Three box hatch which gets back to basic and will suit both young families and empty nesters.
For – Very competitive price.
Against – Some might find it dull and interior materials well below the rest of the SEAT range.
Customers considering the new SEAT Toledo might become a little confused if they think it is Spanish. It certainly comes from a company based in Spain but that company is owned by a German conglomerate and the Toledo is actually made in the Skoda factory in the Czech Republic. Fortunately the German company is Volkswagen and the Czechs have a wonderful reputation for the quality of their engineering. It is actually possible that the quality of vehicles produced at the plant near Prague is better than at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg factory.
The new Toledo offers a lot of car for a reasonable price; the 1.2 TSI E costing just £12,495 and the 1.6 TDI SE Ecomotive is only £17,840.
There are petrol engines – 1.2 litre 75, 86 and 105 PS and a 1.4 litre 122 PS – and two 1.6 litre diesels, both 105 PS but one with Ecomotive specification. All come with 5-speed manual gearboxes apart from the 1.2 TS 105 PS which has 6-speeds and the 1.4 TSI 122 PS which only comes with DSG automatic.
The Toledo is available in three levels of trim; E, S and SE. The E comes with electronic stability control, electric front windows, fully adjustable steering wheel, 12 volt socket, radio/CD/MP3 with four speakers and four airbags.
The S adds electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, rear windscreen wiper, height adjustable driver’s seat, split-folding rear seat, air conditioning, trip computer, Bluetooth hands free, USB port, six speakers and steering wheel mounted audio controls.
The SE is particularly well equipped with height adjustable passenger seat, leather trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, electric rear windows, cruise control and 16” alloy wheels.
The car performs very well on the road with excellent steering, well weighted brakes, safe roadholding and a compliant ride. All engines are remarkably economical and the car makes great sense for families and empty nesters looking for high quality for a low price.
| SEAT Toledo 1.6 TDI Ecomotive | |
|---|---|
| Engine: | 4-cylinder, diesel 1.6 litre |
| Torque: | 250 Nm |
| Gearbox: | 5-speed manual gearbox |
| Acceleration: | 0-62 mph in 10.4 |
| Top Speed: | 118 mph |
| Fuel Consumption: | claimed combined mpg 70.6 |
| CO2: | 106g/km |
| Length: | 4,482 mm |
| Width: | 1,703 mm (ex. mirrors) |
| Height: | 1,461 mm |
| Boot capacity: | 550 litres, seats up and 1,490 litres seats down. |
| Price: | On the road price: £17,840 |
| For: | Very competitive price |
| Against: | Some might find it dull and interior materials well below the rest of the SEAT range |
© Robert Couldwell May 2013
For publication by Wintons World
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