SEAT doesn't sell cars in America, but we hear the Arona will be made in Mexico from 2020. For a small crossover, this thing not only handles well but is also pretty fast.
Under the hood of this particular FR version is the 1.5 TSI Evo, a replacement for the 1.4 TSI. It makes the same 150 HP and 250 Nm of torque as the old mill, which means it should be a near perfect match for something like a Buick Encore.
However, this independent test reveals that it's a little faster than expected. From 0 to 100 km/h, which is equivalent to 62 mph, the Arona is clocked at 7.3 seconds. Now, this could be down to the speedometer being off, but it still doesn't change the fact that it's faster than claimed (8.0s). Most cheap cars these days are slower.
Does it have AWD to help it put the power down better? No. In fact, none of the Arona versions will have AWD because of platform limitations. It's not like the 6-speed manual gearbox is a huge help either. What does make a difference are the available 215/45 R18 tires and the low weight of 1,147 kilograms.
The 1.5 TSI is also pretty good on gas, averaging about 6 l/100km (in the real world). It's not cheap though, as, with some decent options, this configuration can quickly go over €24,000. We'd wait a little longer to get a good offer and maybe give SEAT time to fit a DSG to this particular mill.
If you don't want a 1.5 TSI, you'll have a choice of 95 or 115 HP 1.0 TSI petrol or 1.6 TDI diesel. Of all the trim levels, FR is the sportiest-looking, but there's a Xcellance version with an upmarket feel. At 400 liters, the trunk is easily big enough for a young family, so the Leon hatchback could be in trouble.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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