Seat Arona 15 Tsi Evo Fr Sport 5dr Review
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Month vi living with the Seat Arona: the end of our long-term examination
Here'southward a question people ofttimes ask most the Arona, except they're not asking what I retrieve they're asking. 'What'll it do, mister?' these days refers to fuel consumption, and even on one occasion its CO2 figure (darn – caught me out – I had to check), but never the Arona'south meridian speed. Which is a shame, considering I had an accurate and rather surprising answer ready to go: 127mph.
Accurate considering Seat wouldn't brand something like that up; not accurate in the sense of it being something I measured for myself. And surprising because it sounds quite loftier for what I call back of as a cheerfully versatile compact family car.
Every so frequently I would discover myself in what you might recollect of as a suitable location for finding out, but information technology never happened (although some generally more spirited driving in my final days with the Arona did play merry hell with the fuel consumption). On my penultimate day in the Arona I had to attend a speed awareness class, and briefly thought information technology would be hilarious to striking 127mph on my way there. But no. Aside from it being daft and indeed illegal, it'due south really deep in the Dna of the FR 1.5 TSI Evo that you don't apply it for top-speed runs on the A43.
How so? It'south geared quite low. The engine is on the revvy side. And it'due south not particularly serenity. And so what happens, again and once more, is that yous're smartly abroad from the traffic lights and so, without actually thinking about it, you dorsum off when you've hit a cruising speed that'due south not very different from most other people's. The engine starts to feel strained, the motel dissonance level increases just that bit, and you lot don't take the impression that there'due south much left in reserve. So you briefly pop into the 90s but and so ease back into the 80s and all thoughts of 127mph fade into nothing.
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And you lot are now part of the herd, one among many. You're in a crossover, and crossovers are nigh safe and comfort and headroom and baggage and fashion earlier they're nearly performance. Accept your destiny and count your blessings – of which there are many, as the Arona is a good thing.
It handles well, albeit not also equally its slightly lower, lighter equivalent, the Ibiza. Its cabin is low-cal and airy, and there are some lovely details. For instance, the elastic straps on the sides of the boot, making it much easier to stop your numberless sliding around. Another (less applied) example: when you turn the central infotainment screen off and you're left with just a digital representation of an analogue clock with two hands, the seconds are shown past the circumference of the dial thickening in ane-second increments. It's Zen-similar in its calming, contemplative effect.
Likewise as these and other bully details, in that location's something fundamentally right virtually the shapes and proportions of the Arona. It catches the eye and makes people smile. My postman, for instance. He likes cars, and had been wondering about an Ibiza. He likes driving, simply he's too witting of the needs of his elderly mother, who appreciates the ease of admission afforded by a crossover's college seats and roof. So now he'south not thinking about an Ibiza, he's thinking about an Arona.
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Other things that people never inquire about the Arona
- What does FR stand up for?
- What's it like off-road?
- Doesn't it make you a bit deplorable that Seat used to make amazing xanthous and purple hatchbacks, and briefly looked like the ascent force in world rallying, and now they make near-interchangeable VW Group faux-4x4s?
- What does Arona mean?
By Colin Overland
Count the toll: Seat Arona depreciation
Cost new £21,270
Individual sale cost £17,690
Part-exchange price £sixteen,845
Cost per mile 11p
Toll per mile including depreciation 77.3p
Calendar month v of our Seat Arona long-term test review: just an Ibiza on stilts? Or is this the modern-day Yeti?
We need to talk about the Skoda Yeti a bit more than. In the June issue of CAR magazine, Ben Barry opined in the Icon Heir-apparent characteristic that it'due south a 'loveable workhorse', while last calendar month Ben Miller took to the pulpit to praise its 'original, distinctive' design. Information technology's a keeper.
More precisely, for the owners it'southward a keeper. Skoda, still, seems less emotionally attached, and has replaced the refreshingly individual Yeti with a couple of very generic SUVs, and there'due south a 3rd due next twelvemonth. People keep request me if the Arona is something to practise with the Yeti.
