“The new SEAT Ateca announces itself with a refreshed look, more in tune with the needs of the market. It mixes the new SEAT design language, with a robust character, but one that doesn’t diminish its emotional personality,” said Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, Director of Design at SEAT. “While the interior adds new colour mouldings, interior parts include new fabrics with stitchings to increase the perception of quality.”

Exterior

The SEAT Ateca’s design combines dynamism and functionality and remains, with every aspect of the vehicle carefully sculpted to provide a confident look that is instantly recognisable. With the introduction of the 2020 version of the compact SUV, these details have been enhanced and added to, allowing the Ateca to reflect the world in which it exists, mixing an emotional exterior design with an increased robustness in its attitude.

The Ateca maintains its broad, muscular stance overall, helped by its dimensions. The SUV slightly grows in length (+18mm) to 4,381mm – due to the new design of the front and rear bumpers -, but remains as wide (1,841mm) and tall (1,615mm) as its predecessor.

The front gains a new face that introduces the new SEAT design language, formed in part with the inclusion of a new bumper and FULL LED headlights. The SEAT signature design remains, and as you sweep along the side of the vehicle, its profile continues to convey its confidence and dynamism with precise lines and flowing forms.

At the rear the design is chiseled to emphasise the compact SUV’s powerful shoulders and hide its impressive 510 litre load space. A new rear bumper and the introduction of FULL LED rear lights with dynamic blinkers complement the vehicles look, and increase its attractiveness. Simulated exhaust pipes add an edge to the design and bring added intrigue to the rear. Last but not least, the Ateca’s name is now embossed in the new handwriting style.

The FR trim adds a more sporty look with highlights in Cosmo Grey Matt including a new grill design, front and rear bumper mouldings, foglamp grill, mirror caps, side mouldings and matt finish framed simulated exhausts.

The newest trim is the XPERIENCE offering, adding a dash of off-road character to the compact SUV, adding to the feeling of versatility, freedom and confidence. That character is highlighted with the addition of black front and rear bumpers, side and wheelarches, with side mouldings and front and rear mouldings finished in Aluminium look.

And with the option of 14 different alloy wheels between 16” and 19”, and a wide palette of 10 exterior colours – including the new Dark Camouflage paint – no matter which trim is chosen, Reference, Style, the sporty FR or the all-new XPERIENCE option, the new SEAT Ateca offers a spirit that suits the customer’s lifestyle.

Interior

Inside the interior design works coherently with the SEAT Ateca’s exterior, providing an elegant, refined cabin with a dynamic feeling. The new vehicle adds to the ambiance of the interior increasing the perception of quality, robustness and safety, from the moment you take your seat inside.

The 10.25” SEAT Digital Cockpit available adds a focus to the interior from the driver’s seat, with an improved HMI interface and diagonal view, and upgraded with either a 8.25” or 9.2” infotainment system, the interior is fully digitalised.

The new SEAT Ateca’s interior fit and finish is enhanced with the introduction of new door moulding materials along with a stitching effect in the panels. New upholsteries add to the ruggedness, while the driver benefits from the tactility of a newly designed steering wheel, giving an increased feeling of connection between drivers and vehicle. And on those cold days, the steering wheel can be heated, adding comfort levels.

And the inclusion of a heated steering wheel isn’t the only improvement to the Ateca on those cold days. The compact SUV also includes an all-weather windscreen with an invisable coating – Climacoat.

The technology means the windscreen can be defrosted in only 2-3 minutes, while also minimising the strain on the system – importantly the system doesn’t add any reflections, meaning the drivers view is uninterrupted.

The driver’s seat is electric with 8-way adjustment and memory function (for the seat and also the exterior mirrors), meaning you’ll always be able to find the perfect position behind the wheel.

The interior’s design is underscored by the inclusion of matt finish surrounds for the air vents, gear lever and infotainment system, with multicolour ambient lighting bringing an extra dimension to the vehicle’s interior finish.

Since the SEAT Ateca was first introduced, the world has changed. We’re more connected, reliant on a more digitalised experience than ever before and need to take this digital world with us into our vehicles, which is why the new version of the compact SUV takes connectivity to another level.

At it’s centre is SEAT’s Digital Cockpit, which brings together a high-resolution 10.25” user definable instrument cluster and infotainment system. The standard Media system boasts an 8.25” screen with smartphone audio compatibility, while the larger 9.2” Connect System offers navigation and natural voice control to simplifiy user interaction. And for simplicity the new Ateca also includes illuminated Type C USB connectors making it easier to plug in, connect, and charge without any hassle.

