«With you I have discovered things that I did not know existed. The sunsets, the walks on the beach… the traffic lights.” Lieutenant Frank Drebin (Grab It Any Way You Can, 1988)
The sidewalk is broken. It’s a bad day. Because on good days I don’t look at the sidewalk. But it’s a bad day. I don’t know what time it is exactly. But I’m probably late for the bus. At the edge of the sidewalk there is a plant that grows and sticks out, it emerges from the sewer. It has a white flower. That white flower makes me angry. I hit it with my hand. Two petals fall to the ground. I look up just enough to see the pedestrian traffic light. There is a shadowy mass of specters waiting on the other side of the street. I am alone on this other side. Out of the corner of my eye I see that the bus is arriving. The stop is on the other side. And the light is still red. I’m going to miss the bus. Next to me a guy in a blue overalls has stopped with his eyes on the other side. Then he looks at me and smiles “I think we’re going to miss the bus.” I look at him trying to convey that his comment is stupid, that he’s stupid, that I’m not interested in him, that I want him to shut up immediately, that I’m not in the mood. I wasn’t in the mood to get up, I wasn’t in the mood to get dressed, to go outside, to burn myself on coffee, to wait for the whole block to come down with the elevator before I could take it myself. She hadn’t been in the mood last night to find Paula’s message on her cell phone saying she…don’t wait for her. And a lot of reproaches that I didn’t even finish reading. I already say that it is being a bad day.
The one with the monkey smiles at me «I’m a gardener. I like to take care of plants. Remove the weeds… you know?» he tells me. And I do not care. Goodness. The traffic light turns green. I don’t say anything and go on my way. The asphalt is also broken. The lines painted on the ground are almost imperceptible. I dodge two puddles by the sidewalk. I speed up my pace until I come to a stop. Feel. What I feared The one with the monkey sits next to me. He takes a banana out of his backpack. He removes the skin. He stands up slowly with a grunt and tosses it into the trash can. He sits down again. “Do you want some?” I look at him again this time with more intensity to send the message that I don’t want a banana, I don’t want a conversation, I don’t want kindness, I don’t want him to sit next to me, I don’t want to feel his presence, his banana-scented breath disgusts me I gag looking at the fruit stains on his mustache, on his stupid smile… “No thanks” I slip with my voice under my gaze. I accompany him with a tired smile. The guy in the monkey keeps chewing. He watches the street waiting for the bus. He finishes the banana. He takes out a blue handkerchief, the same color as the monkey. He cleans up. Then he takes a gun from his backpack. He points at my chest. “I’m sorry mate. You’re not getting on that bus. Paula sends me ». With my eyes I beg him not to shoot.
The history of SEAT has been accompanied from the beginning of its history with the aim of offering practical and accessible cars to the general public. Hand in hand with Fiat, the first models such as the 1400 or the mythical 600 responded to the mobility needs of the market of those times with reasonable prices, although the automobile was still an object rather out of reach for the majority of the population. After the incorporation of the brand to the German Volkswagen group, the spirit of practicality has been maintained with some models that are generally right for the balance of price and features.
| Analyzed model | SEAT Ateca |
| engine and finish | 1.5 TSi 150 Cv Xperience (manual) |
| Power | 150 hp |
| Maximum speed | 202km/h |
| Acceleration o-100 | 9s |
| Long wide high | 4381/1841/1615mm |
| max power RPM | 150 hp |
| Max Torque Nm/RPM | 250Nm |
| Gearbox | manual 6 gears |
| Web | https://www.seat.es/ |
| Price | 35,250 euros (before aid) |
As the brand’s first model we have tested the Ateca, a true symbol of this updated practicality embodied in an SUV, the fashionable format in the automotive world, and a medium size among the proposals of this type from the Spanish manufacturer. It is close to 4.4 meters, although it is somewhat smaller than its cousin, the Skoda Karoq is positioned by size in a sector of the market that is one of those that is reaping the most sales successes precisely because of the practicality of the approach with a size that it offers in general. Good habitability and a versatile trunk for the city and for trips.
This Ateca has a sober appearance, with a design at the front that highlights a hexagonal grill with a silver trim that is flanked at some distance by two good-sized light clusters, also polygonal in shape. Under the grill we find a large air intake in the shape of a trapezoid with rhomboid elements in black, finished at the bottom by a matt silver plastic molding that integrates the sensors and another small grill independent of the first. On the sides of this air intake are placed two black plastic moldings with position lights inserted.
sober lines
The sober line of the bodywork elements at the front remains in line with the Ateca’s profile, with a design that seems to prioritize the use of space over allusions to a sportier appearance. The roof bars and the attractive design of the wheels are some of the concessions to make the appearance of the side more attractive. In the lower part of the body, along the lower part of both doors, a silver-colored molding has been placed that can be reminiscent of a running board like those usually incorporated in models with more off-road aspirations.
