Spanish automobile manufacturer Seat has confirmed plans to launch a large SUV in 2018.
The model will sit above the newly launched Ateca and be available in both five and seven-seater versions.
Seat, which is a subsidiary of Volkswagen, is planning to compete with other SUVs in the market including Skoda Kodiaq, Hyundai Santa Fe Mazda CX-5 and Kia Sorento.
The yet-to-be-named-vehicle will be designed and developed in Barcelona and will be produced at the Wolfsburg factory of Volkswagen in Germany, the company noted.
By doing so, it can enable improved synergies within the Group by maximising the MQB A2 platform which is installed there.
The new SUV is expected to have TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines with all wheel drive and dual-clutch DSG automatic gearbox being optional.
The engines are also expected to be smaller, ranging between 1.4 and 2.0 litre petrol engine as well as a standard 2 litre diesel engine.
Pricing for the UK market could range between £22,000 for the entry model and could reach up to or more than £30,000. Kia’s Sorento and Hyundai’s Santa Fe are priced at £28,795 and £32,230 respectively.
Before the release of the new SUV, Seat is also planning to start marketing its compact crossover, Arona. It will be manufactured in Martorell on the same platform as the Ibiza.
Seat president Luca de Meo said: “This car will bring new customers to us, will boost brand image and will have a very big effect on our ability to generate margins.
“It will be designed in Barcelona and made in Germany. Producing the new SUV in Wolfsburg, in the heart of the Group, will reinforce the ties between Seat and Volkswagen.”
Established in 1950 in Spain, Seat is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen and it was acquired in 1986 to make Volskwagen’s entry into the Spanish market easier.
