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SEAT Ateca 1.4 EcoTSI Does Acceleration and Top Speed Tests on Autobahn

Lots of people who have tried the SEAT Ateca say they would buy it with the 1.4 EcoTSI and a manual. So does that mean it's finally time to step away from diesel engines?
SEAT Ateca 1.4 EcoTSI Does Acceleration and Top Speed Tests on Autobahn 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot
There are nearly no crossovers worth picking up with a gas-burner, as their tall profile makes them thirst for diesel so that you can put up with the fuel bills. The only notable exceptions are the tiny ones that are based on fun superminis, like the Opel Mokka or the Renault Captur.

But the Ateca is different because it's got sportiness in its DNA. The first Spanish "SUV" trades a bit of its comfort for direct steering and suspension that doesn't give up in the corners. And like the Nissan Qashqai, it generally ditches the independent rear suspension for a lighter solid rear axle. Configured like this, it really is as light as a Focus or Megane.

The one notable exception to this is the top-shelf 2.0 TDI liqueur, but that's not the subject of our story. That's because, for a lot more money, you can have a much smaller 1.4 TSI engine that provides more than adequate performance.

Just how much oomph you get from 150 PS and 250 Nm of torque is for you to discover from the following videos. According to the official data, a FWD version with a 6-speed manual will reach 100 km/h in 9.0 seconds and continue to 201 km/h. However, the top speed test on the Autobahn concludes at 220 km/h, a much more respectable rate of movement.

The Ateca EcoTSI does less well regarding fuel economy, averaging 7.2 l/100km at an average speed of 56 km/h. The "Eco" part of the engine's name denotes that it's been tuned for efficiency and that cylinder deactivation is available. But that will do next to nothing when you are speeding down the great de-restricted roads in Germany.

Cheapest you can have an Ateca with the 1.4-liter turbo engine is €24,700. That's just €1,700 more than the base 1.0-liter TSI model, which it matches almost perfectly for fuel economy. The cheapest 150 horsepower TDI engine is €29,410, so you'd better think carefully if the fuel savings will offset those costs.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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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.
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