Photo: EUIPO
Back in Anno Domini 2014, VW quietly confirmed the advent of four small crossover SUVs. One of them will be based on the 2017 SEAT Ibiza and its name will probably be the SEAT Arona.
A simple search on the European Union Intellectual Property Office website reveals that SEAT applied for this wordmark on March 23, 2016. On July 15, the SEAT Arona trademark was registered and published in the EUTM registry. In other words, SEAT has the exclusive right to use this nameplate throughout the European Union.
While word on the street is the SEAT Ibiza-based crossover SUV will adopt this handle, is there any clear evidence of that happening? It’s almost impossible to tell, frankly. But just like Ateca, the half-brother of the Volkswagen Tiguan, Arona starts with the letter A and it has that ring we associate with SEAT’s current SUV naming convention.
From a visual standpoint, the 2017 SEAT Ibiza and tentatively named SEAT Arona SUV will have little in the way of difference. A jacked-up ride height, plastic cladding on all four corners, maybe even a Haldex coupling all-wheel-drive system. One thing is certain, though: both of them will be underpinned by the all-new MQB A0 vehicle architecture.
Because the small crossover SUV market is a cash cow waiting to be milked dry, SEAT will make sure that customers of the Arona will have a wide selection of powerhouses at their disposal. The entry-level mill will come in the form of a 1.0-liter three-banger. Further up the ladder, the SEAT Arona will be available with 1.5 TSI and 1.5 TDI engines. The 1.0- and 1.5-liter powerhouses will be available in multiple states of tune.
The question is, when will the SEAT Arona or whatever it will be called make its public debut? That’s hard to tell, to be completely honest. A handful of reports, as well as SEAT head honcho Luca de Meo, claim that the more outlandish brother of the Ibiza is in the offing for 2017.
While word on the street is the SEAT Ibiza-based crossover SUV will adopt this handle, is there any clear evidence of that happening? It’s almost impossible to tell, frankly. But just like Ateca, the half-brother of the Volkswagen Tiguan, Arona starts with the letter A and it has that ring we associate with SEAT’s current SUV naming convention.
From a visual standpoint, the 2017 SEAT Ibiza and tentatively named SEAT Arona SUV will have little in the way of difference. A jacked-up ride height, plastic cladding on all four corners, maybe even a Haldex coupling all-wheel-drive system. One thing is certain, though: both of them will be underpinned by the all-new MQB A0 vehicle architecture.
Because the small crossover SUV market is a cash cow waiting to be milked dry, SEAT will make sure that customers of the Arona will have a wide selection of powerhouses at their disposal. The entry-level mill will come in the form of a 1.0-liter three-banger. Further up the ladder, the SEAT Arona will be available with 1.5 TSI and 1.5 TDI engines. The 1.0- and 1.5-liter powerhouses will be available in multiple states of tune.
The question is, when will the SEAT Arona or whatever it will be called make its public debut? That’s hard to tell, to be completely honest. A handful of reports, as well as SEAT head honcho Luca de Meo, claim that the more outlandish brother of the Ibiza is in the offing for 2017.
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