New Ateca

GavinM

Active Member
Aug 18, 2007
30
0
Castle Douglas
Broadspeed configurator

Hope these figures turn out to be realistic, had a play around with the configurator and the spec I was looking at had a discount just shy of 5k. Will definately be keeping a watch at the other broker sites to see if they are similar.
 

rkenny

Active Member
Nov 27, 2015
18
4
Fife
I have heard from my local dealer that there has been a delay in the start date for orders for the new Ateca. Orders now start in June but still hoping to have September delivery. No reasons given - but disappointing for anyone wanting to order now.
 

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
I am true in thinking that Seat isn't having the model at the London motorshow ?. If any one knows otherwise give a puff of smoke.

The Kadjar, I saw at the Islington design exhibition last year or the year before well before it hit show rooms, Seat planning to exhibit it anywhere in the UK ?. Have we all got to catch a ferry to see it ?.

Not particularly bothered about a test drive just checking my legs are OK around the steering wheel and break pedal, assume the rest drives just like the Altea DSG. Since I've been driving a DSG for 12 years I really wouldn't want to touch a manual demonstrator since I would get in a mess with the clutch and gears.

Yeah, so a bit irritating that one can't get a viewing of it and a sit in one.

PS thanks for the note and info people have posted up above.
 

rkenny

Active Member
Nov 27, 2015
18
4
Fife
Hi Tell - I read that the Ateca will be on show at the Silverstone Fleet Show on May 11. Don't know if that helps.
 

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
Hope these figures turn out to be realistic, had a play around with the configurator and the spec I was looking at had a discount just shy of 5k. Will definately be keeping a watch at the other broker sites to see if they are similar.

A week ago it was showing what you said, about an 18 percent discount, today a 5.3 percent discount. Looked at other brokers figures on other models and they were up at the 20 percent discount. I would suspect that the change in the figure work is linked to the false start of the sale perhaps. We can all put our feet back up on the table and wait.

Reckon the launch is running like the Altea one in 2004, I ordered it in June when I saw it in the sales room and took it for a drive, it arrived 5 months later from build. September order for the Ateca using the 5 month delay in build would put delivery in February. If September isn't pushed back. Looks like a car for summer next year at this rate.

I'm not totally convinced myself that the Leon "boys" want an SUV, it's more for the Altea set (us mature type) and that was never a big seller but a good reliable well built car (& we know the Leon was based on those body curves at one stage). So I reckon they got their marketing image wrong myself and probably think they are going to sell many more than they will. Whether Nissan lovies want to buy a Seat rather than another Nissan perhaps. Brand switching is what they are after rather than duping current Leon boy racers to buy an SUV. A lot of people still love their low saloon cars complete with backache.... it could be aspirational that you put the kids in the back for the school run, the wife's car and the man still has the Leon :). It's all going to come down to price one suspects to bring other buyers into the marque. If Seat UK play down discounting them then they won't be shifting them and they will have another Altea type of car on their hands in the model range. Quality build, not selling many.

I've worked out what I want, I just want that 18 percent discount that was originally tabled. I would order it now with an 18 percent discount but I can wait if it's been retracted. Nice to have in September with an 18 percent discount, not so good in the spring next year with a 5 percent discount. Ho, humm. Wonder if their forecasting models are any good.
 

rkenny

Active Member
Nov 27, 2015
18
4
Fife
Another broker has come up with a full configurator - Autoebid. Showing 10% discount on car price and 12% on options. As Tell says we should put our feet up and wait for Seat to release final specifications and see what happens then.
 

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
Thanks for that... keep them coming. I got the percentages figures the same as you. 4x4 TDI DSG is what I'm looking at, fully specified.

Assume the subwoofer is integrated with the skinny tyre which is why they are sold together. Wonder if I can stuff all the stuff I have in my lower level of the Altea boot into that area. The back axle is suppose to reduce space which may be where the skinny comes in. Where is the 9th speaker of the 10 speaker set up ?. I suspect the good people on here know how Seat distribute their 10 speaker system around.
 

andrewpain

Active Member
Jul 5, 2014
1,852
3
Meppershall Beds.
in the 3 and5 door FWD Mk 3s the subwoofer (number 10?) is mounted on top of the skinny spare. So if you want Seat Sound you get the spare as part of the package. Otherwise there's NO spare unless you order it - tyre sealant only as standard. Think speaker 9 is in the dash as all the others are paired in doors etc......
 

