New Seat Ateca vs Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage Is the new Seat Ateca the car to finally end the Nissan Qashqai's reign at the top of the small SUV class? Or can the latest Kia Sportage spring a surprise? 5 Aug 2016 07:00 Last updated: 5 Aug 2016 09:40 The Contenders Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi 134 KX-3 List price £27,000 Target Price £25,623 Our first chance to try the 134bhp 2.0-litre diesel model, which gets four-wheel drive as standard Nissan Qashqai 1.6 CRDi 130 Tekna List price £27,160 Target Price £25,059 Our current class favourite, but you have to stick with front-wheel drive to keep the price competitive Seat Ateca 2.0 TDI 150 4Drive Xcellence List price £27,425 Target Price £27,425 Brand new Ateca has the most powerful engine and the version here we've lined here up has four-wheel drive The Nissan Qashqai has been king of small SUVs since its launch in 2014, picking up a What Car? Car of the Year award along the way and routinely brushing aside every new rival that has dared to mount a challenge. So, this latest attempt from Seat seems wildly optimistic, not least because the Spanish brand has about as much experience of building SUVs as it does making spaceships. Then again, the newAteca does share most of its oily bits with the latest VW Tiguan, a car we already know to be highly talented. Better still, the Ateca is almost £4000 cheaper than its Volkswagen cousin, which means you can have a range-topping four-wheel drive version for only fractionally more than an equivalent two-wheel drive Qashqai – our long-time favourite small SUV. Our third contender is the new Kia Sportage. We’ve already concluded it isn’t good enough to challenge for class honours in cheaper 1.7-litre diesel form, but can the gutsier 2.0-litre version complete any better? What are they like to drive? The Seat Ateca’s extra power gives it a healthy performance advantage over both rivals. Let its engine rev before changing up through the gears and the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage will soon be small spots in your rear-view mirror. However, if you try to accelerate from low revs in the higher gears it’s actually the Sportage that will whisk you up to speed fastest. That’s useful when you’re feeling lazy because it means you don’t need to keep changing gear to keep up with the ebb and flow of traffic. The Qashqai might have the smallest engine and the least grunt, but relatively short gearing means it never feels sluggish. It’s just a shame the engine gets rather raucous and you feel a few too many tremors coursing through the soles of your feet whenever you accelerate. The Ateca and Sportage have smoother and quieter engines, with the Seat isolating you from noise and vibration even better than its Korean rival. Small SUVs don’t usually offer much in the way of driving thrills, but the Ateca is something of a revelation. Let’s not go overboard; it’s no sports car, but it grips really well and doesn’t sway about anywhere near as much as you might expect through corners. The steering is quick and precise, too, and there’s enough feedback streaming to your fingertips to make country roads surprisingly good fun. Although less willing to change direction quickly, the Qashqai remains a pleasant thing to drive in most situations. Its slightly heavier steering provides plenty of reassurance when cornering at speed, although that extra resistance is less welcome when parking. Meanwhile, the Sportage keeps its body fairly upright through bends but it isn’t much fun to drive at all The blame lies squarely with the steering, which feels decidedly artificial in the way it weights up and tells you barely anything about what the front wheels are doing. 'The Ateca is surprisingly good fun on country roads' The Ateca and Qashqai have slicker gearshifts and more progressive brakes than the Sportage, too, although again it’s the Ateca that impresses most in these respects. Crucially, too, the Ateca has the most comfortable ride. It’s stays marginally more settled than the Qashqai over scruffy surfaces and potholes, yet is similarly supple and composed along fast A-roads and motorways. You're not going to mistake it for a luxury limousine, but the Ateca is definitely the most comfortable SUV in this price bracket. Relatively stiff suspension keeps the Sportage’s body neatly tied down over dips and crests, so your passengers aren’t likely to feel nauseous. Unfortunately, the payoff is a decidedly firm ride at all speeds; you’re jostled around continually – even along relatively smooth stretches of Tarmac – and sharp-edged bumps send jolts through the car. What are they like inside? With their high roofs and lofty driving positions, each of our trio feels like a proper SUV from behind the wheel. You look down on VW Golf and Ford Focus drivers, even though those cars are only slightly shorter and narrower, although pull up alongside a Range Rover and you’re swiftly put back in your place. You shouldn’t have much trouble finding a comfortable driving position in any of our contenders, either, and the fact that adjustable lumbar support comes as standard only enhances their mile-munching credentials. The Nissan Qashqai’s electrically adjustable driver’s seat is a real boon when you’re trying to set everything up just so, although the Seat Ateca’s front seats are actually the most comfortable and supportive. The Kia Sportage’s, meanwhile, could do with a bit more support around the shoulder area. Two adults will fit comfortably in the back of all three cars. Rear knee room is similar across the board and although the Ateca has loads more head room than its rivals, this will only really be appreciated by those seriously long in the body. However, anyone who fancies a snooze will certainly enjoy the Kia’s reclining rear seats – a feature that isn’t offered on the Ateca or Qashqai. The Ateca also has the biggest boot, although not by as much as the official figures would lead you to believe. Its load bay is easily the tallest, but it’s actually the narrowest, while the Sportage’s can swallow the longest loads. You’ll easily fit a couple of big buggies or several large suitcases in the back of any of our protagonists, though, and if you need more space all three cars have 60/40 split rear seats that fold to give similar-sized extended load bays. To make life even easier, the Qashqai and Sportage have false boot floors which, when slotted into place, raise the base of the loadbay to flush with the boot lip and mean there’s no annoying step in the floor when the rear seats are folded. This handy feature costs £155 on the Ateca. Fuente: New Seat Ateca vs Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage - What Car?
