We say hola to our new SEAT Ateca long-term test car.

List price (BiK): £33,195 CO2: 151g/km (BiK: 35%) MPG: 39.8-42.2mpg Test efficiency: N/A

Report 1:

With oodles of boot space, impressive build quality and a great driving experience, our new SEAT Ateca test car was a much-appreciated early Christmas arrival on our long-term fleet.

First launched in 2016, the Ateca was the brand’s inaugural SUV. It was targeted at Leon customers looking to gain more space and SUV attributes, along with drivers exiting the D-segment. A little late at the time, the midsize SUV more than made up for its tardiness. It’s now flanked by the smaller Arona that arrived in 2017 and larger Tarraco launched 2018; between them, the trio account for around half of the brand’s global sales.

The Ateca is a familiar sight on UK roads and it could have been a case of déjà vu for our test fleet. The SEAT is based on the same on the same MQB platform as the Škoda Karoq that we tested a year ago, and the usual VW Group parts sharing means some of it looks familiar. But by no means all – and there’s actually a surprisingly high level of differentiation.

Ours comes in SE Technology guise – sitting above the £28,385 entry SE trim and typically aimed at business drivers due to its levels of equipment, including connected technology and the 9.2-inch colour touchscreen. The grade line-up also includes the brand’s usual FR (‘Formula Racing’) and FR Sport with more sporty features and equipment, plus the range-topping Xperience and Xperience Lux.

Engine-wise, ours is the 150hp 1.5 EcoTSI petrol, paired with a seven-speed DSG. The Ateca is also available with a six-speed manual while the line-up also includes the 110hp 1.0 TSI that we’ve tested in our VW models. For those seeking more power, SEAT’s performance offshoot Cupra offers a 2.0 TSI unit with up to 300hp of power and 4Drive all-wheel drive system. The former Ateca diesels are gone, while there’s no fully electric, hybrid or even mild hybrid variants although, elsewhere, the SEAT line-up includes the Leon and Leon Estate e-Hybrid estates.

First impressions are that it’s very solidly built and looks good, while delivering plenty of space onboard – more on all of this imminently. But the greatest delight – one that genuinely puts a smile on my face and attracts attention from others – are the ‘Hola!’ puddle mirrors. With a plethora of puddles currently around, these have proved practical while also giving a neat party trick over the Christmas break.