Used Seat Ateca long-term test: report 4

The Seat Ateca family SUV is our reigning Used Car of the Year, but now we've put our money where our mouths are to see what it's actually like to live with...

Published23 March 2021

The car 2020 Seat Ateca 1.5 TSI Evo FR Run by Max Adams, used cars reporter

Why it’s here To find out whether a used family SUV is a better choice than an equivalent family hatchback or estate car

Needs to Demonstrate practicality benefits, without costing too much more to run

Mileage 3376 List price new (2020) £27,460 Price new with options N/A Value now £20,649 Options fitted N/A Test economy 37.2mpg Official economy 42.5mpg (WLTP)

2 March 2021 - The little things

My time with the Seat Ateca will soon draw to a close, so it seems appropriate to reflect on some of the smaller details.

Aside from it being really nice to drive, the stand-out features for me are the super-bright LED headlights. I tend to go shopping in the evening to avoid queues, and during the winter months the Ateca has been ideal for driving in the dark. I’ve been able to spot the eye reflections of deer on the road ahead far more easily than in the Ford Fiesta I had before.

Of course, I could have had the same LED lamps on a lesser SE Technology version. But because of Seat’s 'no options' policy, I wouldn’t then have the Convenience Pack, which adds, among other things, a rear-view mirror that dims automatically. True, it’s not the end of the world to have to dip the mirror yourself, but I much prefer not to be dazzled by cars behind me for even a moment – especially when I’m trying to spot those deer.

Another handy feature is the way the door mirror tilts down when you select reverse. It’s a setting within the car’s infotainment system, and as long as you have the door mirror switch set to the relevant side, it moves the glass so you can see the kerb you're trying to avoid as you back up.

Less useful is the self-parking function. I’ve only tried it a few times, and I find it more of a hindrance than a help. It’s one of those gadgets you use once when you first get the car, before realising you can do the same job yourself in half the time. The novelty of seeing the steering wheel spinning away of its own accord becomes old very quickly. You do at least get front and rear parking sensors bundled in with the system, so the Park Assist is not a complete loss.