Seat Arona review

Prices start at £23,275 for the 1.0-litre 94bhp turbo three-cylinder, which means it's just under £2k more than an entry-level Ibiza. The first auto gearbox option arrives at £24,810 with the more powerful triple, while the 1.5-litre 148bhp turbo four-cylinder will set you back at least £29,345.

To provide some perspective, a Citroen C3 Aircross and Renault Captur start at around the same price, but a Nissan Juke, Vauxhall Mokka, Ford Puma, Peugeot 2008, Ford Puma and Kia Niro are all more expensive. Entry-level indeed…

What’s the kit list like?

Seat has one of the most refreshingly simple trim line-ups. It kicks off with SE, which gets 16in wheels, LED lights, dual 8in digital dial and touchscreen displays, wireless smartphone pairing, cruise control, rear parking sensors and keyless entry and go. Not bad at all.

Up from that is the SE Technology. That adds the larger infotainment screen with 3D navigation and voice control, plus a rear-view camera and comfier cloth seats.

Want a sportier looking Arona? Your next step up the trim ladder is the FR. That gets 17in wheels, fancier headlights, some sporty styling touches, four drive modes, front (heated) bucket seats, and front parking sensors. The top-spec FR Sport then goes even further with 18in machined alloys and a 10in digital dial display.

What’s the best spec?

We’d be tempted by the 1.0-litre turbo 3cyl in 113bhp tune – which brings a healthy dose of extra power without inflating the price too much – and SE Tech trim for the larger central touchscreen.