While SEAT would like us to believe that the Exeo is an all-new proposal in the mid-size sedan segment, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist with a microscope to clearly see the previous-gen Audi A4 lurking between the restyled fascia and tail lights. Don’t get us a wrong, even with today’s standards, the A4 is a great car and hopefully SEAT will retain the German sedan’s qualities. It’s just that we were expecting something more unique from the Spanish automaker and not a ‘Cordoba-ized’ Audi… -Continued
Commenting on the Exeo, SEAT’s president Erich Schmitt said: “With the Exeo we are offering a car for dynamic and sporty drivers of the B segment. Furthermore now we have a vehicle for our current customers who are ascending from the A segment. The Exeo is also an interesting alternative for quality aware company car drivers who are looking for driving fun but who are cost aware and pay attention to low fuel consumption and low emissions.”
The Exeo, which also be available as an Avant err station-wagon, will be launched with three 4-cylinder petrol-engines ranging from the –please let me die- 102 HP 1.6-liter unit to a more modern 2.0-liter TFSI with 200 HP and three common rail Diesel engines with outputs ranging 120 HP to 170 HP. SEAT said that five of these six engines are turbocharged meaning that the Exeo will also be offered either with a 1.4-liter TSI or a 1.8-liter TSI petrol engine as well.
Concerning the vehicle features the Exeo will be offered with a latest generation navigation system, a new infotainment system with multiple functions and connections (MP3, MPEG4, IPOD, USB, Bluetooth), as well as for the first time a sun roof with solar cells powering a ventilation system.
SEAT’s Opel Insignia and Toyota Avensis rival will be manufactured in Martorell near Barcelona, Spain with sales set to start in Europe as of spring 2009. There will be three versions: Reference, Stylance and Sport with an entry price of around 22.000 Euros.
