• Classy and ergonomic cabin
• Plush materials up top and simple controls
• Digital instruments standard on all models

How is the quality and layout?

The SEAT dashboard with its floating infotainment touchscreen result in a great view forward, as well as helping give the Tarraco an airier-feeling interior than its Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Kodiaq cousins. In fact, calling it floating is misleading – it’s not freestanding like that of the Peugeot 5008, rather it’s chamfered away behind to create an optical illusion.

Somehow it looks a retrograde step from the integrated look of the smaller Arona and Ateca models, and does look a little cheap with a large glossy black bezel around it that looks like it should be filled by a larger screen (it can’t be). Still, in-built Alexa and Shazam are available if such technologies are boat-floaters for you.

Soft-touch plastics on top of the dashboard feel higher quality than the equivalent Kodiaq, but lower down the interior there are some scratchier feeling materials. The digital instrumentation fitted as standard on all Tarraco models give an extra air of quality and sportiness over its sister cars from Volkswagen and Skoda.

Infotainment and tech

The entry-level SE models get an 8.25-inch version of the central touchscreen, but SE Technology and above are specified with the larger 9.25-inch screen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard on all models, thus taking the strain out of streaming, connecting and navigating.

The system is packed with features, but they’re sometimes quite difficult to access, and it all takes a period of familiarisation. Overall, it’s better to use than the very latest Vokswagen Group systems found on the Golf and Leon, and unlike those models it doesn’t suffer from laggy response and it’s agreeably quick in use. We’d still prefer physical controls to access the screen, but that’s becoming increasingly rare.

Comfort

• Supportive seats on all models
• Good amount of adjustment
• Good refinement, but firm ride

The Tarraco needs to be a relaxing family car, and it delivers on this front when it comes to interior accommodation, while refinement is also good. It’s a hushed car with ample sound insulation – the engines don’t get too rowdy and wind noise is kept to a minimum (aside from some noise coming from the panoramic sunroof at speed).

However, the large 20-inch alloys can kick up a bit of a racket on some surfaces, and this can the ride over rough roads too. The Tarraco is firmer than pretty much all of its rivals, making it the least comfortable of the lot. But it’s all relative as the Tarraco will hardly leave you feeling rattled at the end of a journey.

The Tarraco claws back a bit of ground with supportive seats with plenty of adjustment, so it’s easy to get a good driving position. Our suggestion would be to avoid the higher-spec models and their larger wheels and opt for an SE Technology or Xcellence model – you still get impressive seats, but with more of a sidewall on the tyres the ride is a little softer.