No less than ten fans were shown the all-new Tarraco in Martorell, and yes, those ten participated in the contest that decided the name of the mid-size crossover utility vehicle. Described as a “large size” SUV by SEAT, the newcomer will make its public debut on September 18th at an event in Tarragona.
More than 146,000 people participated in the survey, and the ten fans invited to see the Tarraco in Spain come from all across Europe. According to SEAT, they describe what they saw as “a lot bigger than expected,”“suited for everyday needs,” and as having “an elegant silhouette.”
The Skoda Kodiaq, which seats seven people, doesn’t look bad either. And with all due respect, the Tarraco is extremely similar to it in every single aspect, down to the platform and layout of the seats.
Tarraco is the Latin word for Tarragona, and as you would expect, the newcomer will sit above the compact Ateca and subcompact Arona in the automaker’s lineup. Scheduled for market release in Europe by the end of 2018 for the 2019 model year, the Tarraco rides on the MQB vehicle architecture and features 4Drive as an optional extra.
In addition to the six-speed manual that comes standard, customers are also treated to the six- and seven-speed versions of the DSG. The Volkswagen Group theme continues with the engine lineup, which will consist of the 1.4 TSI, 2.0 TSI, and 2.0 TDI. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder running on gasoline will be used in a performance-oriented model that’s expected to be sold by the Cupra brand, not SEAT.
The 2.0 BiTDI could also be in the pipeline, with Skoda planning to roll out the twin-turbocharged diesel in the Kodiaq RS with 240 PS (237 horsepower) on tap. As for the 2.0 TSI in the Cupra Ateca, that engine is rated at 300 PS (296 horsepower) and it’s extremely similar in design to the one in the Volkswagen Golf R.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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