SEAT Exeo ST (09 on) - Review

On the move, the Exeo ST is quiet and comfortable – thanks to great insulation against wind, road and engine noise along with an excellent ride. The seats are supportive and the front passenger seat can be adjusted in a number of ways. It makes it well suited to long distance driving. It’s not quite so good for those in the back – legroom is on the tight side, especially with three adults, while headroom is only adequate. All models have dual-zone climate control as standard, so the two front passengers can set separate temperatures, while SE models and above have an ‘acoustic windscreen’, which helps to further reduce noise and contains a material that cools the interior temperature by up to 10 C – ideal for keeping the steering wheel cool. On the options list is a sunroof with integrated solar panels that help to power the air conditioning. It means that even when the engine is switched off, it’s possible to cool the cabin.

Lift the SEAT badge at the back to open the tailgate and access the 442 litres of boot space that’s on offer. On its own that’s enough room for at least a couple of suitcases. The seats fold flat with the pull of a lever to reveal a load space of up to 1,184 litres – more than enough for the needs of most families. The seats also split 60/40 and all cars have a carpet-covered load area and four hooks for keeping larger items in place. Extra practicality over the saloon includes a 12v socket in the boot, roof rails, a retractable load cover and storage under the front seats. Elsewhere inside the car there are a number of storage compartments, including a large glovebox that can double as a coolbox, door bins and an armrest.

The smart interior and business-like appearance give the Exeo ST’s cabin a sophisticated and upmarket feel with circular air vents and sporty looking instruments. As well as looking good, it’s user-friendly too, with easy-to-read dials, multi-adjustable seats, a great driving position and a good all-round view. The switches and dials are well sited, quickly become familiar and are easy to use on the move plus all cars have steering wheel-mounted stereo controls, making it easy to change tracks or the volume without taking your hands off the wheel. The only area for criticism is the optional sat-nav. It suffers from being a previous generation system, meaning that it’s not as intuitive as the sat nav that’s available on other SEAT, Volkswagen and Audi models, even though it does get the job done. All cars have the functionality to connect an iPod or MP3 device along with Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity.