| Long Term Test | SEAT Exeo ST |
| Arrival date: | | January 2010 |
| Price: | | £22,255 |
| Current mileage: | | 786 miles |
| Average economy: | | 39.9mpg |
| Relevant links: | |
First drive of SEAT Exeo ST
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Been anywhere interesting?
It's almost a case of where haven't we been. Two months into our tenure of the Exeo ST and already the list of destinations visited include Brighton, Peterborough, Newcastle, Holyhead, Dublin and Cork. As soon as I took the keys it was straight down to the coast of East Sussex for a few icy days before pounding all the way up to the Irish Ferries terminal in Holyhead in Wales. A couple of hours later I was battling with the traffic in Ireland's capital city and that's where the car will remain for a while.
Anything stand out...?
The looks actually. We've not been alone in emphasising how obvious the Exeo's Audi roots are, but that doesn't mean we don't appreciate the styling. The ST version carries the transformation off better than the saloon, thanks to shapely rear lights and a smooth boot door. These complement the sharp SEAT face and our Sport model boasts snazzy 18-inch alloys and subtle sill extensions. I didn't expect to like it so much. Not sure I'd choose black personally, but it does look great when it has just been cleaned.
...and for the wrong reasons?
SEAT has piled the equipment into our test car, which we would have thought was a tough task given how well equipped the Exeo is as standard. That we have no issue with, as it allows us to try out a few of the more expensive options available so you can decide whether they're worth the cash. What we do have a problem with though is the positioning of the infotainment screen and controls. They are too far out of your natural line of sight, so they're virtually unusable by the driver while he's focusing on the road ahead. It doesn't help that the functions of the four main buttons change with every screen view, making it difficult to use it without looking.
Admittedly a lot of information is provided on the main instrument cluster, including satnav directions and access to your phonebook if you're connected via Bluetooth. However, I believe that you cannot view the trip computer while satnav is operating, which is a peculiar 'feature'.
Where next?
There'll be a lot of urban use for the Exeo to start with, which perhaps explains its less than impressive fuel economy of late. The baby seat is firmly installed in the rear and the buggy fits easily in the boot so we'll be testing the family car usefulness of the ST to the full.
Many thanks to Irish Ferries. Check out www.irishferries.com.
