The SEAT Tarraco large SUV makes its road debut with camouflage in order to disguise its design lines. Stefan Ilijevic, an engineer at the SEAT Technical Centre, sits behind the wheel of the new model to test all of its features. Living up to its name, Stefan drives the brand’s third SUV on the outskirts of the typical Mediterranean landscape of Tarragona and the following are his initial impressions while at the wheel of SEATʼs new car:
The biggest member of the family
After turning on the ignition and putting it through its first around several bends, Stefan comments that: “the feeling at the wheel of the new SEAT Tarraco is impressive. It’s very dynamic and makes you feel safe at the same time”. SEAT’s new large SUV has foldable seats to transform into a seven seater MPV, and has a 760-litre luggage compartment. It gives the driver “a great feeling of size and spaciousness”, adds the engineer.
In good form on any type of terrain
The SEAT Tarraco large SUV faces an off-road course to test how its 4x4, 4-wheel drive capacity performs prior to its international presentation. “It handles rocky mountainous terrain with a slope of up to 70% with ease”, explains the engineer while driving down a very steep incline. “Its all-wheel drive seems to have no limits. Right now, the car is braking by itself”, adds Stefan.
No fear of extreme cornering
The new car continues on its course, and in a very tight curve moves forward at a tilt. “It has been designed to successfully tackle lateral tilts of 85%. On this kind of terrain, it conveys a feeling of sturdiness and safety” says Stefan. In addition, the new large ports utility vehicle is equipped with two new driver assistants. One is the Rollover Assist, which automatically unlocks the doors, turns off the engine and activates an emergency call in the hypothetical case of a rollover.
Up to six driving modes with a simple hand gesture
A SEAT engineer gives us his impressions driving of the new SUV prior to its official presentation.
All you have to do is turn the driving mode selector dial and you’re ready to drive on pavement”. After completing the off-road portion of the test, Stefan changes to ‘sport’ mode. Thanks to this system the car provides an extremely versatile range of driving capabilities: “You can use it in the mountains at the weekend and drive just as comfortably around the city”, explains the engineer.
Furthermore, with the car’s adaptive suspension setup (DCC – Dynamic Chassis Control), “you get the dynamic feeling of a car that can also take you on long journeys”, he concludes. These and other details of the SEAT Tarraco will be made public at its international presentation next 18 September in Tarragona, the day when the company is officially adding a new model to complete its SUV offensive which began in 2016 and currently features the Ateca and the Arona.
