stops bottles from rolling about which you can store there if the netting was present.

 

[RedBarchetta]

I totally agree on that! That's why I went with the Seat Leon XP instead of any midrange/small SUV.
Also I like to carry roofbox or bikes on top of my car, so I think SUV is not the best for this!

Same here. I didn't understand the attraction of an SUV with a smaller boot than an estate, especially the 2WD ones (what's the point?) Must be all about ride height. Have to admit the ATECA looks very nice though and the Mrs said she would have perhaps preferred the ATECA to the XP for the ride height reason alone had they both been available when we bought the XP early last year. Of course I would have overruled her.

 

[RedBarchetta]

Also hope they do come out with a Cupra version - reckon it could be a winner as a much cheaper sports SUV alternative to something like the Macan.

 

[Mk3 Se]

As I have posted before our Leon is up for replacement in a few months and we had been looking elsewhere since there is currently no Leon that matches our needs as well as the one we currently have. Shame since the Leon 1.4 TSi 140 is a cracker.

Now I have seen the Ateca photos its looks like we need to wait and see the product and prices before changing. Size looks perfect (bigger boot but not much longer) and 1.4 TSi 150 is said to be available. Exact specs and prices will be interesting.

Shame about the electric handbrake shown in the photo's.

 

[dieselface]

Call me sad but I like that the front DRL turns orange and flashes for the indicator

 

[andrewpain]

neat touch that.

 

[eande2]

Looks good, is the 190PS diesel just the same as the 184 in the Leon?

 

[andrewpain]

hope so - I'm very pleased with mine

 

[andrewpain]

Also hope they do come out with a Cupra version - reckon it could be a winner as a much cheaper sports SUV alternative to something like the Macan.

from what I've read this week, luca de Meo (Seat MD) is ruling out hot SUV for now...

 

[eande2]

2.0 biturbo diesel would be nice...

 

[ELLIS82]

is this the same car as the leon cross 20v20 concept car?