More than three years after its market introduction, the Seat Arona is undergoing a facelift. The compact crossover gets a new snout during its side-point session. But there’s more. The Captur competitor will have a different dashboard and an Xperience version, which should enhance the SUV experience. The facelifted Seat Arona is coming to the Netherlands in the summer.
The Arona presented at the end of 2017 is Seat’s entry for the segment in which fellow group members Volkswagen and Skoda carry the T-Cross and Kamiq respectively. The facelift gives the Arona a new look, especially at the front. For example, every type gets a new, higher grille and a new front bumper. The fog lights are – optionally – given a very prominent place. They are now a lot higher and more in the middle of the car. There is also news at the back. The compact crossover gets a new rear spoiler at the top of the rear window and at the bottom of the buttocks, Seat mounts a modified rear bumper with a diffuser-like panel. The model name Arona is now written ‘by hand’ on the tailgate, just like the Tarraco. Furthermore, the Seat logo is now available in two chrome colors.
Seat Arona Xperience
Seat introduces, among other things, new alloy wheels for the Arona, but there is more interesting news. For example, Seat is adding a new Xperience version to the international delivery range of the Arona. We know the Xperience label from the previous generation Leon and the Ateca. This version not only has standard LED lighting all around, but also an appearance full of SUV-like details. The new Xperience version also serves to replace the Xcellence, which was to give the Arona a more luxurious appearance. The Reference, Style and FR versions simply return.
Seat Arona
The interior has also been thoroughly overhauled. The Seat Arona will get a new dashboard that, according to the Spaniards, is completely ‘soft touch’ and that therefore also has to satisfy the customer who likes to press hard on plastic surfaces with his fingers. It’s done with the infotainment screen integrated into the center console. In the renewed Arona, the display more or less protrudes from the dashboard and is therefore more aware of the instruments. The infotainment systems themselves are also new, Seat makes 8.25 and 9.2-inch screens available. The system supports a wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connection and whoever says “Hola Hola” – really – can then give the system commands via voice commands. The Arona has a leather-covered steering wheel, which is standard on the Xperience and FR versions and optional on the Style version. The Xperience and FR versions also benefit from LED mood lighting around the new ventilation grilles. In these two higher versions, the rear passengers will now also have an illuminated environment. The cargo area is enriched with a double floor and there are now four lashing hooks in the cargo area.
Seat Arona
There are also new safety systems in the Arona. The crossover will be available for the first time with Travel Assist. The cross-over systems such as Lane Assist, improved Side Assist, automatic high beam and traffic sign recognition will also be put into focus.
The international engine list starts again with the 95 hp 1.0 TSI, which is always linked to a manual five-speed gearbox. One step above that is the 110 hp 1.0 TSI, which can be supplied with a manual six-speed gearbox as well as with a DSG7 automatic transmission. The 150 hp 1.5 TSI also returns. Also present on the international delivery list is the 90 hp 1.0 TGI, which, in addition to petrol, also uses natural gas (CNG). Remarkable: all diesel engines have been removed from the Arona range. That TGI is not coming to the Netherlands. The 95 hp 1.6 TDI was no longer available in the Netherlands since the beginning of this year, the 115 hp version of the same TDI was already removed from the Dutch price list in 2019.
Prices and specifications for the Dutch market will follow in the run-up to the market launch that will take place this summer.