Seat Ateca 2016-2020 reliability

Is Seat's first SUV a more appealing used buy than a Volkswagen Tiguan or Nissan Qashqai?

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Is the Seat Ateca reliable?

In What Car's reliabilty survery, the Ateca finished 17th out 34 cars in the family SUV class, beating the Kia Sportage and Volvo XC40. Just like any used car there are some common issues (see below) but overall the Ateca shouldn't be a cause for concern. 

Dealer networks and specialists are plentiful so you should have no issues when trying to source parts.

Engine: The later 1.5 TSI can be a little hesitant to pull away from cold so check there’s no ‘kangarooing’ (fluctuating revs). It’s a well-known issue and a software update is often the cure.

Leaking coolant could be a sign of water pump failure. Such an issue should flag an engine management light too.

Gearbox: Take a DSG automatic on a long test drive to make sure it’s swapping cogs smoothly. It can sometimes judder when pulling away and when changing from first to second. A gearbox service can fix the issue but a new clutch is also known to solve it.

Handbrake: It can stick on when you pull away, so make sure it releases without any fuss.

Body: Check the power tailgate opens and closes properly as these can fail. Rust can appear in the rear door seals so inspect the edges and near the wheel arches for any orange accents.

Driver Assistance: The lane keep assist is known for being faulty so be sure to test it. If it’s not working properly, it may need a new radar and sensors. There have also been cases of the brake assist activating when no other vehicles are nearby.

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Electrics: There are a few electric gremlins to look out for, such as the mirrors not folding in, the keyless entry and USB ports not working properly and the central locking turning on and off at random.

Infotainment: A software glitch in the SOS emergency system can knock out the infotainment screen. Switching the car’s privacy setting to private can cure the issue in the short term but a software update will fix it for good.

An owner’s view

Ben Gunton: “I’ve owned my 1.5 DSG Xperience model since March 2023 and have covered 11,000 miles to date. It drives well, it’s safe, it’s fairly economical for its size and it has a good amount of tech. Other than issues with the infotainment (which have now been fixed via an update), it’s been very reliable with no major issues or expenses. I’d definitely recommend the car to anyone with a small family.”

Also worth knowing

The Ateca achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating and scored highly for adult occupant safety (93%) and child occupant safety (84%).

If you’re after more dynamic appeal, then there’s the Cupra Ateca, which came with the same 296bhp turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the Golf R. It’s quick but lacks true driver engagement.

Most Atecas cost £190 to tax annually but the 1.0-litre Ecomotive and 1.6-litre TDI Ecomotive cost just £35.

Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips
Title: Staff Writer

Sam joined the Autocar team in summer 2024 and has been a contributor since 2021. He is tasked with writing used reviews and first drives as well as updating top 10s and evergreen content on the Autocar website. 

He previously led sister-title Move Electric, which covers the entire spectrum of electric vehicles, from cars to boats – and even trucks. He is an expert in new car news, used cars, electric cars, microbility, classic cars and motorsport. 

Sam graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2021 with a BA in Journalism. In his final year he produced an in-depth feature on the automotive industry’s transition to electric cars and interviewed a number of leading experts to assess our readiness for the impending ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

Matt Saunders

Matt Saunders Autocar
Title: Road test editor

As Autocar’s chief car tester and reviewer, it’s Matt’s job to ensure the quality, objectivity, relevance and rigour of the entirety of Autocar’s reviews output, as well contributing a great many detailed road tests, group tests and drive reviews himself.

Matt has been an Autocar staffer since the autumn of 2003, and has been lucky enough to work alongside some of the magazine’s best-known writers and contributors over that time. He served as staff writer, features editor, assistant editor and digital editor, before joining the road test desk in 2011.

Since then he’s driven, measured, lap-timed, figured, and reported on cars as varied as the Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Tesla Roadster, Ariel Hipercar, Tata Nano, McLaren Senna, Renault Twizy and Toyota Mirai. Among his wider personal highlights of the job have been covering Sebastien Loeb’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak in 2013; doing 190mph on derestricted German autobahn in a Brabus Rocket; and driving McLaren’s legendary ‘XP5’ F1 prototype. His own car is a trusty Mazda CX-5.