What's this then?

This is the first look at the pre-production SEAT Ateca.

Excuse me? I thought you said SEAT.

I did. This is the new and first SUV from the Spanish manufacturer.

A little late to the party, isn't it?

Better late than never, but the SUV segment is still going strong and SEAT wants a piece of the Qashqai pie.

Have you any details on it?

Indeed. The Ateca will be offered in both front- and four-wheel drive guises with manual or dual-clutch automatic DSG transmissions. The all-turbo engine line-up features a 1.6 TDI diesel with 115hp, a 2.0 TDI with 150hp and another 2.0 TDI option with 190hp, along with a 1.0 TSI petrol engine making 115hp and a 1.4 TSI producing 150hp.

The interior looks familiar.

Well, it should, as it is closely related to SEAT's best seller, the Leon. SEAT wanted to keep the family resemblance. The Ateca however, has an elevated seating position so you can clearly see the car's front end. The controls in the cockpit are closer together and the centre console is also raised to make everything that bit nearer and driver centric. The boot capacity is 510 litres with rear seats up (485 litres for all-wheel drive versions), which is larger than the boots in the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai.

Any cool tech or safety features?

I'm glad you asked, as the Ateca has an automatic opening and closing tailgate, which SEAT is claiming no other car in the segment has, yet. The Ateca also has a new safety feature called Emergency Assist. This comes into play when it detects that the driver has been inactive for some time. When this happens, the vehicle issues a visual warning and then an aural warning to alert the driver. If this doesn't work it pulses the brakes. If the driver remains unresponsive the car slows down to a standstill whilst remaining in the same lane.

Neat. What about the trim levels and pricing?

The SEAT Ateca will be offered in four trim levels, S, SE and then an XCellence and FR version, which will both be similar in price, though the FR model won't go into production until December 2016. The other versions go into production this April.

As of yet prices have not been finalised, but expect it to be in the same region as the class leading Nissan Qashqai.

When can I get a closer look at the Ateca?

At this year's Geneva Motor Show, which is held in March.

Melanie May - 12 Feb 2016