2018 Seat Arona Price

Not that long ago Seat’s CEO announced that a new car is about to join their roster. The 2018 Seat Arona is expected to slot right under the Ateca, and it will become their first compact crossover. The car is going to use the same MQB A0 platform as the new Ibiza. This highly modular chassis will allow the car to be light and nimble, so it shouldn’t feel like a large crossover.

2018 Seat Arona Price

The price is still unknown at this point but considering the competition and the price of the Ateca, expect it to start at around €16,000. So far Seat hasn’t released any official pictures of the car, but it has been seen testing a while ago. The camouflaged prototype definitely had the production body, but unfortunately, not many details can be seen through the thick camouflage.

All New?

Even though the Arona will be basically built from scratch, it is actually going to share plenty of parts with the new Ibiza and the VW T-Cross. Unlike the latter, though, the Arona is set to be cheaper and better equipped at the expense of the interior’s quality. This has been the case for years, and so far things went nicely for them. In fact, the interior downgrade was kept to a minimum which really allowed Seat to shine throughout the years.

A Crossover or a Hatchback Disguised as One?

Many would think the 2018 Seat Arona would be a car designed with ruggedness in mind. However, this is not really the case. Instead, it would be better to be regarded as a slightly taller and higher off the ground Ibiza. This is actually true considering the Arona won’t be available with an optional all-wheel-drive system. Even though there aren’t that many people looking for small all-wheel-drive crossovers, it really does look like an oversight from Seat, especially since the platform would allow this system with minor modifications.

Inside the Cabin

Even though so far the only known piece of information known about the car is the exterior dimensions, we do have a pretty good idea about its interior. Like with most other cars in its class, the interior of the Arona is more than likely going to be based on the Ibiza. In fact, we would go as far as saying the two will share the same dashboard, seats, and layout. There will be subtle differences though such as different available colors and possibly slightly more gear on the Arona. However, Ibiza’s really clean dashboard with the optional wide infotainment screen, the materials, and even the analog instrument cluster are likely going to be used on the small crossover. The trunk on the Arona as well as the available headroom is set to increase, but that will be the largest difference over its sibling.

Exterior

From most spy shots, we can see the 2018 Seat Arona boasts a taller body than the Ibiza, and it also seems to be slightly higher off the ground. The camouflaged prototype did have a rather thick coat of camouflage, but the finished design shouldn’t be that far off. We do expect it to have a slightly more upright design and possibly a rear end more similar to the Ateca. However, considering the competition, it is highly unlikely for Seat to do any major changes over the usual hatchback.

Under the Hood

It is safe to assume the 2018 Seat Arona is going to boast the same engines that have been revealed with the new Ibiza. The base car should get a 1.0 liter 3 cylinder turbocharged petrol mill with 94 or 114 horsepower. This is known to be one of the most fuel efficient petrol engines around. The higher end models will have to do with a 1.5-liter turbo four derived from the older 1.4-liter engine. This will likely provide 148 horsepower which is still a good amount of power for a car this size. A 1.6-liter diesel with 79 to 113 horsepower is also a real possibility. Like with most other cars in Europe, a six-speed manual is likely going to be standard. VAG’s seven-speed DSG should be available on most engines in the range. Unfortunately, the car will have to do without an all wheel drive system which is a real shame.