They know information technology'south the wrong badge and a different face, but in that location'south something about the Seat'due south posture and proportions that evokes the Yeti. She ain't no Skoda – simply we can dream…
I wish there was some substance to this, but the plain truth is that it's a taller Ibiza – no more, no less. The 'taller' scrap is non all near fashion over function, fifty-fifty though information technology's piece of cake to dismiss crossovers in that way.
You get that useful actress infinite for passengers' heads and for baggage, then when you try to clasp a load of hedge cuttings and broken bicycles into the back, the Seat generally obliges. And the Ibiza is quite a wearisome car these days, whereas the Arona – or at least this Arona – is quite perky and engaging.
I oasis't done many miles this calendar month, and they've more often than not been in town for brusk shopping trips. The fuel consumption has suffered, but not by much. But the Arona remains obliging, easygoing send, and a little fleck more. But not that much more than.
By Colin Overland
Logbook: Seat Arona FR 1.5 TSI Evo
Price £21,270
As tested £21,270
Engine 1498cc 16v turbocharged iv-cyl, 148bhp @ 5000rpm, 184lb ft @ 1500rpm
Manual half dozen-speed transmission, front-cycle drive
Functioning eight.3sec 0-62mph, 127mph, 115g/km CO2
Miles this month 225
Total 7763
Our mpg 37.nine
Official mpg 55.iv
Fuel this month £35.33
Actress costs None
Month 4 of our Seat Arona long-term test review: a brief tour of the bits we like
One for a golden oldie...
The FR comes with some things I wouldn't specially ask for, simply which are actually pretty good – smartphone integration, MirrorLink etc. All very modern. But, to be honest, I'm more pleased by there being a CD/DVD player in the glovebox, barely mentioned in the Seat brochure. I've got a house full of CDs, and often find I'd rather play a CD than plug in an MP3 player.
Bulb Fiction
It was only when I crossed paths with another Arona that I realised what's going on with the forepart indicators: they are the daytime running lights. I'chiliad hands offended by tricksy light foolishness, simply these are great, partly because they make good use of infinite but more often than not because they look like John Travolta's manus gestures when he's dancing with Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.
Joining the diesel fuel deserters
Oh how foolish Dieselgate looks when it turns out the VW Group is capable of making its petrol engines this clean, efficient and enjoyable. Active 2-cylinder running doubtless helps, but the pleasingly high mpg figure must generally exist down to the fundamentals of fuelling, combustion, friction, gearing and aero being spot on.
A splash of chrome
This pillar makes all the difference to the looks of the Arona, specially when combined with the contrasting roof (a no-cost option). It's not a item unique to the Arona – variations announced on the Volvo X40, Audi Q2 and the Renault Captur, to name some of the most effective – but information technology'southward all the same unusual enough to make a deviation.
Past Colin Overland
Logbook: Seat Arona FR i.5 TSI Evo
Price £21,270
Every bit tested £21,270
Engine 1498cc 16v turbo 4-cyl, 148bhp @ 5000rpm, 184lb ft @ 1500rpm
Manual vi-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Performance 8.3sec 0-62mph, 127mph, 115g/km CO2
Miles this month 506
Total 7032
Our mpg 40.2
Official mpg 55.4
Fuel this month £75
Extra costs None
Month 2 living with a Seat Arona: the practicalities of daily life
Cruise control is often a waste of space but the Arona's system is so simple and nifty that I'll requite it a pass. And, the other twenty-four hour period, I actually used information technology. Everything is controlled by two tiny switches on the indicator stem. It doesn't do annihilation clever; it merely holds your speed steady. If you lot think you lot're going to crash or get in someone's way, you over-ride it.
