Seat Tarraco - a seven-seater family SUV at a competitive price

The market for larger seven-seater SUVs is rather limited. In particular, there are very few affordable models on the market.

The toughest competitors to the Seat Tarracos are the Kodiaq from Škoda and the Sorento from Kia. With a starting price of just over EUR 37 000, the Tarraco is positioned between the Kodiaq and the Sorento.

Made in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Tarraco offers a competitive price and, in addition to seating for seven, it offers, dare we say it, even more spacious interiors for passengers.

At its best, there is 700-760 litres of luggage space in a five-seater.

A natural choice for a large family car

The car is at its best when it comes to transporting a large family. Thanks to its large size, it can accommodate a larger family and their belongings.

The car can easily be made to seat seven by raising the two rearmost seats from the floor level. However, moving and tipping the middle seats, at least in the new car, sometimes felt a little stiff and challenging.

In both trim levels, Style and Xcellence, you have to remember to select the rear booster seats from the options list when you buy the car.

The better Xcellence equipment in the test car can be considered comprehensive in itself. The Xcellence equipment package adds to the Style equipment package a number of features that make everyday life more comfortable.

Keyless start and door locking, adaptive cruise control, reversing camera, navigation system with 8-inch screen and cloth/alcantara seats are standard in the Xcellence equipment package.

The Style package comes with a slightly more limited range of equipment, including a digital instrument cluster, LED headlights and cruise control.

The Xcellence-equipped test car’s interior materials even feel high-quality in places.

Safety has not been compromised in either version, which is important when choosing a family car. The 5* Safety Pack, which comes as standard, includes an environmental monitoring system with emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection and lane-keeping assist.

In the Euro NCAP safety test, the Tarraco received a full 5 stars.

Manufacturing on the same line as the Tiguan

The Seat Tarraco leaves the factory on the same production line as the Volkswagen Tiguan. Similarities with the Tiguan are easy to spot.

The most striking external feature is the design language of the cabin. The Tarraco and Tiguan share the same door panels and centre pedestal.

The eight-inch infotainment screen is not fully integrated into the dashboard, as on the Volkswagen models.

The instrument cluster is very much inspired by Audi models. Engine temperature and fuel consumption are indicated on the edges of the virtual instrument cluster.

The entire layout of the virtual instrument cluster can be customised via the steering wheel, so that the instrument cluster only shows the map base of the navigation system, for example.

Light and snappy

Tarraco’s handling has been made very light. The steering feel is enhanced and the surface-hard chassis does not let the car roll much, which makes driving feel light. Behind the wheel of a car this size, the slowness that comes with mass should be felt more.

There are four engine options, 150 and 190 horsepower versions of petrol and diesel engines. The 190bhp diesel in the test car handles the car well and there didn’t seem to be any need for extra power, at least not without a trailer.

The maximum torque of this two-litre engine is a comfortable 400 Nm. The maximum braked towing weight is 2,300 kg with the test car’s two-litre diesel.

Overall, the Tarraco surprised positively with its good value for money. The car offers ample space, and the practicality and versatility, combined with good driveability, will meet the needs of many large families.