New SEAT Ateca 2020: Continuing the Success Story

Exterior
The SEAT Ateca’s instantly-recognisable design combines dynamism and functionality – these attributes remain but have been enhanced with carefully-selected upgrades adding further emotional appeal, as well as an increased robustness on the road.

The Ateca maintains its broad, muscular stance due to its generous dimensions. The SUV 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 the current model.

Traditional Ateca design cues remain, such as the precise, flowing lines and muscular arches, while a new front grille, bumper and full LED headlamp refreshes the front aesthetic.

At the rear, the design has been further chiseled to emphasise the powerful shoulders which enclose the impressive 510-litre load space. A new rear bumper, the introduction of full LED rear lamps with dynamic (sweeping) indicators (FR and Xperience trims), and new exhaust pipe covers complement the vehicle’s design. The Ateca will also take the updated nameplate with the ‘Ateca’ name now embossed in the new handwriting style.

SEAT has taken this opportunity to update the specifications available to ensure there is an Ateca for every customer and lifestyle.

In addition to the SE (and SE Technology) trim, there is the sportier FR (and FR Sport) model and the new Xperience (and Xperience Lux) variant which focuses on all-terrain styling. Each trim also gets its own unique wheel design, ranging from 17- to 19-inch.

The FR trim is now defined by a sportier visual with key accents, including a new grille design, front and rear bumper mouldings, fog lamp grill, mirror caps, side mouldings and exhausts, all finished in Cosmo Grey Matte.

The newest trim, replacing Xcellence, is called ‘Xperience’ offering a more robust visual to the vehicle, without compromising versatility. This character is accentuated with the addition of black front and rear bumpers with Aluminium-finish lower valance, body-coloured wheel arch surrounds, and side mouldings completed in an Aluminium finish.

The colour palette has been extended to 10, which now comprises two solid (Bila White, Energy Blue) and eight metallic (Dark Camouflage, Lava Blue, Velvet Red, Rhodium Grey, Reflex Silver, Black Magic, Crystal Black, Nevada White).

Interior
Inside the interior design works coherently with the Ateca’s exterior, providing a dynamic and refined cabin.

The 10.25-inch SEAT Digital Cockpit (standard on FR Sport and Xperience Lux) is the focus of the interior from the driver’s seat, while an upgraded infotainment system, which incorporates new HMI interface, is available via a re-positioned 8.25-inch or 9.2-inch (SE Technology upwards) touchscreen, ensuring the interior is fully digitised.

The new SEAT Ateca’s interior fit and finish is enhanced with the introduction of new door designs and materials, along with a stitching across the panels. The driver benefits from a newly-designed and upholstered steering wheel.

Ateca now also benefits from an all-weather heated windscreen, coated in an invisible ‘Climacoat’ layer (Xperience trims only). The technology allows the windscreen to be defrosted almost immediately, while minimising the strain on the system.

The driver’s seat is electric with eight-way adjustment and memory function (as are the exterior mirrors), meaning you’ll be able to get back to the perfect position behind the wheel at a touch of a button.

The interior’s design is underscored by the inclusion of matte finish surrounds for the air vents, gear lever and infotainment system, with multi-colour ambient lighting bringing an extra level of customisation to the cabin.

The seats are finished in either cloth (comfort seat), Microsuede or Leather (sports seat).

The SEAT Ateca remains one of the most digital mid-sized SUVs on the market and this has been enhanced with the refreshed model.

At the centre is SEAT’s Digital Cockpit, which brings together a high-resolution full-colour 10.25-inch fully-customisable digital driver binnacle and a large infotainment system. The standard infotainment system boasts an 8.25-inch screen with smartphone audio compatibility, while the larger 9.2-inch Connect System (standard on SE Technology upwards) offers online navigation and natural voice control to simplifiy user interaction.

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.

The new voice recognition system 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. It is also possible to download and integrate smartservices, which will connect with your account and means you will always stay in touch with your smart appliances. To wake-up the system, say “Hola Hola” and it will be ready to go.

With the Full Link system, customers are able to seamlessly pair their smartphones and access their digital lives no matter what device they use – either wireless Apple CarPlay (based on Bluetooth or WLAN) or Android Auto using a cable.

The Full Link system is the gateway, allowing users to connect their mobile devices to the vehicle’s infotainment system and access to get directions (via Apple Maps), make calls with access to your full contact list, send and receive messages, and listen to your music playlists. Full Link can be accessed via the infotainment system or the multifunction steering wheel.

