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SEAT's Ateca feels rejuvenated as a result of a significant package of updates. There are fresher looks, a more modern cabin, more frugal engines and stronger standards of safety. Plus this compact midsized SUV remains dynamically adept in a way few rivals can match.

Market and Model

There's a choice of 'SE', 'SE Dynamic', 'FR', 'FR Sport', 'Xperience', 'Xperience Lux' and 'CUPRA' trim levels. The asking figures start from just under £24,000 and you're going to be paying around £28,000 for one of the sporty 'FR' variants many potential buyers will want. The 'Xperience' variant gets off road styling additions including black plastic lower trim, an aluminium finish valance and side mouldings and bodycoloured surrounds for the wheel arches. The midrange 'FR' trim level is now defined by a sportier visual with key accents, including a fresh grille design, special front and rear bumper mouldings, a fog lamp grill, mirror caps, unique side mouldings and bespoke exhausts, all finished in Cosmo Grey Matte.

The standard infotainment system boasts an 8.25inch screen with smartphone audio compatibility, while the larger 9.2inch Connect System (standard from 'SE Dynamic' trim upwards) offers online navigation and natural voice control to simplify user interaction. There's a redesigned voice recognition system too: to wake it up, you say "Hola Hola" and it will be ready to go. Plus as before, there's SEAT's 'Full Link' media system, allowing owners to seamlessly pair their smartphones and access their digital lives no matter what device they use either wireless Apple CarPlay (based on Bluetooth or WLAN) or Android Auto using a cable.

Cost of Ownership

A little surprisingly, there's no trace of engine electrification here for the time being anyway. The key news with this revised model is that the 1.0litre TSI three cylinder petrol engine that most Ateca customers choose now features a new combustion process and a variable geometry turbocharger, which together improve efficiency by claimed 10%. The alternative entrylevel diesel, a 115PS 2.0litre TDI unit, has also been enhanced over the previous 1.6 litre TDI powerplant, now featuring a twindosing SCR system that cuts and NOx emissions significantly. The 2.0 TDI 150PS unit continues, managing up to 52.3mpg on the combined cycle and up to 141g/km in manual form.

On to maintenance. Every Ateca has the same servicing requirements. A major service is required at 2,000 mile intervals, with an oil change every 10,000 miles. Cars that travel less than 10,000 miles a year require an inspection service with an oil change every 12 months. What else? Well there's SEAT's usual three year/60,000 mile warranty. That's unexceptional when rivals like Toyota and Hyundai offer five years of cover as standard and Kia offers up to seven years. However, the SEAT deal is extendable, so you might be able to negotiate on that. And it includes two years of Europewide roadside assistance.

Summary

If you didn't already want an Ateca, there's nothing here that would radically reposition this car in your thinking. But if you were approaching the purchase of one of the smaller volume brand midsized SUVs with an open mind and tried the improved version of this SEAT, we think you'd like what you found. This Ateca now feels like an uptotheminute crossover, rather than one launched half a decade ago. That's the object of any facelift but not all of them achieve this goal.

The engine changes are probably most significant, with greater economy and lower emissions for the base petrol and diesel units that most Ateca buyers will want. But we think this car's biggest selling point will continue to be something that hasn't been affected one jot by this update. Driving dynamics. This is still that rarest of things, a small SUV that is great to drive. Long may it continue.

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