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
Thanks, I did a bit more reading last night and found the Mk3 thread and a picture of it in the skinny centre. I also see the speakers by association will be Canton since that's what are suppose to be on the Leon and given it's coming off a production line next to Skoda, unless they are sourcing them from elsewhere. They get good reviews. Also talk that Seat have sorted out their sound on their high end option these days - so I won't plan on changing the speakers now. Happy about what I read on that.

Just need the speed camera beep on the satnav sound system. I did see that people import the POIs and run their mobile phones with satnav on for that on VW headends. I use Copilot and you can just run it without putting in your destination to get the warnings. I see that Copilot haven't as yet launched their integrated mirrorlink type of product yet. Horses for courses as to when you use the built in system or your app.

So assuming the cameras aren't as yet built into the satnav and can you get it to make a sound against POIs ?. That one has been a no as yet I believe.

One more question - have you got much spare space around the Leon subwoofer and spare to put all that lower floor boot stuff I put in my Altea around the wheel. Pump, small container of oil, wrench, car blankets etc ?. Assuming spare space maps across similar.
 

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
Thanks to RKenny above pointing out the Silverstone event I became a fleet operator for today. Operate a small fleet of one car.

There were three Seat people on the stand. The only car on the stand was the Ateca. They were all friendly enough and did not bother about my fleet being a bit on the small side.

The model on show was the Ateca Xcellence, 4 wheel drive manual, panoramic roof, 8" sound with the sub woofer in the spare (? may be not - will post the picture up), electric tailgate, but cloth seats since it was in the European spec, left hand drive, not leather which is what the Xcellence is in for the UK which we all know that I'm sure. Colour Rodium Grey. Lower power engine TDI spec than we get.

This is what I gleaned, as for colours we know what they are re the brochure. Matt was kind enough to tell me the new colours that are not in the Seat range as yet, these are

Samoa Orange
Mato Brown
Jungle Green

The other colours are as per what you will see on other Seats in a dealership.

Boot space with the 4 wheel drive, I measured that you would be able to get an item of at least 50 cms in height into the boot without removing the parcel shelf on top of the base speaker cover / spare wheel e.g. normal loading space. Not too sure whether you could get something heavy on there, the materiel looked like hardboard to me rather than ABS plastic. Had heavy weight wide screen glass TVs in my Altea in the past, not sure whether you would want to put something that heavy on the space. Will let others comment or consider the materiel that the Leon Mk3 subwoofer / spare shelf is made off. 50cms height looked good to me since I'll be able to get my chiller box in. The Kadjar doesn't have the height for this.

As for space around the spare wheel. There seemed to be a few holes where you could put stuff in that you might already house around an Altea two level boot with a spare. The space is down a bit on that lower level. It doesn't have the storage area under the parcel shelf that earlier Altea's had. Triangle, yellow jacket, breath test stuff all have to go underneath. So, some loss of space to put stuff at the back is apparent - possibly time to prune down what one carries about. 4 wheel drive takes out a slice of space in the rear lower area which isn't an issue for those that don't go for this.

Sound system / head end, 8" screen. It had a CD drive in the glove compartment with two SD slots, assume one spare for music - that's what the guy said, the other one map. Plus two USB ports under the headend as you see in brochure photos. The charging area is directly below where the USB connections are, so you can place your normal small smartphone there. There is another cubby hole in the glove compartment, spare space - that's what Matt called it. Guess that space is used for something else. To the right of the CD / SD navigation unit in the glove box. That hole isn't for the 10 speaker amp set up is it ?. I'm not convinced it was the Navigation System Plus on this car and that space to the left of the unit in the glove box might be where that amp goes that people talk about for other Seats with this set up ?. & is that just a CD drive... suspect a DVD.

Maps covered Europe, East Europe, excludes Cyprus and Crete. No beep for speed camera as we already know on VW systems although you are suppose to be able to upload the POIs and work out your own method for the beep via a smartphone app. Copy these onto the SD card and use a spare POI or something. There is information on a VW site, I'm sure I will be doing this and running my existing co-pilot as well for the bleeps and warnings but satnav for directions.

Didn't have a conversation on the bi-colour alloy wheels. Probably not a fleet thing.

Electric parking break this works different to a Merc which you do via pressing down the foot break hard to trigger on. The Ateca one sounded a bit complicated for manual gear box, but since I will be getting a DSG you can just press the the button up and down just like a hand break. The back end of the switch does something else, an auto mode, not too sure how useful for a DSG. I'm sure the Ateca threads will be discussing the parking break when the car comes out. Suppose to be similar set up as VWs so will let others fill in the dots as to how this is activated on Golf, manual and DSG.

