First Drive: Warmed-over Arona isn’t quite the rebirth of Seat that we had hoped for

What is it?

The new-for-2026 Arona will play a key role in appealing to younger buyers, but even more so considering Seat’s new position within the Volkswagen Group. We’ve driven it for the first time.

What’s new?

There are few trim changes inside, too, but it’s all very muted – Volkswagen hasn’t exactly thrown money around for Seat’s reawakening as there’s a similar level of tweaks to the Arona’s supermini sister, the Ibiza.

What’s under the bonnet?

The more powerful unit comes with the choice of a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG automatic. Sitting at the top of the range is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol with 148bhp, coming exclusively with the seven-speed DSG.

Both the Arona and Ibiza take a tiny step towards electrification in 2026 as mild-hybrid engines join the range.

What’s it like to drive?

Meanwhile, in town, the light steering makes tight manoeuvres a doddle. The only real bugbear is the ride – it’s on the firm side, which will be fine for some and does aid that tight body control. But newer rivals like the Ford Puma show you can have tidy handling but not at the expense of ride comfort.

How does it look?

Bar a few changes here and there, this is the same Arona that launched in 2017; park it next to a Puma or a Vauxhall Mokka and it looks positively ancient. It’s still a smart-looking thing, though, and is at its best in top-spec FR Sport trim.

What’s it like inside?

Because it’s from an earlier time, there are physical knobs and buttons for features like the climate control. Also, the Arona has escaped Volkswagen’s fascination with touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel as seen in newer models. It may be a little dull, but the Arona’s interior is well laid out and has a pleasing familiarity to it. Meanwhile, as for space, the Arona’s back seats are starting to feel a little tight compared to rivals, but the 400-litre boot is excellent.

What’s the spec like?

As the SE is now the entry trim, it now looks very well equipped. It gets that 8.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a cooled wireless smartphone charger, and a leather steering wheel. The FR Sport gains sportier bodywork and front bucket seats.

Seat hasn’t confirmed prices yet, but we would imagine the SE would kick things off at around £23,000, with the FR Sport coming it at under £29,000.

Verdict

Seat could have done a lot more with the Arona, and in many ways it should have done. When you bear in mind how popular the small SUV market is, a warmed-over car dating back to 2017 is unlikely to deliver the sales figures.

But, if you like your cars to be simple and to drive well, there’s still plenty to like here. The mild-hybrid engines can’t come soon enough, though.