Voice recognition is perhaps one of the easiest and most natural ways to interact with devices, especially as we have become increasingly used to home assistants from the consumer electronics world.

Voice recognition enables a natural understanding of language in order to allow the user to interact with the infotainment system using natural commands, making corrections and referencing previous commands. So whether you need to find navigation information or search for music, it is quicker and easier, and the system uses a simple wake-up phrase “Hola Hola” to get things started.

And with the Full Link system, customers will also be able to access their digital lives no matter what device they use; Android Auto or Apple CarPlay (using a wireless connection based on Bluetooth or WLAN).

The Full Link system is the gateway to connectivity, allowing users to connect their mobile devices to the vehicle’s infotainment system, and bring their digital eco-system into the vehicle. So whether you want to bring your contact list into the vehicle, the music that’s part of your journey or mapping systems, they are all available, accessed in a controlled, intuitive, safe manner that won’t distract drivers from the road, using either the infotainment system or the integrated steering wheel controls.

SEAT CONNECT with an embedded SIM means that you’ll never lose your connection to the digital world, and, in future developments, the system will allow users to access the latest infotainment apps which can be updated at any time. That means the number of in-car and online services will grow through the life of the vehicle as the digital eco-system expands. SEAT CONNECT will be offered free of charge for one year, no matter which version or trim the customer chooses.

The built-in eSIM also means that the eCall service is available, which directly contacts emergency services in case an incident occurs, adding yet another level of safety to the vehicle. It’s not only the possibility to make an emergency call (manual or automatic) but also that important data from the vehicle will be sent to the emergency services such as car position, engine type, vehicle exterior colour or number of passengers, making it easier for them to assist.

In addition, the built-in eSIM also offers the possibility of reaching SEAT services through the “private call” button; this assistant allows the driver to contact SEAT services in their own language, no matter where they are driving.

In addition, the SEAT CONNECT services via the embedded eSIM allows some infotainment functions to use real time information from the cloud, adding an additional dimension to the traditional navigation system. For example, online traffic information, parking and petrol station position and also the opening times and current prices.

The SEAT Connect app opens a whole new world of possibilities by giving access to remote services. The app can be downloaded to your smart device, providing remote control over a host of features that will help maximize the driving experience beyond the car.

Users can remotely access their vehicle’s data: driving data, parking position, vehicle’s status, including doors and lights, set up speed alerts so you can be warned if someone using your vehicles is driving too quickly, area and anti-theft alerts, open and close the doors with the remote lock and unlock service, or can remotely activate the horn and turn signals to find the car more easily.

“The new SEAT Ateca does not only keep his strength, like an outstanding robustness – proven in durability tests, but it also brings a new dimension to safety and convenience. This is achieved with a host of integrated systems that makes the compact SUV among the safest and most advanced in the market,” said Axel Andorff, Executive Vice-president for Research and Development at SEAT. “From the ability to offer supervised automated driving in certain scenarios to aiding the driver when leaving a parking space, the new SEAT Ateca gives both drivers and pedestrians increased peace of mind.”

The new SEAT Ateca is arguably one of the safest vehicles in its segment, offering a range of new advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that few competitors do. It’s been developed to see more of its surroundings, able to react to obstacles on the road, and because of these technologies the SEAT Ateca can sense its environment, offering optimised protection no matter what scenario occurs.

Systems including Pre-Crash Assist, Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Travel Assist, Emergency Assist and Side and Exit Assist, work together to protect the vehicle and its occupants.

Pre-Crash Assist is a system designed to prepare the vehicle and occupants should the worst happen and there’s a potential collision. The onboard systems work together; front seatbelts are pretensioned, windows and sunroofs are closed and warning lights are activated in order to mitigate the consequences of an accident.

Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) can position the compact SUV using GPS data delivered from the navigation system, allowing it to correct its speed depending on the road layout ahead – bends, roundabouts, junctions, speed limits and built-up areas. And using input from the front mounted camera and traffic sign recognition, it can adjust vehicle speed when limits change.

The semi-automatic driving functionality continues with the introduction of the Travel Assist technology. By simply pressing one button on the steering wheel, the advanced system uses information from the ACC and Lane Assist to actively keep the vehicle in the centre of the lane and adjust speed to the flow of the traffic – providing assisted driving at speeds of up to 210km/h.

