SEAT Arona Review 2025

The SEAT Arona is proof that bigger isn't automatically better when it comes to SUVs. More comfortable and practical than several of its direct rivals, it remains a fine all-rounder in the small SUV market, despite its advancing years. Discover why in our full SEAT Arona review.

Within the Volkswagen Group multiverse few cars are unique, with the SEAT Arona being no different in that regard. Take its underpinnings as a prime example — they're also found beneath the SEAT Ibiza small hatchback as well as in-house compact SUV alternatives in the guises of the Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Cross.

So, despite visual similarities and sharing several engines, the Arona isn't a smaller version of the SEAT Ateca in a manner opposite to how the seven-seater SEAT Tarraco was an extended take on the theme. That's good news for those who value comfort and affordability over performance and handling.

The Arona is smooth and predictable to drive, and the ride quality is excellent. Even the higher specification models riding on 18-inch wheels feel comfortable on rough road surfaces. The only area of annoyance is the abundance of wind noise, an issue worsened by the SEAT's standard-fit roof rails, becoming even more noticeable at motorway speeds. 

That said, the SEAT Arona gets most other fundamentals right. At 4154mm long it's similarly sized to several rivals including the Ford Puma, the Nissan Juke and the Renault Captur, but the lack of a sliding rear bench seat means boot space with them in use is limited to 400 litres. That's more than you get in the larger Volkswagen Golf hatchback, while there's plenty of head- and legroom to transport four adults comfortably over a long journey.  

The SEAT Arona works best in petrol-engined form, which is just as well as the diesel choice has long-since been withdrawn. The star of the show is the three-cylinder 1.0-litre TSI in 115PS form. Not only is it smooth and hushed on the motorway, it delivers real-world fuel economy in the mid-40mpgs. There's also a 95PS version of the same engine paired with a five-speed manual gearbox, while the 115PS has a choice of a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG automatic. The latter transmission is standardised for the 1.5-litre TSI engine producing 150PS. 

With attractive pricing starting at below £21,000 and the costliest versions weighing in at £10k more, the SEAT Arona is a good value package with decent levels of standard equipment across its hierarchy of eight trim levels. Even the entry-level Arona S gets 16-inch alloy wheels, metallic paint, LED daytime-running lights and an acceptable multimedia touchscreen system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.  

It's far from the newest compact SUV having been launched back in 2018 but we think the SEAT Arona is one of the best all-rounders, helped by its keen pricing, generous kit rosters, comfort and practicality. It doesn't excel in any particular area, but is there or thereabouts across the board.

• We lived with one for six months — find out how we got on with our SEAT Arona long-term test.
• Looking for a second opinion? Check out heycar's SEAT Arona review.

As small SUVs go, the SEAT Arona is surprisingly agile. The only competitor that outperforms it in the handling department is the Ford Puma, but the SEAT has the edge in terms of ride quality. That's especially true on the regular trim levels which come with smaller alloy wheels and standard suspension. Sporter looking FR-badged models have firmer sports suspension.

It's easy to drive around town thanks to the slightly elevated seating position and compact Ibiza-like dimensions, while its light steering means you don't need arms like Popeye's to squeeze it into a parking space.

All Aronas now come with rear parking sensors, while higher-spec models get the brand's Park Assist self-parking feature as well as front parking sensors and a reversing camera.

The SEAT Arona's engine range has chopped and changed quite a bit over the years. Initially, you could have it with a 95PS 1.6-litre TDI diesel which was frugal and punchy enough, but not the sweetest thing to listen to. Since the Arona's 2021 facelift it's been a petrol-only range.

Today's Arona line-up starts with the turbocharged, three-cylinder 1.0-litre TSI Evo producing 95PS and 175Nm of torque, accessed via a five-speed manual gearbox. Performance is acceptable with a 113mph top speed and an 11.3-second 0-62mph time.

Our pick is the punchier 115PS 1.0-litre TSI fitted with a six-speed manual. It benefits from a torque increase to 200Nm, shaving the 0-62mph time down to 10.0 seconds flat, with a corresponding rise in it top speed to 120mph. It's a sweet and characterful engine that's brisk enough to feel like you're making steady progress.