What will they cost? Most buyers will choose to take out finance and it’s here the Nissan Qashqai plays its trump card. Put down a £5000 deposit on a three-year PCP agreement and you’ll pay back £292 a month, compared with £305 for the Kia Sportage and £318 for the Seat Ateca. All of these deals limit you to 10,000 miles a year and you’ll need to stump up a hefty 'ballon' payment at the end of the term if you want to own the car outright. However, if you have a big enough wallet to pay cash upfront the Sportage will cost you least in the long run. It’s predicted to hold onto its value better than the Qashqai and almost as well as the Ateca, which more than makes up for its relatively pricey yearly road tax (VED) bills. Based on our current calculations, the Ateca will cost you fractionally the most to own privately over three years, although that’s largely because our Target Price mystery shoppers weren’t able to haggle any sort of discount. We expect dealers to be open to negotiating when the order books officially open in September. You’ll probably want to steer clear of the Sportage if you’re a company car driver, though; the fact it pumps out more CO2 than its rivals means it’ll cost you the most each month in benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax. Assuming you’re a 40% rate taxpayer, you’ll have to sacrifice £9665 of your salary over the next three years – £480 more than you’ll pay for the Ateca and £895 more than it’ll cost you to run the Qashqai over the same period. We haven’t yet been able to put these SUVs through our real-world True MPG economy tests, but according to the official Government figures the Qashqai is the most frugal and the Sportage thirstiest. We’ve lined up the Ateca and Qashqai in their most expensive trims, while our chosen Sportage is the plushest version available with the 134bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine. That means all of our trio come with creature comforts such as leather seats, climate control, sat-nav, a reversing camera and automatic lights and wipers. You get heated front seats in all three, too, while the Sportage even has heated seats in the back. Then again, the Sportage misses out on LED headlights, keyless entry and push-button start – all things the Ateca and Qashqai get as standard. It’s also very disappointing that the Sportage isn't available with automatic emergency braking; this crucial safety feature is standard on the Ateca and Qashqai. Mind you, the Sportage does come with lane-keep assist, a system that can apply small steering inputs to stop you accidentally wandering out of your lane on the motorway. The Qashqai has a similar system but simply warns if you drift out of your lane without indicating, while both cars automatically display the speed limit of the road you’re driving down on the dashboard. These features and more are all available on the Ateca, but only if you’re prepared to pay extra. Our Verdict How the mighty have fallen. It had to happen eventually, of course, but the margin of the Seat Ateca’s victory here is a real bombshell. It beats the once seemingly invincible Nissan Qashqai in every area apart from standard safety provisions and running costs, and even then the differences are small. It’s a remarkable achievement by Seat, especially when you consider the Spanish brand has no prior experience in this market whatsoever. Perhaps most impressive is how thoroughly enjoyable the Ateca is to drive, but it’s also comfortable, well equipped and roomy. In fact, it makes the admittedly slightly more practical VW Tiguan it’s based on seem positively overpriced, and if you’re happy to do without four-wheel drive and are willing to sacrifice a few creature comforts, the Ateca represents even better value than it does in the form we’ve tested it here. 'The margin of the Ateca’s victory is a real bombshell' It’s important to point out that this isn’t our favourite Qashqai – the 1.5-litre diesel version in N-Connecta trim isn’t only much cheaper and more efficient, it’s also quieter. So, the Ateca still has that hurdle to overcome later in the year before it can be considered the definitive class-leader. However, given the margin of victory here, it’s hard to see how the Qashqai will avoid a pasting in its lowlier forms. The Kia Sportage finishes last. It’s virtually on a par with its rivals for practicality and interior quality, it has a fine infotainment system and it’s even pretty good value as long as you aren’t a company car driver. Sadly, it’s let down by a choppy side, vague steering and a notchy gearshift. It also misses out on some important safety equipment and it isn’t as well equipped as its rivals in the luxury stakes, either. 