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Which used SEAT Ateca should you buy?
SEAT was late to the SUV party, but that didn’t stop the SEAT Ateca from being a hit for the Spanish car maker.
A combination of stylish looks, good value and decent versatility made it a strong contender when new, and those qualities also apply to the car as a used or nearly new buy.
By and large, equipment levels on the SEAT Ateca are pretty decent across the range – air-con, autonomous emergency braking and touchscreen interfaces come as standard on all models.
If you want to go down the petrol route, the 1.4-litre and 1.5-litre engines offer good blends of performance and fuel economy. 1.0-litre and 2.0-litre petrol options will suit drivers after lower running costs and stronger performance respectively, whereas those who do lots of long drives or heavy towing will be better off with the 1.6-litre diesel.
If you want a sportier-still SEAT Ateca, there is an option for you in the form of the Cupra Ateca. This model is the more performance-oriented cousin of the SEAT Ateca, and more expensive to buy and run, although it is also faster and more fun to drive.
Read our full SEAT Ateca review
What used SEAT Ateca trim levels are available?
There’s a wide choice, but we would suggest you avoid the entry-level SEAT Ateca S models if your budget stretches far enough, and instead begin your search at the better-equipped SEAT Ateca SE models.
These trims came with more equipment, and you should have much more choice. Read on for our assessment of the various SEAT Ateca grades.
SEAT Ateca S
The entry-level grade at launch was the SEAT Ateca S, but this trim was dropped at the car’s mid-life update in 2020. Standard equipment included:
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Five-inch touchscreen
- LED daytime running lights
- Cloth upholstery
- Air-conditioning
- Hill-start assist
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Front, side and curtain airbags
SEAT Ateca SE
SEAT Ateca SE models improved upon the entry-level cars with some desirable equipment, as detailed below.
- Eight-inch touchscreen
- Bluetooth
- Rear parking sensors
- Cruise control
- Automatic air-conditioning
- 8.2-inch touchscreen (Post-2020 models)
- Front parking sensors (Post-2020 models)
SEAT Ateca SE Technology
Unsurprisingly, the SEAT Ateca SE Technology trim was very similar to the SEAT Ateca SE spec, with most features carried over wholesale. But it did come with some highlights of its own, as listed below.
- Built-in sat-nav
- LED headlights
- 9.2-inch touchscreen (Post-2020 models)
SEAT Ateca FR
The SEAT Ateca FR trim was first introduced in 2019, and aimed to inject some sportiness to the family SUV with a mildly more aggressive look than standard versions.
- Redesigned bumpers
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Gloss black front grille
- Alcantara-trimmed seats
- Redesigned steering wheel
- Digital instrument display (Post-2020 models)
- Automatic headlights (Post-2020 models)
- Automatic windscreen wipers (Post-2020 models)
SEAT Ateca FR Sport
SEAT Ateca FR Sport models were a mildly upgraded version of the regular SEAT Ateca FR cars. They share much of the same equipment, with the following features among the key differences:
- Power-adjustable driver’s seat
- Digital instrument display
- Heated front seats (Post-2020 models)
SEAT Ateca Xcellence / Xperience
The flagship trim of the range at launch, the SEAT Ateca Xcellence came with some appealing equipment. This trim was rebranded as SEAT Ateca Xperience at the 2020 facelift, where it received some additional features.
- Reversing camera
- Leather upholstery
- Keyless entry
- Space-saver spare wheel
- Adaptive cruise control (Post-2020 models)
- Heated windscreen (Post-2020 models)
SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux/ Xperience Lux
SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux models built upon the SEAT Ateca Xcellence trim with even more standard equipment. As part of the 2020 facelift, the SEAT Ateca Xcellence Lux was replaced with the SEAT Ateca Xperience Lux spec.
- Heated front seats
- Digital instrument display
- Powered tailgate
- Lane departure warning
- Blind spot monitoring
- Surround-view parking camera (Post-2020 models)
- Power-adjustable front seats (Post 2020 models)
Is a used SEAT Ateca a good buy?
The SEAT Ateca makes a compelling case for itself in the SUV market as a well-judged all-rounder.
There’s decent space inside for taller passengers to feel comfortable on longer journeys, and the boot is larger than the ones you’ll find on similar-age rivals such as the Renault Kadjar or big-selling Nissan Qashqai.
Overall build quality is good, too, meaning that even well-used examples should still feel fairly solid inside.