Used Seat Arona 2018-present reliability

The Arona is a small SUV aimed at family car buyers, so check the interior for stains on the carpets and seats and watch out for scratched plastic trim.

Also, have a look at the alloy wheels; FR Sport models and above come with bigger alloy wheels that are more susceptible to kerb damage, so make sure that no large chunks of metal have been taken out of any of them.

Handbrake

The travel in the handbrake might increase due to the adjuster working loose on examples built between 25 May 2017 and 6 November 2018. Find out from your local Seat dealer if yours is affected, because it'll need to have the handbrake adjusted and then have a locking device added to prevent future issues.

Driver's airbag

The driver's airbag on Aronas made from 1-17 December 2017 might not inflate fast enough to offer the correct level of protection. Speak to your local Seat dealer for further information; affected cars will need to have the airbag unit replaced with a revised part.

Seatbelt buckle

There have been two recalls relating to the rear double seatbelt buckle. The first applies to Aronas manufactured between 1 May 2017 and 26 September 2018 and relates to a design flaw with its rear seatbelts; the weight of the middle passenger shifting to the side during a high-speed emergency lane change could unbuckle the seatbelt of the person sitting next to them. Contact your local Seat dealer to make sure the car you're considering has had a spacer fitted between the two buckles to solve the issue.

The second action applies to a small number of vehicles constructed between 26-27 February 2020 in which the bracket of the seatbelt buckle could have been damaged during manufacture. You can find out from a dealer if yours is affected, and arrange to have the recall work carried out free of charge.

In our latest What Car? Reliability Survey the Arona finished in 16th place out of 22 cars in the small SUV class. That's a poor result on paper but the Arona did have a reasonable overall reliability rating of 91%. It finished above the Ford Puma and the Skoda Kamiq but below the Audi Q2 and the Mini Countryman.

Seat, as a brand, came 18th out of 32 manufacturers, which is not terrific but respectable. The brand's overall score was 90.9%. It finished above Audi, Peugeot and Volkswagen, but below Fiat, Kia and Skoda. With this in mind, the model in question shouldn't prove too troublesome.

Used Seat Arona reliability: the owners' view

The reliability of the Seat Arona is generally praised. While some minor issues have been reported with the infotainment system, these are often resolved by resetting the car. However, there have been isolated incidents of major faults such as engine failures or fires, though these appear to be rare occurrences.

Overall, the Arona is a reliable urban commuter, offering a blend of affordability, efficiency, and ease of maintenance. Owners appreciate its practicality, compact size, and enjoyable driving experience, making it a popular choice.