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SEAT Toledo Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Generations: 5
First production year: 1991
Engines: Gasoline, Diesel
SEAT Toledo photo gallery

With the Toledo being absent for a few years, it was time for Seat to revive the nameplate with a good looking car wearing it.

Maybe the Toledo was not the most interesting vehicle in the class, however, it did offer great value for the money.

The new Toledo had the shape of a traditional saloon, even though it was rather a 5-door hatchback, and was a close sibling to the Skoda Rapid. Even if they shared most of the underpinnings, their outside looks were completely different. The Toledo came with a new front and rear styling, much alike the one that came with the refreshed Ibiza.

On top of that, the Toledo was the best looking among the VW Jetta and the Skoda Rapid, with its exterior design looking more like an Audi A4 combined with a Ford Mondeo - at least from the back. Basically, a cheaper version of an A4.

Although the Toledo was based on the same platform as the Ibiza, it was a bigger, more spacious car.

The quality of the materials used throughout the cabin was not very good, however, that helped keeping its price low. That didn’t necessarily mean they were not well put together, and the overall design resembled a cheaper version of an Audi interior.

Although not very refined, the Toledo could still offer a comfortable and safe ride on longer journeys.

full description and technical specifications
SEAT Toledo photo gallery

SEAT introduced the third generation of the Toledo in 2004, and it was a significant change in the nameplate's history since it wasn't a sedan anymore.

The first two generations of the Toledo were a fastback and then a sedan. For the third generation, though, Volkswagen decided to give it another try and made it an MPV. The Spanish company built it on top of the same Golf V platform that was shared with the likes of the Audi A3 and the sporty TT. But that didn't make the Toledo a sporty vehicle. Not at all.

From the outside, the rounded shapes and the sharp lines blended together in an ascending way, with a front fascia that featured the large, chromed badge of the automaker. From its sides, the sculptured door panels showed an arched line that connected the front and rear wheel arches. At the back, the carmaker made an unusual shape for the tailgate, which looked like it had a step on it. But that was the idea implemented by Walter da Silva, who ran Audi's design department at that time, and was also in charge of reshaping the look of the Spanish brand SEAT.

Inside, the Toledo offered plenty of space for five adult passengers. That was the advantage of a high roof and also the high-mounted seats. At the front, the bucket seats featured mild side bolstering, and between the occupants, there was a short center console that hosted the gear selector. At the back, the split-folding bench could accommodate three people.

Under the hood, SEAT installed a wide choice of engines ranging from a low-priced 1.6-liter gasoline engine to a punchy 2.0-liter turbo-diesel powerplant that provided up to 170 hp. Depending on the version, the carmaker added an automatic gearbox to the options list.

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SEAT Toledo photo gallery

The Toledo was built on top of the same platform as the Golf IV, the Bora (Jetta in the U.S.), and Skoda Octavia and tried to compete in the European compact-sedan segment.

Volkswagen tried to increase the product lineup for the Spanish brand SEAT and offered the Toledo as a lower-priced version of the Bora. But, while it sported the same PQ34 platform, it had a different design and lower-quality materials on the interior. But the car didn't really caught-up customers' imagination and was dismissed after seven years without a direct successor.

Sporting the rounded shapes influenced by the bio-design era, the Toledo appeared too late on the market to be considered a fierce competitor against French and Italian compact sedans. In addition, Ford's Focus already had the edge in the design segment with its edge-design styling. The Toledo sported a front fascia with narrow headlights, similar to those installed on the Leon. Up to the C-pillar, it used the same body panels as its sibling, and only the rear of the vehicle was different since it was a three-box sedan. At the back, the automaker's design department created wide taillights that were visually connected by a red trim mounted on the trunk's lid.

Inside, the cabin sported a dull but effective design. Everything was where customers expected it to be. It even featured a retractable cup holder above the stereo. In the instrument cluster, the automaker placed two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer that flanked an LCD for the onboard computer data. Above it, there were another two gauges for the fuel level and water temperature.

Under the hood, SEAT installed a wide choice of engines ranging between 100 PS and 180 PS (97 hp – 177 hp) paired with manual or automatic transmissions, depending on the version. Power went to the front wheels only.

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SEAT Toledo photo gallery

Launched in 1991, the SEAT Toledo was a small family car built by the Spanish brand owned by Volkswagen Group.

The Toledo was a small family car built by the Spanish brand SEAT, a brand owned by Volkswagen Group. Based on the Volkswagen Golf MK2 platform, the Toledo received an update in 1995 and it brought small updates to the look but major improvements for the engine lineup.

On the exterior, the 1995 Toledo featured a new grille design, with a body-colored surrounding. The headlights were slightly reshaped by rounding-up their edges. A new bumper with a wider grille was introduced. In the back, the taillights and the bumper received a new design.

Since it was based on the old A2 platform, there was limited room for the rear passengers. The wheelbase was only 2.47 m (97.2”) and four average-sized adults were at the limit with the legroom. For the front occupants, the seats were flat and simple. Only some of the versions were fitted with bucket seats and better bolstering. The dashboard design featured a curved upper side that went over the instrument cluster and ran over the center stack as well. A stereo cassette player was installed under the central vents. For the side passenger, there was an option for an airbag, instead of a bigger glove-box.

The entire engine lineup was changed due to new pollution regulations. A new, sportier version, was fitted with an inline-four, 2.0-liter unit that offered 150 hp. The sportiest, non-facelifted, version of the Toledo offered only 133 hp. The diesel range was expanded from two to five units, ranged between 63 hp and 110 hp.

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SEAT Toledo photo gallery

At the beginning of the 90s, Volkswagen started to invest more in the Spanish brand, and the Toledo was the first vehicle built on a German platform by SEAT.

With an increased demand for compact-sized sedans, Volkswagen saw the opportunity to use the Spanish brand to conquer new European markets. In addition, the labor costs in Spain were lower than those in Germany, so it had better chances to create a vehicle that was more affordable and able to compete against the Italian and French cars.

Volkswagen hired Giugiaro to pen the car and establish a new design signature for the Spanish brand. Thus, the Italian studio created a wedged-shaped vehicle with narrow, rectangular headlights that flanked a black plastic grille. The chromed badge took center stage, and soon it was recognized all over Europe. From its profile, the Toledo revealed the grab handles for the doors and the raked-forward rear C-pillars. Unlike the Jetta and the Golf, with which it shared its platform, it was a liftback. The rear windscreen opened along with the trunk lid, revealing a big loading area.

Inside, on the other hand, it didn't feature the same angular shapes on the dash, which was penned with a rounded shape over the instrument cluster. Still, there were rectangular-shaped air vents mounted on the center stack and on the sides. Depending on the trim level, the car also featured a driver airbag, a stereo-cassette player, and power windows. In the back, the split-folding bench allowed customers to increase the loading area.

Under the hood, the Toledo received a choice of gasoline and diesel engines, ranging between 68 PS (67 hp) and 150 PS (148 hp).

full description and technical specifications