SEAT Toledo Sport

Of all the cars in SEATs range, the Toledo is probably the unlikeliest candidate for the Sport treatment but the results are more convincing than youd at first imagine. Andy Enright reports

In a bid to sexy the Toledo up a bit, SEAT has developed this 2.0-litre TDI Sport variant. Whilst its not going to make it onto too many Athena posters adorning teenage bedroom walls, its now at least got a bit of attitude missing from the mainstream models, not to mention an absolutely cracking diesel engine.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

Without the benefit of a picture, Im guessing you might have a few problems picturing what a SEAT Toledo looks like. The old model looked like a Leon with a boot grafted onto the back, just as a Volkswagen Jetta/Vento/Bora was a Golf with a similar appendage sprouting from its rear end. The theme continues this time round except that the Leons current shape doesnt look particularly easy to turn into a saloon car. Looking at the current Toledo, its clear that SEAT has battled valiantly with exactly that quest but the results are, to use a euphemism, interesting.

SEAT hasnt pulled any punches with the Toledo Sport, offering it with the best engine and the best gearbox. The 140bhp TDI diesel unit is pretty quick off the mark but through the midrange, it pulls like Tom Jones at your local grab a granny night. Itll hit 60mph in 9.6 seconds but this in no way underscores how muscular this engine feels when it really gets into its stride.

A clearer picture is provided by the cars 329Nm torque figure which is better than an Audi TT 3.2-litre V6 and gives that addictive surge when the turbocharger comes on stream. All that muscle is marshalled by the DSG Direct Shift Gearbox which uses two clutches to punch through gearchanges with amazing speed.

"If you care not a jot about its rather lumpen styling, its hard to think of a better buy for the family motorist"

Engage first gear and the gearbox will pre-engage second gear in advance, the second clutch engaging as soon as you flick up to slot instantly into second gear. This means a seamless flow of power. The electronics predict what gear youre about to engage, depending on whether youre accelerating or braking and the result is astonishing, making every other gearbox look distinctly clunky. The other option is to slip it into D and drive it like a normal automatic.

Ride quality is slightly compromised by the big alloy wheels, this Toledo wanting to remind you that its the Sport model on a regular basis. The Toledo Sport is identifiable on the outside by those 18-inch five-spoke alloys and a body styling kit. Rather unusually, the Sport is only offered in one body colour, Black Magic metallic. If youre used to hot SEATs in eyeball searing yellow, heres one thats a little more subtle.

The latest figures show that black is catching up with silver as the most popular colour for new cars in the UK. At 4.50 metres long and 1.77 metres wide, the Toledo is longer but narrower than the conventional mini-MPV its trying not to be.

It also features many of the attributes common to this genre. A two-level luggage compartment boasts a hefty 500 litre capacity more than enough for a week away. The parcel shelf can be configured in a couple of positions to offer added versatility. In high position, it houses a hidden compartment while if set low, you can create a hidden floor.

Although its durability may be called into question, its a good way of keeping your valuables away from prying eyes. Side compartments with elasticated nets provide easy and safe storage for fragile items. At £18,995, the Toledo Sport isnt an inconsequential slice of wedge but its tough to top its all-round combination of practicality, capability and technology for the money. The DSG gearbox is a very expensive option where offered on other SEAT models and bundling it into the sticker price on the Toledo Sport takes the edge off that financial hit.

The equipment chosen for this model is well judged. Aside from the wheels and body kit, theres ESP stability control which incorporates a traction control system that gets a workout when accelerating this car hard on wet tarmac. Six airbags are fitted as standard, comprising driver and passenger, side and head bags. There are also three-point seatbelts for all five seats with pyrotechnic pretensioners at the front and the ISOFIX child seat fixing system in the back.

Theres also leather upholstery with heated front seats, dual zone climate control, rain sensing wipers, an MP3 compatible CD stereo with wheel-mounted controls and an AUX-in socket for your iPod. On top of that little lot, theres also an integrated Bluetooth phone connection, electric windows, dark tinted glass and rear parking sensors. Thats a lot of engine, a big bundle of equipment and one very smart gearbox for £19,000. The downside of buying the sassy version of the least glamorous model in SEATs line-up is that it wont have the same staying power in terms of residual value as something a little more mainstream such as a Leon or an Ibiza.

Come to terms with that fact and you and the Toledo Sport should see eye to eye. There certainly isnt anything too depressing about the fuel economy figure. Youll chuckle to yourself every time you realise youve got a genuinely rapid five-seater that can return a combined fuel figure of 47.1 mpg.

In other words, youll be able to keep some quite serious sports cars honest on give and take roads yet turn in better fuel economy than the guy at the next pump in a 1.3-litre Ford Ka. Carbon dioxide emissions have been capped at just 162g/km, making the Toledo Sport a very interesting choice for the company car user chooser with a twenty grand budget. Private buyers might be interested to note that this engine is a favourite of aftermarket tuners and nigh-on 180bhp can be yours with an ECU remap costing around £600.

Keep it under your hat. From some rather unpromising origins, SEAT has created a car that while never conventionally pretty, certainly makes a convincing case for itself as a left-field contender with a whole hatful of appealing attributes. The Toledo 2.0-litre TDI Sport is extremely well-equipped, nicely built, drives well, is ineffably practical and looks stealthy in its Black Magic paintwork.

What it lacks is that instant want one factor. Tot up the cars objective qualities which include one of the best engines the Volkswagen Group have at their disposal and a brilliant sequential manual twin-clutch gearbox and theres little to touch the Toledo Sport. As the sum of its parts, it just needs a little more inbuilt desirability. If you care not a jot about its rather lumpen styling, its hard to think of a better buy for the family motorist with one eye on the budget and the other on a tricky tightening apex ahead.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: SEAT Toledo 2.0-litre TDI Sport
PRICES: £18,995 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 9
CO2 EMISSIONS: 162g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 125mph / 0-60mph 9.6s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 47.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and window airbags / ABS / EBA, ISOFIX child seat fixings
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width mm 4500/1770