If you are looking for a mid-sized tow car for use in all weathers, the Seat Ateca should very definitely be on your shortlist.
There’s real punch from the 2.0-litre diesel engine, and the Seat’s four-wheel-drive system makes the most of it.
The 30-60mph time of 10.2 seconds makes the Ateca one of the quickest cars in the 1550-1699kg weight class, so there’s enough muscle for decisive overtaking.
Stability is very good, too. The Ateca handled the lane-change test well, keeping the caravan under control.
For the most part the Seat felt secure at motorway speeds, too, although the caravan’s Al-Ko ATC sensors picked up some movement when slowing down.
The Seat took the hill-start test in its stride. The electronic parking brake stopped the car and caravan from rolling back on the 1-in-6 slope, and the strong engine and DSG auto made pulling away easy, so long as the driver gave the throttle a decent prod to get moving.
Without a caravan, the Ateca is quick and handles very well. However, there is a trade-off for the Ateca’s agility and control on twisty roads, with a firm ride, especially at low speeds.
Inside, the Ateca is well made and roomy. Our practicality testers were pleased by the reversing camera and neatly installed towing gear, although despite the Ateca’s 510-litre luggage capacity, we couldn’t find space for all our holiday kit in the boot.
Choose Xcellence spec and the Ateca comes with plenty of toys, and the Seat has earned a five-star rating from Euro NCAP.