SEAT Tarraco review

The stylish looking SEAT Tarraco seven-seater SUV offers plenty of space for the family and will even keep the driver entertained with a surprisingly sporty drive. Closely related to the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan, the Tarraco is as classy and robust as you’d expect a model to be from the VW Group stable.

There’s no electrified model available yet, but the petrol and diesel engines offer good economy as well as decent pace, while the Tarraco’s keen pricing means that it deserves some consideration.

The Tarraco is SEAT’s first SUV that offers seven seat flexibility. With a large boot and a generous level of equipment, it can comfortably meet the demands of a growing family, although the third row of seats – which are standard across the range – are best reserved for occasional use.

The Tarraco is closely related to the Skoda Kodiaq, but the SEAT edges the Skoda in terms of styling and driver appeal, although it can’t match its Czech mate when it comes to practicality and flexibility. There is no shortage of other rivals, with the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento offering seven seats for occasional use.

In a very short space of time, SEAT has progressed from a company with no SUVs to having three for sale in dealers. The Tarraco sits at the top of the SUV family, above the compact Ateca and small Arona, and it’s closely related to the Kodiaq. Indeed, it sits on the same platform, but while the Kodiaq is focused on flexibility and practicality, the Tarraco has a sportier feel, as it sits 20mm lower than its Skoda counterpart. 

That doesn’t make the Tarraco a sporty car, but as seven-seat SUVs go, it offers a fair amount of driver appeal. It feels good in corners and rides well over all surfaces, with only a limited level of body roll when cornering.

Thanks to LED lighting at the front and rear, a bold corporate face and chunky SUV styling, the Tarraco is one of the best looking seven-seat SUVs on the market, especially in one of the Xcellence trims, which ride on 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels. 

Be warned, though: the larger alloy wheels might look the part, but the Tarraco rides better on smaller wheels. There are a choice of petrol and diesel engines, with four-wheel drive available if you need it.

SEAT has now realigned the model range, reflecting a simpler line-up for buyers to engage with. SE and SE Technology make up the more affordable trims, followed by a choice of sportier or luxury versions, with the FR, FR Sport, Xcellence and Xcellence Lux.

Standard specification is high, with even SE cars offering metallic paint, LED headlights and rear lights, an eight-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, easy-fold rear seat system, rear parking sensors, auto lights and wipers and three Isofix points in the middle row.

Prices start from around £32,000 for the 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol SE model, rising to over £45,000 for the 242bhp FR Sport with DSG automatic transmission and four-wheel drive. This edges the Tarraco into a higher rate of VED for the first five years you own it, which is something to consider when buying new.

For an alternative review of the SEAT Tarraco, visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk…

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