SEAT Ateca Review 2024

If you want a stylish yet incredibly competent family SUV, the SEAT Ateca could be the car for you. It’s good to drive, cheap to run and is likely to be a reliable choice. Look elsewhere if you want a forgiving suspension setup, but small wheels help in this regard.

There’s no shortage of very competent alternatives to the SEAT Ateca. You should also look at the Skoda Karoq (which is closely related to the Ateca), and the slightly more premium Volkswagen Tiguan. We also rate the quirky Peugeot 3008 while the Ford Kuga is also a very competent choice. Of course, there’s also the ever-popular Nissan Qashqai, while the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage both come with a long warranty.

Earlier Ateca models come with an eight-inch media system (including navigation on most trim levels), which is easy to use. It’s a touchscreen display, with useful shortcut buttons and quick responses to inputs. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, too, meaning you can mirror apps from your phone.

Later models come with bigger 8.25- or 9.2-inch (from SE Technology upwards) displays that look a bit smarter but rely on touch-sensitive (rather than actual, physical) buttons as shortcuts. This feels like a backwards step, to us, but it's nothing you won't get used to with time.

High-spec SEAT Ateca models also come with a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit instead of conventional dials. This looks pretty snazzy, while also being clear to read and easy to customise.

In terms of space, the SEAT Ateca scores pretty well. Access to the front is easy thanks to wide-opening front doors and a high seating position. There’s plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat and steering wheel, too.

In the back, there’s more room than in a Nissan Qashqai, with impressive head- and legroom. The doors open nice and wide, while ISOFIX child-seat mounting points make life easier for parents. Three adults will find space in the back a little tight (a Citroen C5 Aircross is better at that kind of thing), but two will be more than happy.

Unfortunately, there’s no sliding rear bench, but the Ateca's boot space is pretty big anyway - with up to 510 litres of luggage space (485 litres in four-wheel-drive models). Access is good, too, thanks to a usefully square boot opening. High-spec models get an electric tailgate that opens by waving your foot underneath the rear bumper.

The Ateca is similar in size to most other family SUVs of this class, measuring just under 4.4m long and a little over 1.8m wide. 

Petrol offerings include 1.0-, 1.5- and 2.0-litre units. The entry-level 1.0-litre is surprisingly eager considering its capacity, so don’t dismiss it right away. That said, if you do a lot of out-of-town driving, you’d probably be better looking for a 1.5. This replaced the earlier 1.4-litre engine (although they’re much of a muchness for performance, really), and is sold with a choice of manual or DSG automatic gearboxes. 

The 2.0-litre TSI is good fun but sells in limited numbers due to its appetite for unleaded. This isn’t helped by the fact that it only comes with four-wheel drive and the automatic gearbox. If you want a fast Ateca, you’d be better looking at the hot Cupra Ateca (which we’ve covered elsewhere).

There’s a 1.6-litre diesel if you really want a frugal Ateca, but most buyers will be better with one of the gruntier 2.0-litre models. The 150PS 2.0 TDI is a popular choice, although the 2.0 TDI 190 will appeal to caravanners (especially as, like the top-spec petrol, it comes with an auto gearbox and four-wheel drive). The diesels, along with the most powerful petrol, were discontinued later on on the Ateca's life.

Considering its fairly conventional engine options (i.e. you can't get an electric or hybrid model), the Ateca is a very refined choice. The 1.5-litre, in particular, is whisper-quiet, while the 1.0-litre is much less vocal than similar three-cylinder units used in rival vehicles.

You'll notice more noise from the engine bay with the diesel engines but, even so, it's not going to ruin your day. There's very little vibration that makes its way into the cabin and, once you're up to motorway speed, the Ateca's diesel engines don't sound too gruff at all.

Of course, the Ateca's higher ride height and blunt shape compared to the SEAT Leon hatch means there's a little more wind noise, but it's nothing that the radio won't drown out. There's not a great deal of road noise, either, especially if you avoid the bigger alloy wheels. 

If you're buying a new family car like the SEAT Ateca, safety will be high on your wish list. We're pleased to report that the SEAT Ateca achieved a five-star rating when it was crash-tested by independent body, Euro NCAP, in 2016. That includes impressive 93% scores for adult occupants and 84% for children. However, Euro NCAP ratings only apply for a period of five years due to ever-improving safety standards, so this rating has now expired.

All models come with Front Assist autonomous emergency braking, meaning the car can apply the brakes if it detects an impending collision. There's a tiredness recognition system fitted as standard across the range, as well as ISOFIX child seat mounting points on the outer rear seats. XPerience and XPerience Lux models come with the Safe & Driving Pack, which includes predictive adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, lane assist, traffic sign recognition and high beam control. 

The SEAT Ateca has proved reasonably good for reliability, with a reliability rating of 9.2 in the 2020 HonestJohn Satisfaction Index. The similar Skoda Karoq scored 9.5 with owners. As with many Volkswagen Group products, the Ateca suffered with issues surrounding the 1.5 TSI engine, which were widespread across several makes and models. 

However, aside from that we've not had many reports of issues with the SEAT Ateca, so you should be able to buy with confidence.

SEAT Ateca insurance groups range from 7 to 24, which means it shouldn't cost any more than rivals to insure. An insurance comparison website provided us with a very reasonable quote of £283/year to insure a 40-year-old teacher on a three-year-old Ateca SE with the 1.0-litre TSI engine. Obviously, insurance prices are heavily influenced by your personal circumstances, so it's a good idea to get a quote or two before buying a new car. 

You’ll pay a flat rate of £180 a year in VED (car tax) for all Atecas registered since 1 April 2017. Earlier models are taxed based on their CO2 emissions.

The basic SEAT Ateca SE comes with things like 17-inch alloy wheels, a choice of drive modes and an eight-inch media system (including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto). Cruise control is also standard, as well as the self-parking park assist feature (with front and rear parking sensors).

The SEAT Ateca SE Technology adds navigation to the eight-inch media display as well as DAB radio. It also comes with LED head and tail lights, chrome roof rails, chrome window trim and welcome light silhouettes on the door mirrors.

The stylish SEAT Ateca FR adds various exterior highlights including tinted rear windows, a rear spoiler and twin exhaust pipes. It also gets the eight-inch navigation system, as well as aluminium pedals and interior ambient lighting. There are front sport seats finished in Microsuede, while the Convenience pack is standard (with auto-dimming rear-view mirror, auto-headlights and rain-sensing wipers).

The sporty SEAT Ateca FR Sport comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, the desirable digital instrument display and leather sports seats (with an electric driver’s seat). The Winter pack is also standard, with heated front seats, headlight washers as well as a wash water level indicator.

The SEAT Ateca FR Black Edition comes with 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels, various other gloss black exterior highlights (including door mirrors, roof rails and window trim), and interior detailing in black.

The high-spec SEAT Ateca Xcellence comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, front comfort seats in Microsuede trim, illuminated door sills and LED headlights. Adaptive cruise control is standard, as well as a heated windscreen, rear-view camera and wireless phone charger. There’s keyless entry and go, as well as the Convenience pack.

Topping the range is the SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux. This comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, the digital cockpit and front sports seats in leather upholstery. There’s an electric tailgate, top-view camera and Winter pack. The Advanced Driving Assistance pack is standard too - with high-beam assist, lane assist and blind-spot detection.