SEAT Arosa (97-04) - Review

Review by Parkers on
For those looking for a value-for-money town car, there can be few models better than the Arosa. It shares its looks - and most parts - with the more expensive VW Lupo. It's cheaper to buy, better value-for-money, but just as good to drive as its Teutonic cousin. Good choice of engines and it feels modern and almost funky inside. Good deals around, too. Biggest problem is poor rear legroom and luggage space.
3.5 out of 5

Other SEAT reviews

3.5 out of 5

Running costs

Cheap insurance on all apart from the Sport. Fuel consumption can be as good as 50mpg from the 1.0 petrol and 65mpg from the diesel. Depreciation is okay (losing 50% in three years), but not up to VW standards.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,227 - £1,705 *

Diesel

£1,002 - £1,002 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

Every 10,000 miles.

Warranty

Mechanical three years, bodywork six years.

Road tax (12 months)

£30.00 - £220.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

4.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
    119
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
    185
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

Arosa performs very well on the eco front. With an average of 148 g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are comparably low for a mini hatchback. Eco-conscious buyers should consider the 1.0-litre petrol, which is one of the greenest models in the range. The range is impressively frugal, averaging 47 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2