If you'd rather the Arona changed its gears for you, the 115PS 1.0-litre TSI is also available with a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission option. There's no change in its top speed, although the 0-62mph  time stretches back out a touch to 10.3 seconds.

As there's no Cupra Arona, those seeking a sportier vibe will need to plump for the four-cylinder 1.5-litre TSI engine for a speedier option. That same DSG automatic is the sole transmission available, but it feels well-suited to the engine's 150PS and 250Nm outputs. Top speed here is 130mph while the 0-62mph time is reduced to 8.4 seconds.

Euro NCAP awarded the SEAT Arona five stars for safety when it was crash-tested back in 2017, with another five-star rating coming its way when the facelifted version was re-tested in 2022.

Even the most affordable Arona models come with a host of handy safety features as standard, from a driver attention alert, to hill-hold assist and automatic emergency braking.

When fitted with the 95PS 1.0-litre TSI Evo engine the SEAT Arona can pull a braked trailer up to a maximum capacity of 1000kg.

That's upped to 1100kg with the 115PS 1.0-litre TSI, while the 1.5-litre TSI 150PS increases it further still to 1200kg.

Seek out an older 1.6-litre TDI diesel and it'll pull 1200kg when fitted with a manual gearbox or 1100kg as an automatic.

For a small SUV, there's a surprising amount of room in the SEAT Arona's cabin, although you don't sit particularly high in it compared with its rivals, with a potential headroom advantage as a result. Sit in an Arona immediately after stepping out of a SEAT Ibiza and your eyeline won't be much higher.

Teenagers and average-sized adults ought to be happy enough with the amount of space available in the rear seats, although the bench doesn't slide to and fro as the Renault Captur's does.

When the rear seats are in place there's 400 litres of boot space in the back of the SEAT Arona, meaning it can't carry as much luggage the Nissan Juke (422 litres) or the Captur (484 litres even with its seat slid backwards). It's a big enough boot for the weekly shop and can be expanded by folding the 60/40-split rear seats over.

With the back bench folded down SEAT quotes a modest 823 litres of capacity for the Arona, which indicates the space has been measured differently to the Juke's 1305 litres maximum and the Captur's capacious 1596 litre figure.

The SEAT Arona's interior is well-finished but you won't find as many tactile soft-touch plastics as you will in the very similar Skoda Kamiq's cabin.

The Arona's interior did take a noticeable leap in quality with the car's 2021 facelift, with plusher finishes and the introduction of LED ambient lighting on FR and Xperience models and above.

Buy a new SEAT Arona in lower priced S or SE specification and it will come with an 8.25-inch infotainment  touchscreen system as standard, while higher grade models feature a 9.2-inch alternative that additionally includes integrated navigation and various connected services, such as online traffic updates.

This is a really simple system to use, while its elevated position on the dashboard from the 2021 facelift means it's even easier to operate while driving. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, meaning you can use various phone apps via the infotainment display.

Pre-facelift Arona models largely came with a lower-mounted 8.0-inch display, many versions also with navigation and smartphone mirroring. This was also simple to use, while its shortcut buttons meant you didn't have to faff around with the touchscreen itself too much.

Given the newer system is better-placed and larger we would recommend opting for one of the facelifted Aronas if your budget permits.

Bought brand new, the SEAT Arona starts from under £21,000 for the entry-level S with the 95PS 1.0-litre TSI Evo engine.

There's a quirk in the Arona's range structure if you fancy the 115PS 1.0-litre TSI engine in that DSG automatic versions are available for a lower price than the cheapest manual model. The former can be bought for just under £25,000, the latter from upwards of £27,000.

If you fancy the 150PS 1.5-litre TSI engine you're restricted to sportier FR specifications, the least costly being in the mid-£28,000s. 

For further context, the least expensive 125PS Ford Puma starts at approximately £26,500, the 114PS Nissan Juke at a smidgen over £24,000 and the 90PS Renault Captur at £22k.

If you're not fussed about having the latest model, the Arona's been on sale long enough that there are some great deals available on the used SUV market. An early example from 2018 can be picked up for around £8,000, although these will have fairly punchy mileages, while a two-year-old, post-facelift Arona FR could be yours for around £12,000.