Ateca now includes four illuminated Type C USB connectors, two located in the front lower centre console and two for rear passengers at the back of the centre console, making it easier to plug in, stream, and charge without any hassle. A 12-volt outlet can also be found within the centre console under the armrest. Ateca has wireless phone charging, as standard across the range, within the lower centre console, to ensure your (compatible) device remains charged ready for the next part of your journey.

Online Connecitvity via the embedded SIM (eSIM) means that Ateca will never lose its connection to the digital world and allows users access to the latest infotainment apps, as well as be able to offer new digital products and services throughout its lifetime.

The built-in eSIM delivers the eCall service, which directly contacts emergency services should an incident occur, adding yet another level of safety to the vehicle. If an eCall is triggered, vital data is sent to the emergency services also, including position (based on GPS data), engine type, and 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.

The next level of connectivity is being made available across the entire range with the introduction of the SEAT Connect app. Downloadable to your smart device, it gives remote control to a range of functions that will maximise ownership enjoyment and improve safety.

From the SEAT Connect app, users can remotely access driving data of previous journeys and remaining range, parking position, lock and unlock the doors, set up speed alerts so you can be warned if someone using your vehicles is driving too fast, be alerted if your vehicle has been stolen, or activate the horn and turn signals to find the car more easily in a crowded car park.

The number of in-car and online services will grow through the life of the vehicle as the digital eco-system expands, enhancing user experience.

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 Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control, Side and Exit Assist and Front Assist with Pre-Crash braking 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) uses feeds from GPS data delivered from the navigation system and input from the front-mounted camera and Traffic Sign Recognition, allowing it to proactively amend the cruise speed depending on the road layout ahead – bends, roundabouts, junctions, changes in speed limits and built-up areas. This reduces the requirement for driver input and mitigates against sudden speed changes and manoeuvres.

To maintain safety and meet legal requirements, the driver must continually monitor the system and their surroundings, keeping at least one hand on the steering wheel. If the vehicle senses that the driver has taken both hands off the wheel for more than 15 seconds, they will receive audible and visual warnings. A braking jolt can be given. If the driver continues to fail to respond, the Emergency Assist 3.0 system can bring Ateca to a complete stop.

Ateca now gets Side and Exit Assist (Xperience trims only) – making manouevres from parking spaces easier than ever. When exiting a parking space, the vehicle will give an audible and visual warning if oncoming traffic, cyclist or pedestrians are detected. If the driver does not take an appropriate action or the object gets closer, the vehicle will initiate an automatic braking to minimise the rick of a collision.

The SEAT Ateca will also feature Side Assist which can detect vehicles up to 70 metres in adjoining lanes, with a visual alert via the LED within the side mirror.

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, but also make the compact SUV more convenient, comfortable and enjoyable to drive.

With four selectable driver profiles – Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual – on front-wheel variants, and two additional modes - Offroad and Snow - for 4Drive versions, drivers can change the vehicle’s ride and handling to suit the conditions and their own preferences, making the vehicle more versatile, comfortable and enjoyable to take on any adventure

A range of updated petrol (TSI) or diesel (TDI) powertrains are available, each designed to deliver the highest levels of performance and driveability while improving efficiency, giving every customer the perfect engine for their needs.

Petrol
Five petrol options are available on the Ateca 2020.

The frugal three-cyclinder 1.0 TSI unit 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..The Miller-cycle optimises valvetrain control, with early closure of the inlets combined with a higher compression rate and turbocharging providing greater control of the air-fuel mixture andimprove fuel efficiency by up to 10 per cent.

With a power output of 110kW/150PS, the larger capacity four-cylinder 1.5 TSI is available with both manual and DSG dual-clutch transmissions, and achieves reduced fuel consumption and greater efficiency by integrating Active Cylinder Management technology, which adapts the engine to work with only two cylinders in certain driving conditions.

The most powerful petrol option is a 140kW/190PS 2.0 TSI unit,linked to a DSG dual-clutch transmission and 4Drive all-wheel drive system to offer a dynamic on-road and off-road driving experience.

Diesel
Diesel remains a key technology in the Ateca’s powertrain line-up, and with the introduction of the new 2020 version of the Ateca, the offering has been adjusted to offer a greater balance between driving character and efficiency.

The 2.0 TDI engines offer improved performance while reducing emissions versus the outgoing 1.6 TDI unit.

The line-up includes a 2.0 TDI 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, with the latter able to support 4Drive all-wheel drive as an option

All TDI units introduce a new twin dosing SCR system that includes dual AdBlue injection to significantly reduce NOx emissions compared to previous generation diesel engines. The result is a range of diesel engines that meet the strict requirement of Euro6d emissions standards.