| Week at the Wheel | SEAT Exeo saloon |

Inside & Out:

To live with the SEAT Exeo is very much a déjà vu experience for a while. It doesn't take much imagination to see that this car is very closely related to the previous generation of Audi A4. In fact, in profile, you have to look very carefully to tell the differences between the two. The front and rear have both been heavily revised to add a SEAT flavour to the appearance and work very effectively, but there is only so much identity you can impose on another car without major changes and tooling costs.

This familiarity continues internally where much of the control system, switches, knobs and dials are carried over with the minimum change from the A4 donor. This is a double edged sword, as the Exeo has the quality of a previous generation of Audi, complete with all the lessons learnt during that model's life cycle. In all likelihood the Exeo will appeal to new prospective owners to the brand, many of whom won't have ever sat in an A4 before, and if they have, then it will just seem very familiar.

Engine & Transmission:

Volkswagen Group cars have always shared engines so the 2.0-litre turbodiesel in the Exeo is a widely used and proven unit. It offers a muscular blend of torquey performance at the lower end of the rev-range with an eagerness to rev and deliver at higher speeds too. More importantly it's refined and economical, which, given the Exeo's likely role in life accruing mileage, are two vital constituents of its repertoire.

Ride & Handling:

The steering is on the heavy side at low speeds but feels well weighted once on the move. SEAT is pushing its sporty and passionate image and the Exeo's suspension is setup accordingly, with an emphasis on responsiveness. As a consequence the ride is firm, but it is well damped, and the grip levels are generous thanks to the more than adequately proportioned wheels and tyres.

On the road the Exeo can feel a little fidgety on broken motorway surfaces but for the most part it retains its composure as an accomplished cruiser. It can also make a good fist of a back road thrash with a slick gearshift, accurate helm and capable brakes. It is some way short of being an entertaining and engaging drive but it is swift and assured.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

SEAT's strategy of using the previous Audi A4 platform yields benefits in this department as the reduced costs associated with inheriting the technology means that the Exeo can be marketed aggressively in terms of pricing. It offers all of the quality and prestige of an Audi but it's over £3,000 less than the equivalent Audi or BMW and that's before you factor in the 10 percent discounts readily available online. There aren't many rivals who can compete with the Exeo's packaging at the same price.

Overall:

By definition the Exeo isn't as advanced as its rivals; on the plus side it's an old Audi A4; on the negative side, it's an old Audi A4. However, as a means of adding a highly capable car to your range for the absolute minimum expenditure it's a very shrewd move. In a world where we're very much talking about diminishing returns in terms of incremental progress with each iteration of model life cycle it's a very brave and sensible move by SEAT and well worth consideration.