To maintain safety and to meet legal requirements the driver must maintain constant monitoring of the system and their surroundings, keeping at least one hand on the steering wheel. If the vehicle detects that the driver has left the steering for more than 15 seconds, they will receive audible and visual warnings, and a braking jolt can be given. If the driver continues to fail to respond the Emergency Assist system can bring the Ateca to a complete stop.

An added dimension to the new SEAT Ateca is the Exit Assist. When parking out, the vehicle will give an audible and visual warning if traffic is coming – this can be other vehicles if on the road side, or cyclists or pedestrians if on the kerb side – and if necessary initiating automatic braking.

The SEAT Ateca will also feature Side Assist which can detect vehicles up to 70m, with indications through a led in the mirror.

For those people who like to tow, the new Ateca also offers Trailer Assist technology as well. The systen supports the driver when reversing or parking with a trailer, the reversing camera image is used to help guide the vehicle and trailer to the exact position needed.

It’s simple to use; the driver only needs to select reverse gear, press the parking aid button and use the mirror adjustment switch to set the direction they wish the trailer to be steered, then simply take control of acceleration, braking and gear changes in manual vehicles, and the system will do the rest.

But the refreshed SEAT Ateca’s onboard systems aren’t purely about safety, technologies also help make the compact SUV more convenient, comfortable and ride better. Thanks to the selectable driver profiles – Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual on front-wheel variants, and the additional extra modes – Offroad and Snow – for 4Drive versions – the vehicle’s ride and handling can change depending on the conditions and the driver’s requirements, making the vehicle more comfortable.

Arange of powertrains boost efficiency whether customers chose petrol (TSI) or diesel (TDI), with each designed to deliver the highest levels of performance and driveability, while also reducing emissions, giving customers the right combination of vehicle and engine to match their needs.

Petrol

Four petrol options are available.

A three-cyclinder 1.0l unit which produces 81kW/110PS of power, and linked to a manual transmission. This engine uses a Miller-cycle combustion process and variable geometry turbocharger to take efficiency to the next level in this displacement size engine.

The Miller-cycle optimises valvetrain control with early closure of the inlets combined with a higher compression rate and turbocharging to better control the air-fuel mixture, to improve efficiency by up to 10%.

Available with a power output of 110kW/150PS, the larger capacity four-cylinder 1.5l is available with both manual and DSG dual-clutch transmissions. It integrates Active Cylinder Management; in some driving conditions, the engine works with only two cylinders to reduce the fuel consumption and maximise efficiency.

The most powerful petrol option is a 140kW/190PS 2.0l unit always linked to a DSG dual-clutch transmission and 4Drive all-wheel drive system.

Diesel

Diesel remains a key technology in the Ateca’s powertrain line-up, and with the introduction of the new version of the Ateca, the offering has been adjusted to offer a greater balance between dynamism and efficiency.

The 1.6l TDI units that were previously available with the lower output (85kW/115PS) have been replaced with 2.0l TDI engines; in addition to offering better performance (more torque and maximum power available in a wider range of rpms), the 2.0 TDI allows for significant emission reduction.

The line-up includes a 2.0l engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission with a power output of 85kW/115PS.

A more powerful 110kW/150PS unit is also available, linked to either a manual or DSG dual-clutch transmission. The 110kW/150PS unit is also available with 4Drive all-wheel drive (exclusively with the DSG transmission).

All TDI units introduce a new twin dosing SCR system that includes dual AdBlue injection to reduce significantly NOx emissions compared to previous generation diesel engines. The result is a range of diesel engines that meet the strict requirement of Euro 6AP emissions standards.

Powertrains offer summary :

4 Petrol options :

–         1.0 TSI 81kW/110PS, manual gearbox

–         1.5 TSI 110kW/150PS, manual gearbox

–         1.5 TSI 110kW/150PS, DSG gearbox

–         2.0 TSI 140kW/190PS, DSG gearbox & 4Drive

4 Diesel options :

–         2.0 TDI 85kW/115PS, manual gearbox

–         2.0 TDI 110kW/150PS, manual gearbox

–         2.0 TDI 110kW/150PS, DSG gearbox

2.0 TDI 110kW/150PS, DSG gearbox & 4Drive