Seat Arona 2021 test: our opinion on the restyled small SUV

You don’t like this “new” front panel, clad with additional optics overhung by the headlights? Not serious, Seat offers you the option of waiving it. This muzzle will be able, from September, to get rid of its all-round fog lights.

Not well enough integrated according to some, modifying the facies of this urban crossover excessively, they initiated such a debate internally that Seat did not decide: if the customer does not want them, he will not have them. As for a paella without seafood, you just have to ask.

This stylistic detail, yet not shocking, illustrates the importance of the Arona for the Iberian brand. Born in the fall of 2017, it already has 400,000 registrations, mainly in Europe, including 65,000 between January and June 2021.

We must therefore take no risk with this best seller, but bring it some new features mid-career. Among them, 100% LED headlights generalized to the whole range, new rims, three new shades bodywork and “handwriting” lettering on the tailgate.

The interior, always pleasantly simple and equipped with storage, evolves more in depth: the layout is redesigned, it takes on a new, more qualitative material and has a 9.2-inch touch screen.

So much for the most notable details to distinguish this 2021 version which, like the 2020, also has an interesting feature for parents loaning their vehicle to children.

The Seat Connect smartphone application allows you to manage certain parameters such as the area of ​​use and the pace; if your offspring exceeds the geographical limit and / or the speed that you have specified, your phone will notify you!

On the speed side, however, don’t worry too much: the 3-cylinder 1.0 liter 110 hp, the best-selling engine in France, limits excess.

Penalized by his 7-speed DSG transmission (1,500 €) with long staging, but with pleasant management, it shines more by its softness and its pleasantness than by its modest performances.

The S mode of the dual-clutch robotic gearbox, however, reduces the response time during acceleration and recovery, at the risk of increasing an average consumption established at 6.8 l / 100 km during our test, held around Bilbao.

With an unchanged mechanical range and based on an MQB A0 platform shared with the Volkswagen Polo and T-Cross, the Arona shows very healthy road behavior, coupled with a pleasantly firm damping, which will not disorient the drivers. of an Ibiza also restyled.

Stretched for 4.15 meters, the Spanish also benefits from a complete set of driving aids, including active maintenance in the track provided as standard.

This small SUV, still equipped with front-wheel drive, is generally convincing, even if it does dead end on the sliding bench and suffers from a multimedia system requiring a little practice to master.

Others will also regret the absence of hybrid mechanics, but Seat has on the other handa TGI version of 90 hp dual-fuel : it runs on CNG as well as on gasoline.

However, we may wonder about the reasons that lead to choosing the Arona rather than a more dynamic Ford Puma, a more opulent Peugeot 2008 or a more family-friendly Renault Captur. But a glance at the price list provides the beginnings of an answer, with a price / equipment ratio more attractive than that of the French.

Seat Arona 2021 test – our opinion:

The changes made on board benefit well-being and perceived quality. The Arona thus retains good arguments to seduce, within an extremely supplied category.

WE love

• Interior presentation
• Smoothness of driving and pleasure
• Size / habitability ratio

We like less

• Comfort a little dry
• Any modularity
• Modest performance

Seat Arona: more info
In France, the Arona is the best-selling Seat: it sold 7,625 units in 2021.

Data sheet (Seat Arona 1.0 TSI 110 hp DSG7)

• Engine: front, transverse, 3-cylinder, petrol, turbo, 12-valve, direct injection, 999 cc³
• Transmission: traction, robotic, 7 speeds
• Power (hp @ rpm): 110 to 5,500
• Torque (Nm at rpm): 200 to 2,000
• Weight (kg): 1 233
• Long.xlarg.xhaut. (m) : 4,15×1,78×1,54
• Wheelbase (m): 2.57
• Turning diameter (m): 10.6
• Max speed (km / h): 190
• 0 to 100 km/h (s): 10 ”8
• 1 000 m D.A. (s) : 32
• Standard tires: 205/60 R 16
• Test tires: 215/45 R 18 / Hankook Ventus Prime 3
• Conso. Mixed WLTP (l / 100 km): 5.9 to 6.2
• Conso. during test (l / 100 km): 6.8
• CO₂ (g / km): 133 to 141
• Malus: 50 to 230 €
• Chest (l): 400
• Front / rear elbow width (cm): 145/141
• Rear legroom (cm): 71
• Tank (l): 40
• Country of manufacture: Spain
• Warranty: 2 years / unlimited mileage
• Fiscal power: 6 CV
• Basic price: € 23,460 (TSI 110 DSG7)
• Price of the version tested: € 26,360 (XPerience finish, excluding options)

PROPOSED RANGE (Seat Arona)
Gasoline, from 95 to 150 hp, from € 17,990 to € 28,660
CNG, 90 hp, from € 23,660 to € 26,560

RECOMMENDED OPTIONS
Space saver spare wheel: € 100

• In Style finish :
  • “Hands-free” access: 265 €
  • Reversing radars: 250 €
• In XPerience finish :
  • Front and rear parking cameras + reversing camera: 550 €

MAIN CONCURRENTS

• Peugeot 2008, PureTech 130 ch Automatic, from € 26,500
• Ford Puma, EcoBoost 125 ch car, from €25,300
• Skoda Kamiq, TSI Evo 110 hp DSG7, from € 22,850

The last tests of Seat, carried out by auto-moto.com:

Seat Tarraco e-hybrid test: our opinion behind the wheel of the plug-in hybrid SUV

Seat Leon 2.0 TDI 150 test: in all sobriety

2021 Seat Leon ST 1.4e-Hybrid DSG6 test: hybrid alternative