Future Fleet Star – SEAT Exeo
In our latest look at the cars which you should be considering as part of you fleet, we take a peep at the SEAT Exeo, the Spanish manufacturer’s recent forage into the ultra competitive, and mainstay of UK fleets, the compact executive/family sized car – also known as the D-segment.
One of the biggest challenges to SEAT, or any other manufacturer looking at the segment, is trying to turn customers heads away from the traditional super-powers, things don’t get much tougher than a segment containing the likes of the much lauded Audi A4, BMW 3-series, Ford Mondeo, and Volkswagen Passat. However, somebody at SEAT, or parent company Volkswagen Group, has seen a gap in the crowded market for the SEAT Exeo but does the car have enough auto emoción to succeed?
The first thing you will notice about the car is the remarkable similarity to the previous generation Audi A4, so it will come as no surprise to hear that the SEAT Exeo is essentially the Audi A4 (B7 version) with a facelift, which is no bad thing.
The previous generation Audi A4 remains an excellent car, and was supremely popular choice for fleets for many years. In fact the entire Audi B7 A4 production and assembly lines from Audi’s Ingolstadt plant were dismantled and sent to Volkswagen Group’s related SEAT factory in Martorell, Spain.
Aesthetically, the Spanish carmaker has slightly enhanced the look of the car, in the main through the incorporation of a new front grille, there are other subtle design cues but you’ll be hard pressed to notice.
Engine-wise the car again borrows much from other Volkswagen group marques, with a decent and modern selection of both diesel and petrol engines available:
Petrol Engines:
- 1.6-litre / 102 hp
- 1.8-litre T / 150 hp
- 2.0 TSI / 200 hp
Diesel Engines:
- 2.0 TDI CR / 120 hp (Available Sept 2009)
- 2.0 TDI CR / 143 hp
- 2.0 TDI CR / 170 hp
All diesel units appeal as their CO2 emissions fall below the 160g/km threshold for BIK purposes. If it’s sporty performance that you’re after then the 2.0 TSI sport will hit a top speed of 149mph, and achieve 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds. Fuel consumption is obviously better on the diesel engines than the petrol, with a combined figure of 51.4mpg given for the 2.0 TDI 143 hp.
The question you’re probably asking now is why someone would pick the last generation Audi A4 over the latest generation – well SEAT believe people will choose the SEAT Exeo because of the outstanding value-for-money pricing structure, and the high levels of kit that comes with the car. The list of equipment that comes as standard is pretty exhaustive, it includes Alloy wheels (16” – 18”), dual zone climate control, electric front and rear windows, cruise control, heated from seats, six airbags, EPS, ABS, and EBA, while most of the range come with rear parking sensors. The interior has also been borrowed from the outgoing Audi A4 Cabriolet so expect plenty of quality, durable materials throughout.
Still need convincing? For many fleets reducing costs is of primary concern in the current environment and the SEAT Exeo delivers on that front in spades, a recent check on industry leading ContractHireAndLeasing.com confirmed that the SEAT Exeo 2.0 TDI was available for around £250 per month on a Business Contract Hire basis.
In a further move to appeal to fleet drivers SEAT has announced that an estate version is to arrive in the UK – the SEAT Exeo ST – which offers a maximum available boot space of 1354 litres.
- To read a feature road test on the SEAT Exeo, click on the link.
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