THE shape looks familiar, very familiar, but what’s this big Seat badge on the eye catching grille.
What you are looking at is an old Audi A4 now wearing Spanish livery.
Just as Skoda took the Passat from big brother Volkswagen for its Superb, Seat has done the same with the other partner in the VAG quartet, Audi.
Seat is using last year’s Audi to gain a foothold in the lucrative medium saloon market, an area off limits to the Spanish car maker until now. But the door is open and Exeo can tap into the important fleet and business markets which, if successful, can give a car company a big presence on the road.
The idea is to keep hold of Seat customers who want bigger and more luxurious cars. They could not do it without Exeo and you have to say they have landed on their feet picking up the most quality conscious car in its class.
Let’s not dwell on the four rings, this is the oddly sounding Sea Exeo, a car that lines up against the likes of Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia, Mazda6, Toyota Avensis and Peugeot 407. Quite a challenge, so what is the Barcelona built rival’s pulling power?
A plush premium sector car without a premium price isn’t bad for starters.
The cabin is straight out of the A4 before it got the high-tech dashboard, so apart from looking the bees’ knees it is also easy to use and a lot of people might prefer that.
One thing Exeo doesn’t have to put up with is second best engines.
Here it pretty much gets the pick of the VAG bunch and that means the latest common rail diesels which is important for the car’s refinement.
Volkswagen always favoured pumpe duse engines which were mightily punchy and economic against comparable common rail opponents but a bit on the noisy side.
PD has been ditched for common rail and its refinement benefits fits in with what Seat is trying to achieve with Exeo.The engine is smooth and quiet, but still responsive enough to satisfy the fussiest of customers while also incredibly frutal.
I covered all but 600 miles in the 140hp diesel and returned 51mpg which is more or less smack on the official average, something I rarely achieve in test cars. Two other oil burners are available, 118 and 166hp and a 196hp petrol.
Exeo has retained the A4s driving traits, hard riding, sometimes a bit jumpy on uneven surfaces but as solid as a rock if pushed, something else that suits Seat’s sporty ambitions.
If Exeo falls down anywhere it is rear legroom, again something it has inherited. For a car this size it should be better and it will suffer against most of its rivals although it is something it will have to live with.
At least there is plenty of room for luggage and the like because the boot is enormous.
I have always been a big fan of A4 so it is ditto for Exeo particularly when you are getting premium quality without paying premium prices. Just like cousin Skoda, Seat has done well from the hand-me-downs of its more illustrious partner.
The car is elegant, beautifully built, drives extremely well and should command a decent trade in and with a starting price under £19k you are getting a generously equipped, classy car relatively cheaply.
Skoda’s benefited by adding the Passat-based Superb to its range and it should be even better for Exeo because the Spaniards will not have to contend with this ridiculous and unnecessary badge animosity against Skoda.
Seat Exeo Sport
Engine: 2-litre TDI, 140hp
Performance: 0-62mph 9.6secs; 129mph
Economy: 51.4mpg
combined
Emissions: 139g/km.
VED £120
Insurance group 12
Price: £21,255