Moving to the rear, we can see a short spoiler on the upper part of the tailgate that integrates the central brake light to make it more visible when placed higher, two split light groups on the sides and a three-volume design that enriches the line. behind to give it a little more dynamism. A bumper protrudes from the bottom topped with a light-colored plastic molding that also houses and protects the parking sensors. In the center of the gate the logo of the brand shines.
A rational interior
Once we access the interior, the impression is that it is a car in which the combination of higher quality materials has been optimized with other more suffered with quite good finishes, especially for giving the impression of robust and practical although far from be luxurious. The driving position is very rational, with all the controls at hand and good visibility with comfortable seats with fabric upholstery reinforced in parts with synthetic leather material.
With regard to the information and entertainment system, it has undergone an update compared to the previous version of this model. The screen sits in the center of the dashboard and does not protrude from it, so it is slightly below the driver’s line of sight when on the road. The system is easy to use and has a good response. It has all the expected functions as well as compatibility with Android Auto and Apple Car Play.
As regards the instrument panel, in the case of this version it is also digital, with functionality similar to that of the panel of other models in the group with the possibility of configuring the displays to show the speedometer and engine information with a different aspect. Rev counter. It is also possible, as in other models of the group, to show other types of graphic information on the panel, such as a representation of the browser’s map or information from the multimedia player.
comfortable back
Two people travel comfortably in the rear, but the central seat has harder padding and protrudes from the bench, so it is not recommended for comfort or width, although it can be used as in any other model of similar size. In height, the shape of the body favors so that it can accommodate passengers of a certain height since it does not fall sharply towards the back. Also the legroom is great for the size of the car.
The trunk has a considerable size with a capacity of 510 liters that is in line with the rest of SUVs in the category. It is a practical space that has many accessories to fix and divide the load that can be very useful. By folding down the second row seats we can expand the capacity to 1,604 liters. To fold down the seats you have to activate the corresponding levers inside the passenger compartment since it is not possible to do so from the trunk.
With regard to mechanics, it must be remembered that all models of this SEAT SUV do not currently offer any hybridization system. The engine in the unit we tested is the group’s proven 1.5-liter TSI that delivers 150 horsepower with a torque figure of 250 Nm. With the manufacturer’s figures in hand, the Ateca is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 9 seconds. It is a figure slightly higher than that of a Skoda Karoq with the same engine, 8.8 seconds, but the difference is very small.
Smoothness
When starting the engine, the first thing we notice is that the Ateca is a fairly quiet car. In addition to the engine, the cabin is well soundproofed for a car of this category and there are hardly any vibrations even with a cold engine. The response in the city is very good with calm driving, although to make it even more relaxed in this case, perhaps a version that has an automatic transmission is more recommended so that you don’t have to worry about changing gears.
On the road things change and it is appreciated to have the manual gearbox, because although the engine has enough power it is possible to get more performance by controlling the gears. This is more noticeable on twisty roads and when we have to face slopes or maneuvers such as overtaking in which we can lower the gear ratio to obtain the appropriate number of revolutions so that the car’s response is more immediate and powerful.
Comfortable
With regard to the behavior of the car, there is the possibility of selecting different operating modes that in the case of the version that we tested with the manual transmission, there is hardly any difference when we change the selector to the “sport” configuration. The Ateca performs well on twisty roads, with good sensations, although it is more oriented towards providing good comfort than more dynamic sensations. The touch is very good on the highway and remains at the level of comfort and soundproofing.
It is when we demand the maximum from the engine, when we are around and exceed 5000 revolutions, when the soundproofing is put to the greatest test. With regard to aerodynamic noise, it is quite noticeable in the range between 100 and 120 kilometers per hour, but in line with any other model with a similar body. The suspension setting also contributes to the feeling of comfort as they effectively absorb uneven terrain.
Consumption depends to a large extent on the type of itinerary and driving style, as well as the load and passengers we carry, in this case especially if the journey is on the road. In the city it is far from the mark that we could reach, for example, with a hybrid, but it is a fairly efficient engine and we can go down to eight and a half liters for approximately 100 kilometers. On the highway we can get to be below seven liters being careful.
conclusions
The Ateca is another of the Volkswagen group’s successful SUVs, with an intermediate size that is one of the most sought after and a more practical than dynamic conception that makes it a car especially suitable for families who need a versatile and comfortable vehicle. The good behavior on the motorway and a feeling of comfort covered by good soundproofing, suspensions and finishes that, although not luxurious, do have good quality, stand out.
The 150-horsepower engine is already more than proven in the group’s range of vehicles and achieves a very good balance between performance, consumption and driving comfort. It lacks a bit of drive to be able to take advantage of its most dynamic aspect and perhaps hybrid or plug-in hybrid options are missing so that its use in the city is even more pleasant and consumption is lower, not to mention emissions.
