ABM_1 - Flipbook - Page 55
REVIEW
SEAT IBIZA & ARONA
The SEAT Arona:
A light-touch
refresh for 2025
SEAT Arona
SEAT is throwing off its mothballs with
a light refresh for the Arona, and when
I say ‘light’, I mean the differences are
subtle to the point you might struggle to
spot them, but that’s rather the point.
At 4.15m long, 1.78m wide and 1.55m
tall, the Arona is what you might call
perfectly proportioned. It looks neat on
the road, compact enough for city driving
but still chunky enough to look confident.
The new front end has slightly sharper
LED headlights and a reworked bumper,
but it won’t frighten anyone in a car park.
Inside, the cabin is familiar SEAT
territory: simple, sensible and better
finished than before. The materials feel
sturdier, the steering wheel feels solid,
and the centre of attention is a screen
that’s either 8.25 inches or, in higher
trims, 9.2 inches. A 10.25-inch digital
driver display joins the party on top
models. The driving position is nicely
judged; higher than in a hatchback but
not so high you feel detached from
the road. The Arona sticks to petrol
power. There’s no diesel, no mild hybrid,
no plug-in option, just three familiar
turbocharged TSI engines.
The range starts with a 1.0-litre threecylinder with 95 hp and 175 Nm of torque,
coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox.
It takes about 11.3 seconds to reach 62
mph and will return around 54 mpg on
the official cycle.
Next up is the 1.0-litre with 115 hp and
200 Nm of torque. You can have it with
a six-speed manual or a seven-speed
dual-clutch automatic. The manual
version manages 0–62 mph in 10.0
seconds and tops out around 122 mph.
The automatic is a touch slower, but
more relaxed.
At the top of the range sits the 1.5-litre
four-cylinder with 150 hp and 250 Nm
of torque, available only with the DSG
gearbox. It reaches 62 mph in about 8.3
seconds and will carry on to 132 mph. All
versions are front-wheel drive.
In everyday use, the 115 hp engine feels
like the sweet spot. It’s punchy enough
for overtaking, quiet enough on the
motorway, and returns an honest 50 mpg
if you’re sensible. The gearbox has the
same light precision found in the Ibiza,
and the steering is quick without being
twitchy. The Arona corners neatly, body
control is good, and even though the ride →
Q4 2025 AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
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