Well I read Chris Knapman's review of the Exeo in this weekend Motoring section of the Telegraph on Saturday starting with anticipation, confusion, then consternation. Is he mad or me???
It starts off with agreeing a Honda Accord estate would be good to look for (on a £5k budget), then says "we set about looking for an Audi A4"..."I happened ot have on test an old Audi A4 (SEAT EXEO ST)"..."this being an old Audi it took abuse with ease...until I revealed the price £23,800" derrr wasnt the budget £5k, arent the old 2.0 honda diesels problematic in their old age????
It goes on "its a previous...A4.. with the four rings removed and SEAT ones glued in place" - yes and no but isn that a good thing????
"the first SEAT to feel like it will be celebrating its own diamond jubillee...without so much as a rattle or a squeak. It really is one exceptionally well screwed together car" - praise indeed!!
"it has all the compliance of a lump of granite" "was supposed to be an exhilarating driving experience" "..then it fails here too" - losing the will to read such rubbish. I can drive sedately and get 60MPG, and if and when I want push the 170 lump that responds and behaves impeciably.
"its the sport trim that really seals the Exeos fate here, docking it a point" - why???
Final Rating by the inimitable Mr Knapman of 2 stars out of 5.
In reverse order - the sport trim is great - doesnt that mean I get an Audi "S-Line" equivalent spec. Lump of granite - my experieience is what SEAT have done to the suspension far exceeds anything Audi achieved on their version (which really was hard n lumpy). Exhilerating driving - well go for the 170 diesel or 210 petrol if you wanted verrrooom.
I will finish now - but suffice to say what planet are some of these motoring journalists on.
Its a great specced car, at a competitive price, with proven relaibility, and VW family underpinnings.
It starts off with agreeing a Honda Accord estate would be good to look for (on a £5k budget), then says "we set about looking for an Audi A4"..."I happened ot have on test an old Audi A4 (SEAT EXEO ST)"..."this being an old Audi it took abuse with ease...until I revealed the price £23,800" derrr wasnt the budget £5k, arent the old 2.0 honda diesels problematic in their old age????
It goes on "its a previous...A4.. with the four rings removed and SEAT ones glued in place" - yes and no but isn that a good thing????
"the first SEAT to feel like it will be celebrating its own diamond jubillee...without so much as a rattle or a squeak. It really is one exceptionally well screwed together car" - praise indeed!!
"it has all the compliance of a lump of granite" "was supposed to be an exhilarating driving experience" "..then it fails here too" - losing the will to read such rubbish. I can drive sedately and get 60MPG, and if and when I want push the 170 lump that responds and behaves impeciably.
"its the sport trim that really seals the Exeos fate here, docking it a point" - why???
Final Rating by the inimitable Mr Knapman of 2 stars out of 5.
In reverse order - the sport trim is great - doesnt that mean I get an Audi "S-Line" equivalent spec. Lump of granite - my experieience is what SEAT have done to the suspension far exceeds anything Audi achieved on their version (which really was hard n lumpy). Exhilerating driving - well go for the 170 diesel or 210 petrol if you wanted verrrooom.
I will finish now - but suffice to say what planet are some of these motoring journalists on.
Its a great specced car, at a competitive price, with proven relaibility, and VW family underpinnings.
