Seat Arona reviews: decent value and ‘well-designed for its job’
This mildly refreshed SUV may not excite, but it’s reasonably good to drive

Few contenders in the closely fought small SUV/crossover class are hugely desirable vehicles, said The Daily Telegraph. But the mildly refreshed Seat Arona, with its new grille, LED headlights, and colour options, comes as close as any. Pleasingly unpretentious, with a decent-sized (but not exceptional) 400-litre boot, it certainly won’t excite any of the senses, but it is good value, and “well-designed for its job”. Prices start from £19,600.

The changes to the 2021 model are mostly to the interior, said What Car?, and include softer materials, a new infotainment system and, in higher-trim versions, a 10.25in digital cockpit. Is this enough to entice buyers away from the Arona’s rivals? It is certainly one of the “more enjoyable cars” in this class to drive, but the Ford Puma is better on the road, and the Škoda Kamiq is more comfortable.

For a small SUV, the new Arona is still “pointy and direct”, and relatively unfazed by challenging road surfaces, said Autocar. It also comes with advanced safety features: the lane-keep assist is unintrusive and easy to turn off, and adaptive cruise control can self-adjust over a wide range of speeds. All in all, it no longer feels as cheap as it used to, it’s economical, and it’s reasonably good to drive.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
‘The worry is far from fanciful’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
How are Americans bracing for the end of SNAP?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Millions depend on supplemental federal food funds that are set to expire this month, as the government shutdown begins to be acutely felt
-
Book review: ‘Joyride: A Memoir’Feature A journalist’s story of how she chased and accomplished her dreams
-
Book review: ‘Joyride: A Memoir’Feature A journalist’s story of how she chased and accomplished her dreams
-
Art Review: Downtown/Uptown: New York in the EightiesFeature Lévy Gorvy Dayan, New York City, through Dec. 13
-
R&B singer D’AngeloFeature A reclusive visionary who transformed the genre
-
Kiss guitarist Ace FrehleyFeature The rocker who shot fireworks from his guitar
-
Roasted squash and apple soup recipeThe Week Recommends Autumnal soup is full of warming and hearty flavours
-
6 well-crafted log homesFeature Featuring a floor-to-ceiling rock fireplace in Montana and a Tulikivi stove in New York
-
Film reviews: A House of Dynamite, After the Hunt, and It Was Just an AccidentFeature A nuclear missile bears down on a U.S. city, a sexual misconduct allegation rocks an elite university campus, and a victim of government terror pursues vengeance
-
Book reviews: ‘Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife’ and ‘Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It’Feature Gertrude Stein’s untold story and Jane Leavy’s playbook on how to save baseball