For a SEAT Arona with ultra-low running costs you'll need to hunt out a used diesel-engined example featuring the 1.6-litre TDI engine. These sold in fairly small numbers before the engine was dropped from the range in 2020, but could be a good purchase if you cover a lot of motorway miles. According to the WLTP Combined cycle, these could return up to 58.9mpg, dropping to a best of 54.3mpg with the automatic gearbox option.

Today's Arona range is petrol-only, which isn't a significant financial drag given how they sip fuel. Depending on the specification, the 95PS 1.0-litre TSI Evo retrurns 47.9-53.3mpg, marginally bettered by the 115PS equivalent's 48.7-53.3mpg WLTP Combined cycle figures.

Opt for that 115PS engine with the DSG automatic and there's a slight drop to 47.9-50.4mpg, a range almost mirrored by the punchier 150PS 1.5-litre TSI at 47.1-50.4mpg.

No SEAT Arona will cost a fortune to run with insurance groups running from 10E to 19E. All models will cost a flat rate of £195/year in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and all versions are substantially under the £40,000 threshold for the Expensive Car Supplement — the so-called luxury car tax — so that needn't be a consideration.

As there are no electric SEAT Arona models, it's unlikely that many company car drivers would be tempted into one thanks to Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) taxation bandings of 30-32%.

The trim levels available for the SEAT Arona have changed over the years, these days comprising S, SE, SE Technology, FR, FR Sport, FR Black Edition, Xperience and Xperience Lux.

The entry-level SEAT Arona S comes as standard with:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• LED daytime-running lights
• Electrically adjustable door mirrors
• Electric front and rear windows
• Rear parking sensors
• Black roof rails
• Metallic paint
• Black cloth upholstery
• 8.0-inch Digital Cockpit driver's instrumentation screen
• 8.25-inch multimedia touchscreen
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity
• DAB radio
• Four-speaker audio system
• Manual air conditioning
• Driver Attention and Drowsiness Assist
• Emergency Brake Assist
• Hill-hold Control

Upgrading to the SEAT Arona SE adds:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Contrasting roof colour
• Leather-trimmed steering wheel, gearknob and handbrake lever
• Cruise control
• Speed limiter

Spending extra on the SEAT Arona SE Technology nets:

• 9.2-inch multimedia touchscreen
• Integral navigation with 3D mapping
• SEAT Connect online services
• Wireless smartphone charging pad

Theres a sportier vibe to the SEAT Arona FR which features:

• Front foglights with corner illumination function
• Automatic windscreen wipers
• Dark-tinted rear windows
• Chrome window sill trim
• Electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors
• Roof-coloured door mirror housings
• Chrome roof rails
• Perforated leather-trimmed, flat-bottomed steering wheel with red stitching and FR logo
• Steering wheel-mounted gearshift paddles — DSG models only
• Interior ambient lighting
• Dual-zone climate control

Stepping up to the SEAT Arona FR Sport adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• 10.0-inch Digital Cockpit driver's instrumentation screen
• Microsuede faux suede upholstery
• Heated front seats

Additional features for the SEAT Arona FR Black Edition include:

• 18-inch Black alloy wheels
• Black exterior detailing including spoiler, side skirts, roof rails and window sill trim
• Automatic main beam
• KESSY keyless entry
• Vision Plus front and rear parking sensors plus reversing camera
• Front sports bucket seats
• Adaptive cruise control

Adding to the kit found on the SE Technology, the SEAT Arona Xperience comes with:

• Delayed headlight switch-off
• Automatic main beam
• Front foglights with corner illumination function
• KESSY keyless entry
• Automatic windscreen wipers
• Chrome window sill trim
• Electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors
• Roof-coloured door mirror housings
• Chrome roof rails
• Interior ambient lighting
• Dual-zone climate control
• Auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror
• Central front armrest
• Centre console with storage net
• Storage drawer beneath driver's seat
• Document holder beneath front passenger seat
• Storage pockets on front seatbacks
• Adaptive cruise control

Topping the range is the SEAT Arona Xperience Lux with extra equipment that includes:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Front and rear parking sensors plus reversing camera
• 10.0-inch Digital Cockpit driver's instrumentation screen
• Microsuede faux suede upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Park assist automatic parking function