Seat drives on with new Exeo

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Saturday, October 29, 2011

The supposed ‘non-premium’ brands in the Volkswagen Group line-up — namely Seat and Skoda — offer some of the best value for money for car buyers, especially when it comes to mainstream products.

While Skoda has had success in the Irish market in recent years — they are plentiful on our roads — it has not been the same chez Seat, and the Spanish marque, it would seem, is having a harder time of being embraced by the Irish buying public.

There may be a number of factors — marketing, brand awareness, product awareness and dealer location, among them — but Seat now produces a range of cars that is not only excellent value for money, but also startlingly capable and well-made.

Seat sometimes has to make do with the hand-me-downs from the Volkswagen Group, but it doesn’t seem to have a problem with that and still makes an excellent job with the cards it is dealt.

But at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show we saw an example of what Seat can do provided it is given the time and resources.

Seat’s IBL concept car was not one of the stand-outs at the show, but it indicated a statement of intent about where Seat would like to go — if it is allowed.

Unfortunately, VW Group resources are divided up among VW and Audi first, with everyone else left to bide their time until room is made for them.

And, with both brands launching a slew of new models, Seat has to wait.

The IBL may not be the car that will replace this week’s tester, the Exeo.

Seat says the IBL reflects more where the company wants to be than where it will be.

Seat president James Muir says the IBL concept does not pre-empt a specific model, but rather shows the design philosophy the company is applying to ‘bring the unmistakable Seat identity’ to a saloon car.

“Over the next few years, Seat will embark upon a product offensive that will see the spirit of the IBL reflected in several series-production models,” he said.

Well that’s fighting talk, if ever I heard it and is indicative of the ambition of the marque, even if it may be hamstrung by what it is allowed do rather than doing what it wants. Last week, we highlighted the new Seat Mii city car — which is based on the VW Up! — and it will be the first of a planned model renewal which will see a new Leon coming on stream in 2013.

Seat will then launch a version of the Skoda MissionL and we will have to wait and see if the IBL is, in fact, a replacement for the Exeo.

Now, while the IBL is bang on to contend in the family car/repmobile class, it is a new car and one which has been inspired by Seat’s own design studio.

The Exeo is one of the hand-me-downs the company has had to make a fist of.

It is based on the last generation Audi A4 and a cursory look at the car leaves you in no doubt about its parentage.

But, being based on the last A4 is no bad thing; indeed, being based on any A4 is not a bad thing.

To transform the A4 into the Exeo, the Spanish company’s design team tweaked the look of the car to refresh and renew it and were also allowed access to the VW Group’s latest generation of diesel powerplants.

What they have come up with is a decent machine indeed and one which — provided you don’t want to be at the real cutting edge of automotive innovation — is a perfectly reasonable and affordable driving proposition.

The Audi-inspired interior (it is based on that of the A4 Cabrio) was a benchmark for build quality, solidity and functionality, and potential Exeo drivers will not be anything other than impressed by what is on offer here.

Interior space is excellent, even for rear-seat passengers, and the boot is a decent size and shape, while the split/folding rear seats add to its carrying potential.

For the driver, the steering wheel is adjustable for rake and reach and the seat is height-adjustable.

On the road, the 105 kW (141 bhp) engine is a decent compromise between performance and affordability. It is a nice, solid engine without being an eye-popping performer; there is plenty of oomph available and economy is excellent too — coming out on the right side of 50 mpg.

Handling and ride are good rather than exceptional, but the Exeo has plenty of grip and clings on well in corners.

All told, the Exeo is a fine machine and one which will, unfortunately, slip under many people’s radars undetected — for some of the reasons already outlined.

This is a shame, because it is a car which offers owners a lot for the money being asked.

But, whatever about this car, the future is bright for Seat and until the Exeo is replaced, it still represents a decent blend of comfort, style and affordability.