Exeo scores well as family saloon

With so much bad news about – recession, political shenanigans, car-maker woes – it’s difficult to spot a bit of good right now.

And with the scrappage-scheme spotlight also pointed purposefully at cheaper small cars and superminis, it’s little wonder that the Seat Exeo saloon didn’t make motoring headlines and sneaked in this spring largely unnoticed.

Then again, you could also say that’s because Seat hasn’t made too much of a song and dance about its first family saloon contender, given that it is mostly made up of the previous-generation Audi A4.

But the previous A4 was a fine set of wheels, and so is the Exeo.

Even better, while the Exeo range is much more limited in numbers, models come priced in all-in form, whereas with the parent company’s version you coughed heavily – and still do with the new A4 – for premium kit items.

So, the supplied Sport, the go-faster trim offering, even comes with the option of having performance suspension at – and note this – no extra cost.

That’s on top of a sterling list of standard fits, notably wipers and lights sensors, rear privacy glass, Bluetooth hands-free phone connection with wheel-mounted phone and audio controls, USB port, cruise control, trip computer, and front, front side and curtain airbags.

The Sport denomination – S is entry trim, SE its plusher sibling and SE Lux the flagship – also delivers rear parking sensors, fog lights, tyre monitors and much more. The performance equipment features sports front seats, lowered door skirts, snappy alloys and the bit of diesel punch under the bonnet.

Seat sells the Sport with two power versions of the 1,968cc, four-cylinder turbo diesel, and the 141bhp version – the other delivers 168bhp – is going to be a popular seller.

Emissions

There’s fair get-up-and-go in all of the six manual gears, and speed data figures of 0-to-62mph in 9.2 seconds and a 133mph top-out support this. The combined mpg figure of 51.4 and C02 emissions of 143g/km should bring the four-door Exeo to company fleet prominence, too.

The car is listed as a compact executive motor, and the 2.0 TDi Sport costs £19,230, which is a real do-a-double-take figure considering the overall package.

In this bracket, you can’t argue with the Exeo’s value credentials. Even the SE Lux, with the more potent 168bhp diesel and more equipment, is a reasonable £21,340 – compare that with similar-engined mass-market rivals, which are at least £1,000 dearer and more often £2,000 ahead.

Seat does offer a 2.0-litre petrol powerplant alternative, another solid performer from the Audi stable.

The Exeo does come with the flexibility of fold-down rear seats to allow longer loads to go in the boot, but anyone seeking more cargo space should pop down to a Seat showroom and ask about the ST, or estate.

The ST order book is already open, with models due to arrive in the UK later this summer.

By Phil Vaughan

BUMPER TO BUMPER:

Car: Seat Exeo 2.0TDi 143 Sport 4-dr £19,230. Exeo range from 2.0TDi S

Price: (£17,740) to 2.0TDi 170 SE Lux (£21,340).

Bodyshell: 4.46m by 1.77m, 4-dr saloon; 1968cc, 141bhp

Drivetrain: Four-cylinder engine, driving front wheels through 6-speed manual gearbox.

Company car tax liability: 143g per km C02 emissions (19 per cent of cost of car when new, taxed).

Performance/economy: top speed 133mph, 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds.

Fuel figures: City 37.2mpg, country 65.7mpg, combined 51.4mpg.

Fuel tank: 70 litres.

Insurance group: 12.

Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles.

Website: www.seat.co.uk