Why employ it at all, after months of shunning information technology? Because I was driving back to the Midlands after a long, sweaty day's piece of work at Goodwood, and thought using prowl control might de-stress me a bit. It did, helped by the very effective climate command.
Meanwhile, there's been a VW/Seat think on Polos, Ibizas and Aronas, acquired by business that the left rear seatbelt could in certain circumstances get undone if all 3 rear seats were occupied (which hadn't happened on the ii occasions when I've had all three rear seats occupied).
The problem is that the buckle for the centre seat is merely above the buckle for the left seat, and tin press down on it during cornering (come across above left). The fix has involved a slight repositioning (see in a higher place right) that stops this happening.
Past Colin Overland
Month 1 of our Seat Arona long-term examination review: the introduction
Some of the most pleasing things nigh these early days with the Seat Arona are things that aren't in that location. Or, put more positively, in that location's a wonderful absence of ataxia and filler.
No key armrest or oddments bin. Why non? Because there'southward a real handbrake – always a practiced matter. No keyless entry, so instead there's a conventional key, which avoids any 'where'south my key?' confusion.
No lane-departure or automatic emergency braking or cruise control. And no electronic assistance for the kicking or steering cavalcade or seat adjustment. What you get is a good engine and a decent chassis in a compact simply reasonably roomy and stylish parcel. Everything is there for a very clear reason, that reason being to allow yous get on with driving the car and using it to ease your style through the daily grind.
There are no options fitted to the automobile, because there aren't whatsoever bachelor. Seat's current philosophy is that the spec levels are distinct and well defined, and once a potential client has plumped for an engine and a colour, they'll quickly spot which spec level suits their preferences. Task done.
I'grand not sure it's quite every bit unproblematic as Seat says it is. There are six trim levels (and Seat did that vogueish matter of also having a special early on-buyer spec level called First Edition), which come up in iii pairs. The nearly basic is SE, but in that location'due south also the slightly higher SE Technology (which brings you upgraded infotainment). At the top there'southward the techy Xcellence and techier Xcellence Lux. In the middle at that place's my machine, the FR, but also the FR Sport (with 18-inch rather than 17-inch wheels, alacantara not material upholstery and more than sophisticated suspension; that lot adds £770 to the price). FR has sporty seats, black interior detailing, 4 driving modes, climate command, chrome roof rails plus different grille and rear bumper designs.
My engine, the 1.5 turbocharged petrol four, is but available with the FR and FR Sport. In the UK, all Aronas are front-drive and five-door simply, and come up with metal pigment. There are 2 smaller petrols and a couple of diesels. Some models are available with 7-speed auto. I suspect I've got the all-time of the bunch.
The cornering does suffer from the Arona's extra height over the smaller, lighter Ibiza, merely overall it's good – certainly more fun than the larger Ateca. You demand to engage with it – go along the engine spinning and you'll observe plenty of ability without as well neat a thirst for fuel. It gets a bit loud when yous rev information technology hard, merely is by and large refined and comfy.
My lilliputian with the modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Private) may make a bit of departure to the economy, but bigger benefits come from smoothen driving. You know you're existence polish because y'all go a message flashed up saying that two of the 4 cylinders have been deactivated, and yous're cruising along on minimal fuel. Without the message you lot really wouldn't know one-half the engine has its anxiety up on the desk.
By Colin Overland
Logbook: Seat Arona FR ane.5 TSI EVO
Engine 1498cc 16v turbocharged 4-cyl, 148bhp @ 5000rpm, 184lb ft @ 1500rpm
Transmission 6-speed transmission, front-wheel drive
Stats 8.3sec 0-62mph, 127mph, 115g/km CO2
Price £21,270
As tested £21,270
Miles this month 1382
Total miles 2364
Our mpg 38.ii
Official mpg 55.four
Fuel this calendar month £199.23
Extra costs None
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Source: https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/long-term-tests/seat/seat-arona-fr-15-tsi-evo-2018-long-term-test-review/