Had a bad experience with a rental Megane that rolled between taking off the brake and putting it in gear. I use to have to choc the wheel to save damage to the vehicle and parked taxis. I think electric parking breaks are really designed for automatics not manuals.

OK, from the UK VW site with video on electronic parking brake use. The backend of the button is auto still hold, front end as per on and off electronic break. Mark mentioned you need your seat belt on else it won't engage and you won't be going anywhere, not mentioned in the video. The video is more about use with an automatic.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/parking-and-manoeuvring/electronic-parking-brake

Think the Megane rolled before finding the biting point, so didn't have the hold still function or not turned on. Problem with rentals you don't get the manuals these days.

On Ateca leg room, this is all important to me being 6'1". That was totally OK and so was the headroom with the panoramic roof. Didn't try out the back. Seats, your normal comfortable bucket ones with an upright position like the Altea, so no backache inducing seating.

I can't say in Rodium Grey the car doesn't stand out too well. Told it's better in silver to catch the lines. You could walk past it and not notice it, which I did. Blended in with the grey exhibition carpets. It looked solid enough and was projecting Ateca on either side of the door mirrors. A more solid build to the Kadjar.

The word now seems to be orders taken in July, so may have slipped back another month - reason for the June slippage not known - did ask. They will show it at car shows in the UK (?) plus select dealers leading up to September.

I think I've covered everything. Enjoy the wide angle photos and keep the discount sites coming.

20160511_135251_003_011.jpg


20160511_1352011.jpg


20160511_1351171.jpg


20160511_1351481.jpg


20160511_135316_0021.jpg


20160511_135323_001_011.jpg


20160511_135048_0021.jpg
 
Last edited:

rkenny

Active Member
Nov 27, 2015
18
4
Fife
Great write-up Tell! Really enjoyed reading about your experience. Glad you measured the boot height below parcel shelf. In my Yeti, which has a spare wheel, the height from boot floor to underside of parcel shelf is only 44 cm. I will be going for 2WD so should have even more space then. At present the shallow boot is my main gripe with the Yeti so the Ateca will be better.

I would prefer an ordinary hand brake but the electronic parking brake on VW group cars is okay I think. The auto hold worked well on a Golf I tried and I think you get used to it quickly.

It is disappointing to read that orders may be delayed further - hopefully Seat UK will let us know soon.
 

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
Thanks for the complement on the write up. It is a bit more than 50 cm but I stopped measuring at that. Since there isn't a drop down under shelf to the parcel shelf as you got in the earlier Alteas, the parcel shelf doesn't have anything under-neither, so you may have another extra 10 cms or so to those measurements. The two level boot is handy in the Altea. Like the Altea, the Ateca's flush with the lip of the boot for easy loading. You would get the extra space if you took out the false floor, didn't have a spare or sub woofer. As said the 4x4 deletes a chunk of the underfloor, suspect it's half depth of the non 4x4 to the two wheel drive.

I was surprised that the Kadjar didn't have the height in the boot for my chiller box that I'm attached to, ordered it from Canada when you couldn't get them in the UK, was in a Canadian Airlines gadget leaflet on the plane, now we have Aldi and Lidl. They didn't have the 4x4, auto and the rest is history.

Delays, I have a theory that it's Brexit, since any company that is price sensitive to currency movements is going to be very careful that they don't over commit to sales at a specific price. I floated the theory to them, but I suspect only their finance office and directors would know. Holding over to July means that they have a better idea of their profit margins in discounts etc. That's just my theory but I bet I'm not wrong. The pound will sink further against the euro if markets have not anticipated this as they say but they only do that if they have the advance information. dah. Seat Europe probably don't see the Brits as a charity case.
 

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
Thanks I'll try my target spec out and see what it comes out at rather than adding it up myself. I did look at the Irish one.

Err, no the screen filling one produces a different result to the price list. The configurer doesn't have the Xcellence Pack on it and it makes you buy a spare wheel for the Navigation System Plus although that's in the cost. Basically to me it's left out the Xcellence Pack which is the super saver of getting other stuff thrown in including the top camera which is why it works out more expensive with a higher spec model. You would say to the sales chap, get your price list out.

