• Solid build quality…
• … but quite boring to look at
• Dashboard very similar to previous Leon

How is the quality and layout?

If you’ve driven the previous generation SEAT Leon, the inside of the Ateca will look very familiar. You get the same dashboard design with simple, clear dials and an infotainment screen mounted high on the dashboard, tilted slightly towards the driver.

The dashboard is wrapped in soft-touch plastic, and the door cards feature tough-looking fabric, which looks like it’ll stand up to the test of family life well. There are some harsher plastics lower down in the cabin, but that’s not a bad thing as they’ll likely end up covered in mud and grime from your shoes – and you won’t be too precious about wiping them down.

Infotainment and tech

SEAT’s 2020 facelift for the Ateca introduced a new steering wheel and a fresh infotainment system, which was lifted from the current version of the Leon hatchback. However, the update doesn’t feel cohesive, as the technology hasn’t been integrated into the SUV’s existing system neatly.

For example, the infotainment system has a menu for the climate controls, despite the fact that there are physical controls on the dashboard below the screen. Also, the buttons on the steering wheel have different functions on the Ateca as they do on the Leon, which will take some getting used to if you’re making the jump from one to the other.

Entry level models come with an 8.25-inch touchscreen, while every other model in the has a larger 9.2-inch system. The sat-nav screen has three-dimensional landmarks and looks bold and colourful, plus it repeats its directions on a small screen nestled between the gauges on the instruments in front of you.

Higher spec models come with a digital cockpit screen, which is clear, easy to read and can show a larger sat-nav map. Again though, the sheer number of buttons on the steering wheel means it will take time to figure out the menus.

Comfort

• Depends on which spec you choose
• Seats aren’t the most supportive
• Some models have firm suspension

On the whole, the Ateca is a comfortable family runabout. Drivers should find it easy to get settled behind the wheel, as there’s plenty of adjustment in the seats and the steering wheel, although the seats are a little lacking in lumbar support, even on the maximum setting.

The rear seats suffer from the same problem, but passengers benefit from having their own air vents. If you can stretch to it, we’d recommend going for the panoramic sunroof, as it really brightens the interior up – the black headlining on sporty FR models makes the cabin feel quite gloomy and claustrophobic.

Ride quality differs according to the specification. The four-wheel drive models are firmer, but they have a more sophisticated suspension setup at the rear which means they can better deal with potholes – and they rarely become unsettled. Front-wheel drive variants have a simpler rear setup, which has a significant effect on ride comfort and noise.

In front-wheel drive form, the car bumps and judders through low speed bumps and there’s an irritating resonance from the rear of the car when driving at speed. Equipping your Ateca with larger alloy wheels only serves to make the problem worse.

SEAT’s 2020 facelift introduced adaptive suspension on the more expensive models, which gives drivers a few suspension settings to play with. In Comfort mode, the chassis does a good job of smoothing out bumps and isolating the cabin, while Sport mode sacrifices a bit of pliancy for better body control – but it’s still far from uncomfortable. As such, this option is well-suited to maximising comfort on models with larger alloy wheels.