R.I.P Toledo?

[Scrogg]

Has it finally happened?

In the latest Order Lead Times update posted this morning the Toledo is not listed...

Is the often-predicted end of the Toledo about to be announced?

 

[Alan Kyp]

I looked the configurator Sunday and Toledo was not on it so my guess was that it’s been dropped.
Shame if it is as I love mine.


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[Scrogg]

Is the often-predicted end of the Toledo about to be announced?

Yep!

Announcement from SEAT UK this afternoon:

Toledo will close for ordering in the UK permanently on Thursday 6 September. Any stock and customer orders placed before this date will be secured for production. The model will be permanently removed from ordering in SLi on 6 September, but will remain in Connect OnLine until all residual stock has been sold.

Toledo has sold more than 62,000 units in the UK since launch, and has provided the brand with a compelling proposition in the A-Saloon segment. However, with a slowing segment and with a continuing shift in demand towards SUV in the UK, SEAT UK has taken the decision to close factory ordering.

 

[Jimbobcook]

So that's Toledo out and Tarraco in...

 

[Smileyman]

Shame, but to be expected. The model range has been reduced over the past few years. Just pleased to have purchased mine whilst the prices were good.

 

[Alan Kyp]

Shame, but to be expected. The model range has been reduced over the past few years. Just pleased to have purchased mine whilst the prices were good.

Ditto that


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['& Son' managed]

Shame it's not being properly replaced, one of the most sensibly-sized family-viable cars out there for typical
UK-narrow streets and ever-more overcrowded roads.
Makes you wonder how much longer Skoda are going to continue with the Rapid - probably not for long now.

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Funny Radio Two - J Vine show today was talking about cars getting wider and some roads could no long fit two cars side by side.

 

[camelspyyder]

Shame it's not being properly replaced, one of the most sensibly-sized family-viable cars out there for typical
UK-narrow streets and ever-more overcrowded roads.
Makes you wonder how much longer Skoda are going to continue with the Rapid - probably not for long now.

Other skinny sedans haven't made it to the UK, the CItroen C-Elysee / Peugeot 301 for instance is almost identical size and layout.

 

[AndrewJB]

Luca De Meo said last night that it wasn't a good seller for the company compared to the other models.

 

['& Son' managed]

SEAT didn't help itself by effectively making the Toledo fight with one hand tied behind it's back
in desperate-looking attempts to try and differentiate between it and it's close in-house rivals.

Engine choice was always limited and despite the 'top trim' models being well-equipped overall,
it still wasn't allowed a few of the refinements/options that the lower-end Leon 5 door hatches
could be ordered with.

Whether that was just SEAT marketing themselves, or they were also limited by Skoda's own
production wishes I wouldn't know.
Suppose it's understandable that they threw a lot more money and effort into developing the
Golf-based car - just a shame that it's so obvious that the Toledo could have been a more
attractive and rounded vehicle if relatively small amounts had been spent on it.

 

[matt_s]

I thought the Toledo was a mk5 Ibiza saloon. Seeing as the mk6 is out they would have needed to develop a new Toledo, no point if it sold that badly. As for options, you need to compare it to the Ibiza as it shares engines and electronics with it.

 

[camelspyyder]

if you needed a roomy 4 seater cheap, it's an OK choice, but not enough buyers wanted that from SEAT. I've has 2 brand new mainly because they're bloody cheap

 

['& Son' managed]

I thought the Toledo was a mk5 Ibiza saloon. Seeing as the mk6 is out they would have needed to develop a new Toledo, no point if it sold that badly. As for options, you need to compare it to the Ibiza as it shares engines and electronics with it.

The current Toledo is a 5-door hatch, not a saloon despite the saloon-esque styling. It is also closer in size to the Leon 5-door hatch, (it's narrower, but longer) than the Ibiza 5 door and has a larger boot than either of them.
Both would be considered close rivals, even though mechanically it's closer to the Ibiza, so pertinent to compare with either and/or both.

Father certainly considered a Toledo/Rapid before choosing to buy the Leon, but quickly ruled-out the Ibiza for being, (and in particular
for looking) to be too small.

 

[camelspyyder]

The Toledo is so low tech its no way an alternative to the Leon.
The chassis is antique with really poor handling and ride compared to Leon or Ibiza, but then the Rapid / Toledo were really aimed at emerging markets especially Mexico, China, and South America.
It has no SEAT "auto emocion" DNA at all - just the family face grafted onto the front.
It's the sort of car that would only satisfy bargain hunters - the Hyundai / Daewoo / Kia / Skoda / Lada / Proton buying crowd from 20-30 years ago.
I would honestly never have touched it apart from the crazy discounted prices.
Its OK but it surely wont be missed by the European market.

 

['& Son' managed]

As clearly stated, the Toledo was considered to be a serious rival to a modest Ibiza and
more so to a small-engined Leon hatch for at least one genuine customer....

The 'SEAT DNA' thing I would have thought most would see as typical car makers' marketing
BS to help with their advertising.
Last time I looked most of the SEAT range is made-up of barely re-styled VAG bodyshells,
sharing as many engine/drivetrain and other parts as they think they can get away with.

As it goes, it was I who steered Father towards the Leon, (although not the version that he
eventually bought) but we both liked the looks of the Toledo Xcellence in the showroom.
The inside trim also impressed with the leather(ish) seat trim - if not so much the plastics,
some of which are dated in execution compared to the Leon.

Although different, it didn't present itself as being obviously inferior. It looked the part and
even had a newer design, (if maybe not a better) 1.0 engine fitted compared to the 1.2 Leon.
The screen price and technical specs as detailed on the car were also very similar.
Doubtless a test drive would have revealed not-so-welcome differences, but it never got that far.

Point is most customers of cars in this class/price range do not know or care about the platform,
how old it is or things like the finer details of suspension design. Either they like what they see
and are satisfied enough with the way the thing drives and rides or are not.

For many trading-in a typical modest half-worn car over 6 years old or so a new Toledo will feel
like an improvement anyway, even if not as good as it could/should be.
Most are not going to drive one hard enough to find-out the chassis' limitations, as indeed Father
is never going to find-out just how much his Leon is capable of.

Most on this forum a car-savvy enough to know about more in-depth details and they are important.
These are lost on though on so many customers that just look at what's presented in front of them.

Father only started to twig the Toledo was pitched lower in the range than the Leon when he was
told of the limited (lower-power) engine range and the comparative lack of other options.

 

[camelspyyder]

The fact that they were only 12k brand new and fully loaded wasn't a clue to the inferiority of the Toledo?

Funnily enough I took a pre-facelift Leon Mk3 1.2 SE for an extended test drive and whilst the handling and ride were way superior to the Toledo, there were things I didn't like about the Leon and I simply didn't think I could justify a lot more money to trade in my Toledo 1.2.
Unfortunately I later traded for a dirt cheap Toledo 1.0 manual instead which has turned out to be less satisfactory than the old one. Although I believe a 1.0 DSG would be better, that combination wasn't available last year.

I am sure your Leon is the better choice for those that (unlike me) can afford it.

 

['& Son' managed]

The SEAT 'official' prices were £17K-odd for the Toledo 1.0 Xcellence if fitted with a few
options, (was SatNav standard? I can't remember) and a shade over £18K for the Leon
with standard SatNav plus options as he eventually ordered one.
In reality, the Toledo would have cost £12.5K with discount and the Leon actually cost him
the grand sum of just £100 more, so in both instances it was very close.

 

[camelspyyder]

The 1.0 X retail was over 20k but many dealers knocked them out in metallics at £11995. A Leon for only £600 more (ignoring the metallic price addition) - what a great bargain.

 

[camelspyyder]

Skoda have stopped building the Rapid Hatch (still doing the Spaceback though), so I guess that's game over for the Toledo 4 (built on the same line and near identical)