New SEAT Tarraco expands SUV presence

The new SEAT Tarraco mid-sized SUV has launched on the Irish market at a starting price of €34,700, writes Brian Byrne.

The car is available in 5- and 7-seat formats, though SEAT Ireland expects that 95pc of sales will be on the 7-seat version.

There are two grades, SE and Xcellence, and powertrain options are 150hp/190hp petrol and diesels of similar outputs. DSG automatic and AWD versions are available.

The company expects that 65pc of buyers will opt for diesel.

Standard features include LED lights front and rear, and a 'digital cockpit' instruments and information system.

The key competitors outside the Tarraco's related VW Group vehicles are Hyundai's Santa Fe, Nissan's X-Trail, and the Peugeot 5008.

SEAT Ireland is offering finance PCP packages with APR as low as 1.9pc, which provides a competitive edge against those competitors, according Neil Dalton, Head of Marketing and Product at SEAT Ireland.

Brand Director Niall Phillips said at the launch that the Tarraco will be a 'halo' car for SEAT and will be a key driver for the future growth of the company's business.

He said he expects sales this year to be 400 units. Speaking on last year's sales of SEAT cars in Ireland, he noted that the 3,700 units was the highest for the brand here since 2001, and had achieved a 3pc market share.

Niall Phillips also noted that the SUV genre had grown from 34pc of the market in 2017 to 42pc in 2018. "I expect it will have reached 50pc by the end of the year, he added.

The brand has developed a long way in the last couple of years, he said, and noted that there will be three new arrivals in 2020, including a new Leon, a new CUV, and a new urban electric car.

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