Promoted: SEAT Ateca – the new SUV with stand-out style

The new SEAT Ateca has been designed to stand out among the ever-growing ranks of small SUVs – and it seems it can also stand out in a busy shopping centre.

SEAT wanted to know how the public would react to its first SUV, so for a What Car? promotion put the Ateca on display in the heart of Cardiff and Edinburgh. And it received a hugely positive response from a string of shoppers who stopped to check it out.

“Walking through the shopping centre I noticed it right away,” said Derek in Edinburgh. “I’m not normally a 4x4 fan, but it caught my eye. It’s lovely and compact.”

What else did visitors to St David’s Shopping Centre in Cardiff and Ocean Terminal on Edinburgh’s waterfront make of the SEAT Ateca? To find out, watch this video.

To discover more about the SEAT Ateca, click here.

To pre-order the SEAT Ateca, click here.

The new Ateca’s styling is based on SEAT’s popular Leon model, and those sharp, clean lines impressed many shoppers. “I don’t normally pay any attention to cars when I see this sort of display, but the Ateca caught my eye because it looks so good,” said Neil in Edinburgh. “I thought I’d investigate a bit further.”

In Cardiff, Gwyn reckoned: “It looked big. I thought it looked great. It looks like a car I’d enjoy driving, for sure.”

The positive comments didn’t stop with the Ateca’s looks: shoppers were also impressed when they checked out the spacious interior and plentiful driver assistance and infotainment options.

“The comfort stood out,” said Neil in Edinburgh. “I’m quite a big chap, but there was plenty of room for me. I travel a lot for work, so I want a car that’s comfortable. That’s key.”

Helen also saw the Ateca at Ocean Terminal, and said: “It’s not too big, but it’s a good size. It looks really expensive inside, and not too cluttered. There’s loads of room for families, shopping, and for long journeys.”

Miriam lives in rural West Lothian, and thought that the Ateca would be a good fit for a rural lifestyle, especially with the car available with 4Drive four-wheel-drive and a range of driving modes. “I can definitely fit a weekly food shop in there easily. It would also be good for when our family go off walking, especially for all the dirty wellies.”

As for the technology, Miriam was impressed by the Ateca’s touchscreen: “I use my sat-nav a lot, and the Ateca's screen is really clear.”

Other technology available for the Ateca includes the Virtual Pedal, which allows hands-free access to the sizeable boot, and a wireless phone charger. “All the toys appeal,” said Derek in Edinburgh. “The Push Start button, the sat-nav, the cruise control. The ambient lighting [which has multiple colour options for interior lighting] was quite nice as well.”

SEAT is counting on the new Ateca attracting attention for its styling, and then impressing further through a combination of space and features. And that certainly seemed the case for many of the shoppers who spotted it in Cardiff and Edinburgh.

“I’ve never thought about a 4x4-type car before,” said Derek. “But I would with a car like this.”

To discover more about the SEAT Ateca, click here.

To pre-order the SEAT Ateca, click here.