Seat Tarraco SE Technology 2.0 TDI 150PS …
Surely the hardest part of introducing a new SUV to the market these days is coming up with an appropriate and attractive name. The market for small, compact and large SUVs is booming. There are so many derivatives out there it’s hard to tell them apart. Bring on the Tarraco. This is Seat’s latest 7 seat, four wheel drive offering, and it’s quite a machine.
It’s not the most stylish looking car in the car park, but it is effective. It is good at what it does. This is a very practical and roomy domestic/business, cruiser/off roader and given its size, quite reasonably price compared to its rivals.
There’s plenty of room for five in the car, but the back row should be reserved for the weans, the wee ones that is. And if you try and stick the grandparents in the back row, they’ll be there for life, unless you can prise them out with a tyre lever or tip them back and slide them out through the tailgate!
As you’d expect from Seat, the drive is on the firm and sporty side as opposed to soft and lethargic which makes one think it is aimed more at a younger age group than the old codgers. In the same way, the interior is rather more stylish than staid, again appealing to the younger market but without alienating the older sector.
Apart from the room inside the car, the other main thing of interests to all age groups is the all wheel drive system. Once again, the Tarraco does not disappoint. Where once upon a time the off-road enthusiasts enjoyed grappling with constant all wheel drive and choosing which gear and which ratio to use, Seat’s 4Drive system does all the thinking for the driver.
A twist control knob on the centre console selects the on and off road options while also incorporating the now expected electronic hill descent control and roll-over protection driver aids. The manual six-speed gearbox is as mechanically slick as you like, although there is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox option, but really, the only time you might hanker after an auto is when stuck in slow moving traffic.
Although the performance figures might suggest that the car is not the quickest thing out of the starting blocks, it could be described as ‘brisk’ once on the move. Even with 7 speeds to choose from, the 148 bhp turbo diesel takes a bit of encouragement and patience to get up and go but thereafter impresses the driver with its pace, grip and body control through the corners. Mind you there is a 187 bhp option if you feel the need!
The two rear seat rows fold single handed with one touch, revealing a loadfloor long enough to accommodate a six foot tall metal garden gate with room to spare.
Of particular interest to those of us involved in motor sport, the towing limit for the test car is 2200 kgs whereas even the 2WD option can tow up to two tonnes.
Prices start from £28,320 for the 1.5 litre, 2WD models whereas the top of the range 2 litre jobs with all wheel drive will cost around £40,000 but when you look at the spec they compare very favourably against pricier rivals, so well worth a look before you flash the plastic.
The only thing I didn’t like was having to hand it back after a week’s appraisal, I would quite happily have kept it.
Review Date: July 27, 2019
Price: £30,820 (as tested)
Engine: 1968cc, 4 cylinder turbo diesel with 148 bhp
Performance: 0-62 mph in 9.8 secs, flat out at 126 mph
Economy: 46.0 mpg (combined)
CO2 emissions: 129 k/gm