On other matters I'm a bit cuffled on Seat Navigation models and uploading POIs. Will probably harass the Mk3 owners after a bit more reading. So there is this link

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/camping-pois-for-vw-rns510-sat-nav.7895/

Which references the German VW site and I think this is how Skoda people were getting their speed cameras in. I did a dummy run and you can toggle alerts to POIs which would mean it would do something. Then on the other hand I'm not sure this is compatible with the new head end fitted. Then there is another link where you can download updated Seat maps for free, that's referenced on the Mk3 site. Again, is it for this head end (Seat Navigation System Plus).

Then the guy at the exhibition said one of the SD slots had the map card in it, but aren't the maps on the 10Gb drive of the top of the range one. So anybody if you get to see this car, check the mapping system is working and try to extract an SD card from both slots. I think that 10Gb is used to hold the maps as well as sound - but then our Mk3 guys with the Seat Navigation System Plus would know the working of it.

If any are reading do tell else I will appear on the Mk3 thread after more reading, there is a long thread over there on Seat Navigation but then that may reference the old system, rather than the new. I reckon the latest Mk3 can be specified with the same headend so the rest should flow from that....

Reading this Leon thread, it covers the Seat Navigation System and Seat Navigation System Plus. The vast majority have the Seat Navigation System that have posted, not the plus. Basically the Seat Navigation System people are stuffed for cheap map upgrades.

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=388586

Got to page 12, post 225 and the 10Gb system is different to the one they are talking about, and that doesn't use an SD card since it's all copied to the HD. So neither of the SD slots will have a map card in them on the Seat Navigation System Plus as I understand it. The normal mapping system is plagued by the unit effectively running with a type of Sky Viewer card in that the key is embedded into the SD card which is set up by the techies in an area you can't write to and is linked to the dealers update process. If you buy map updates which were not available in the UK (Map Care) but the source data is free, then it's free but you have to cough up, Seat UK don't do the three year warranty on updates, the system is locked up to them with a charge of circa £200+ for a map update. Sure it will be the same for the Seat Navigation System Plus. Post 320 is interesting which suggests that you can do an upgrade without Map Care if you have a recent Seat Navigation System Plus using the site:

http://www.navigation.com/is-bin/IN...t=application/ApplicationFrame_campaign_light

& post 326

http://www.carbuyer.co.uk/news/149860/watchdog-shock-200-bill-to-keep-seat-sat-nav-up-to-date

That's the site above. Then I'm not sure that worked.

Post 370 is a key one. So still a bit ambiguous on the Seat Navigation System Plus whether you can use the specific page for the download - less people around with it. On the Seat Navigation System it seems you can get a "new" card off ebay and that will work, but updates don't unless you cough up to your dealer. The ebay method if it works is cheaper. Don't think I'll bother to upgrade mine too often, every three years or so. On the current pricing structure if it's not free then best to order a new map SD card off ebay than waste time frigging with downloads that are meant for people with contracts. One point out of the thread is to check your dealer has given you the latest maps and not parmed you off with an old SD card at the time of purchase. For a navigation system costing £900 you would expect free upgrades.....

That brings us back to importing POIs from my reading with the Plus you could probably use this site, bit temperamental on some files that I tested (Lidl POIs it didn't like whilst the VW one was fine, Fon POIs were fine):

http://mydestination.skoda-auto.com/POIs

That one's in English rather than the German VW one. You could build your favourite destinations (user places) up on this in the warmth of your house and transfer to the car as well as importing POIs. Takes address, postcodes etc. Not too sure how this dumps the imported destinations into the screen. Gives the option of a sound alert. Places your destinations and imported POIs on a Google map for checking. I suspect that one works.

The VW company mapping system is done by "Here" which has it's routes in Navteq / Nokia via a merger. Navteq being the source of much digital road mapping used by other suppliers bought out by Audi, BMW and Daimler. Navteq's forte is the road surveys for the lane junction changes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navteq

There you go.

Any Mk3 people tried out the German POI import site or the Skoda one with their Seat Navigation System or Plus. Think it's aimed more at the Plus unless the standard system has a bit of memory in it where POIs and favourites are stored but the maps out on the SD card, probably.
 
Last edited:

Tell

Full Member
Staff member
Moderator
Think the marketing department is having a laugh

"give a throatier sound that will be piped through the speakers"

There is to me a mismatch in the Ateca hype and the people that will buy it and this speel just underlines it. It's £35,000 with the extras in any case. I'm sure I'll find this Cupra handy on the Welsh roads and drop the windows so the sheep can hear the sound effect from speakers.....
 
Last edited:
Nimbus hosting - Based solely in the UK.