<<BACK TO HOME

Maurice Glover test drives the new Seat Toledo
Is it a saloon or is it a hatchback? That is the big question prompted by the daring styling of the all-new Toledo family model from Seat.

Most people are likely to regard the ‘bustle’ on the tailgate as making the car appear more like a scaled-down version of the Renault Vel Satis than a traditional four-door model. But that is not the way officials at Volkswagen’s Spanish arm see the issue. They insist the Toledo has a three-box shape and go so far as to make the claim that it redefines the classic saloon style.

To be fair, Seat has played it both ways with the Toledo, one of the major volume products it offers across European markets. When the original version was launched in 1991, it appeared much like a saloon, but featured a cleverly disguised tailgate that opened up on a large cargo area.

Second-time-around, and one of the many vehicles to be based on the platform of the ubiquitous Golf, the mid-size model reverted to the pure three-box layout with four doors and a traditional lid on its luggage compartment. With a squat, wide look, this was one of the cars that helped drive Seat to its new market positioning as one of the more sporty brands – although it has to be said that access to the car’s luggage area was somewhat restricted.

That problem is addressed in the third-generation version – and how: beneath the big tailgate lies a cavernous, split-level luggage area offering more than 500 litres of space. Standing 17.2cm longer than the Altea, it carries 100 litres more luggage so how can Seat maintain this is a saloon and not a hatchback?

Company spokesmen were keen to make the point that the design is one of its biggest selling points because it provides greater room for occupants and their luggage. More than is found in the Renault Laguna, Peugeot 407 and Opel-Vauxhall Vectra which are regarded as the main competitors.

From behind the wheel, the usefulness of the radical design is obvious in an instant. 70 per cent derived from the Altea multi-purpose model introduced earlier this year, the car treats its driver to the same high seating position and a commanding view of the road ahead through a huge windscreen. And with only subtle changes to the suspension, the car also feels much like the Altea out on the road and is none the worse for it.

Until it became grouped alongside Audi in the group, SEAT often had to wait for the latest technical features relating to pumpe duse diesel injection, FSI petrol injection and ‘smart’ adaptive automatic transmission systems. Clearly showing that is no longer the case, the Toledo bristles with FSI on its 1.6-litre and two-litre petrol units and also boasts the group’s new, 140bhp two-litre turbodiesel.

Though having only 60cc extra swept volume than the ubiquitous 1.9 litre Tdi, the Euro IV-compliant engine’s revised cylinder head layout and new injector units allow it to sweep along motorways in effortless fashion with a lazy 2,500 revs showing in sixth gear. Yet with a changed management system taking output to 105bhp, the old-timer 1.9 – also now meeting Euro IV regulations - remains a solid performer, still feeling lively in acceleration and equally suited to long-haul use despite being restricted to only five-speed transmission.

Both petrol engines provide good output in a refined manner, but for maximum ease of operation, not to mention the potential for 60mpg economy, the top diesel unit wins hands down, particularly so when harnessed to the twin-clutch DSG system. Offered with the Tiptronic facility, the six-speed unit provides the smoothest of ratio shifts up or down and manages to select just the right one to match every situation.