SEAT Ateca SE 1.6 TDi Ecomotive 115PS

ATECA is SEAT’s first SUV and it’s a winner! I’ve got the trim expected to be most popular in the business sector with the SEAT Ateca SE 1.6 TDi Ecomotive 115PS with six-speed manual gearbox for front-wheel drive.

And it’s orange, not brown – to steal a bit of banter from a certain three-blokes-in-cars TV series.

In fact officially it’s Samoa Orange metallic to be precise, which you have to be in business terms because it’s a £575 taxable factory option, so put that on your P11D from the attractive starting point of £21,845.

More to the point, it’s a stunning classy and glassy finish that goes great with autumnal beech leaves and gleams gold in the sun – and SEAT really have struck gold with this model. Not Aztec gold; Ateca is a Spanish village.

This SUV, put up against Renault Kadjar and Nissan Qashqai, is smart, sleek with sculpted lines as neat as any from the VAG brand, and businesslike with a quality finish and individual personality that attracts admiring comment. It’s roomy, but not too big to park.

Driving, the 115PS 1.6 TDI Ecomotive turbo diesel is responsive and the handling comfortably tidy rather than numbingly taut, while the 17-inch Dynamic machined bi-colour alloys – oops, another option, this time at £340 – are great for taking potholes in their stride as well as giving nimble handling with sharp turn-in.

The fabric-wrapped seats are superb, with adjustable lumbar support for both front occupants and good legroom in the back plus a huge boot with double floor that swallows the wife’s wheelchair leaving plenty of space for shopping.

This Ateca’s as safe as you’d expect, earning its five-star Euro NCAP rating  with technology such as Front Assist, City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Protection fitted as standard.

But one of the keys is that Ecomotive tag for the model, along with official average fuel economy of 65.7mpg.

We’ll see how realistic that is but to help me rise to the challenge features on the infotainment package with £525 optional navigation system include the EcoTrainer displayed on the really neat 8-inch central display, telling you when to change up a gear – and sometimes when to change down, and a points scoring display.

There’s a lot to learn on that infotainment package that includes Apple CarPlay, but meanwhile the entertainment is that economy challenge with 50mpg looking tough, the average shown between the dials on the instrument display as well as the big screen.

The lowdown on: SEAT Ateca SE 1.6 TDi Ecomotive 115PS

… and what it costs