Seat Arona 1.0 TSI 2017 first drive

The Seat Arona is that difficult second album for Seat. Martorell’s first SUV, the Seat Ateca, arrived somewhat under the radar last year, catching the Nissan Qashqai snoozing and sneaking past it on the way to the summit of our crossover class. But such success means the weight of expectation on the new Arona’s shoulders is rather more considerable. You expect it to be good. So do we. So does Seat.

Before we try to answer whether it is or not, where exactly does the Arona fit in the ever-expanding crossover-cum-small-SUV class? Well, it sits on the Seat Ibiza’s MQB A0 architecture, so it is principally a Nissan Juke and Renault Captur rival, although the venturing up to the higher rungs of the trim ladder means the price creeps steadily into Audi Q2 and Mini Countryman territory.

As you might expect, the Arona comes with the usual trinkets that all but guarantee success in this market, including a contrasting roof and rear underbody protection. Unlike most rivals, though, the Arona can also be had with quite a few luxuries should you so wish; the likes of adaptive cruise control, keyless entry, wireless phone charging, switchable dampers and even Alcantara seats are all available.

Let’s be frank: the competition in this class isn’t exactly fierce where driving dynamics are concerned. So don’t get too excited to learn the Arona has an air of sophistication that has previously eluded sub-£20k crossovers. This is a car that corners with composure and steers precisely, albeit without the final-layer polish applied to the latest Ibiza.

Surprisingly, the biggest difference between the two models would seem to be ride comfort. Where the Ibiza flows over minor imperfections with the relaxed gait of an altogether larger car, the Arona’s secondary ride is less settled – even on 17in alloys, the smallest available. It’s less jarring than a Juke, mind, and that’s arguably more to the point.

The Volkswagen Group’s 1.0-litre turbo three-pot, tested here in 114bhp form, is likely to be the most popular engine choice and is more than up to the job. Work it hard and you’ll expose its tendency to send a few vibrations up through the pedals, but you’ll rarely need to do so because there’s a good slug of torque on offer from 1800rpm.

The Arona’s close links with the Ibiza are patently obvious inside. Indeed, the interiors of both cars are pretty much identical. From a usability point of view, that’s a good thing, although it does mean there’s a lot of hard, grey plastic arranged in a no-nonsense fashion. Fine in an Ibiza, but the more style-sentient buyers that gravitate towards crossovers will find little to love.