1st – Seat Ateca For Brilliant to drive; smart, spacious interior; well-equipped Against No discounts as yet; no sliding or reclining rear seats Verdict Ateca stuns its long-established rivals to rocket to the top of the class Read the full Seat Ateca review 2nd – Nissan Qashqai For Great to drive; most lavishly equipped; lowest CO2 emissions Against Heaviest depreciation; least impressive infotainment system Verdict Cheaper Qashqais make more sense than this range-topper Read the full Nissan Qashqai review 3rd – Kia Sportage For Smart, practical interior; clever rear seats; seven-year warranty Against Disappointing to drive; missing safety and luxury kit; highest CO2 emissions Verdict Not a bad car, but far from a great one Read the full Kia Sportage review Specifications: Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi 134 KX-3 Engine size 2.0-litre diesel List price £27,000 Target Price £25,623 Power 134bhp Torque 275lb ft 0-60mph 10.4sec Top speed 114mph Fuel economy 54.3mpg (official combined) CO2 emissions 139g/km Specifications: Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi 130 Tekna Engine size 1.6-litre diesel Price from £27,160 Target Price £25,059 Power 128bhp Torque 236lb ft 0-60mph 10.5sec Top speed 118mph Fuel economy 61.4mpg (official combined) CO2 emissions 120g/km Specifications: Seat Ateca 2.0 TDI 150 4Drive Xcellence Engine size 2.0-litre diesel List price £27,425 Target Price £27,425 Power 148bhp Torque 251lb ft 0-60mph 9.2sec Top speed 122mph Fuel economy 57.6mpg (official combined) CO2 emissions 128g/km Fuente: New Seat Ateca vs Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage - What Car?
Desde luego, y quitando pruebas dinámicas, que siempre serán mejores en el Ateca, al ser más nuevo que los demás... el más guapo es nuestro Ateca!
Buena comparativa. La verdad es que, como futuro propietario, da gusto ver como el Ateca sale absoluto vencedor en todas las comparativas que salen, y no se vosotros pero yo dudo que en todos los casos haya un favoritismo hacia la marca, quiza en algunos sí, pero no en todos. El Ateca resulta, además, vencedor en todas las categorías: espacio interior, maletero, puesto de conducción y posición, dirección y cambio, y especialmente motivantes me resultan las conclusiones en cuanto a comportamiento dinámico y en pista. Supongo que, al ser el último en llegar, es normal que haya cojido a sus rivales y los haya superado, pero no podemos obviar el buen trabajo que Seat ha realizado.
El Ateca es el ultimo, pero los otros dos tampoco es que sean muy viejos, un par de años para el qashqai y unos mese solo para el nuevo kia. La verdad que tengo muchas ganas de conducirlo para corroborar todo esto. Lo compre a ciegas...
Respecto a la calidad de los acabados interiores es lo que tengo dudas de que sea mejor que Qashqai. Que opinais vosotros?
No he leído el artículo... pero te puedo decir que para mi el Ateca es el claro ganador, aunque no son comparables por dos "pequeños" detalles: - el kia es más largo - el Qasqai tiene el puesto de conducción más pequeño. Yo quepo perfectamente en el Ateca, y en el Qasqai me daba con el volante en las rodillas. No me imagino cómo le debe ir a @Altaria
Pues si a ti te daba en las rodillas... Voy a contarte lo que me pasó el primer mes con mi toledito... Daba la casualidad que cuando ponía 5ª en la autopista había veces que se apagaba el coche... Yo estaba dándole vueltas a que el que me lo había vendido me había metido un gol bueno... Pedí hora en el taller y justo dos días antes de llevarlo me di cuenta... Le daba con la rodilla a la llave y era yo quien lo apagaba... Así que tuve que adaptar mi posición del asiento a la relación amor odio de mi rodilla con la llave... Jajajajajajaja Por suerte el Ateca me va bien, no lo he conducido aún pero en parado me va fenomenal, así que estoy emocionadísimo con el futuro pequeñín de la casa.
Yo mido 1,95 y unos de mis hijos 1,98. Así que tuvimos que hacerles pasar la "prueba dimensional", ya que normalmente cuando me subo a según qué coche y pongo el asiento a mi medida, se convierte en un coche de 3 plazas, jejeje. El Ateca pasó la prueba de sentarnos 3 de esos tamaño y las rodillas seguían enteras.
Si es que a la gente de estatura "media" le tiene que costar "entender" que ser alto, en este caso, es un problemon. Yo los 3 coches que me he comprado (bueno, 4 si contamos el Ateca) no han sido los que yo "quería", sino que he comprado, de los que iba más cómodo y quedaba más espacio, el que más me ha gustado... Por tanto limita mucho las opciones. Encima, si eres soltero, no te lo planteas, pero cuando ya van más de 2 en el coche, el tema se complica aún más. El Ateca creo que es el más "espacioso" de todos en los que me he subido.
