Seat Exeo Sport Tech

When it was launched three years, it filled a huge gap in the Seat lineup, providing a vehicle in the “upper medium segment” for company car drivers at a price lower than the Audi A4 on which it is based. Not only did the Exeo attract new customers to the brand, it also allowed current Seat owners to stay with the brand and step up to a larger, more luxurious model.

You still get the familiar Audi trappings of high-quality cabin and sleek design, the platform of the previous generation A4 and excellent ride quality. In fact, if you put four rings on the grille and steering wheel, many people would assume that this was from the Audi stable.

Today’s Exeo, revised to include new styling features, enhanced engines and upgraded equipment, includes four power plant choices – three common rail diesels and one petrol – and comes in S, SE, SE Tech, Sport and Sport Tech trim levels.

The personality of the refreshed Exeo is defined by its front end with its arrow design and double headlights that stretch towards the the sides of the body and the radiator grille with prominent brand logo.

I tested the the top-of-the range Sport Tech with the highest powered 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, a tried-and-tested VW engine that sees service in dozens of models as an excellent choice for a highmileage driver. The spirited 170PS engine achieves its higher performance figure through greater turbo pressure, giving it an edge over the biggest-selling 143PS version and more frugal 120PS choice.

Your choice of engine will depend on how much oomph you favour.

The 170PS version in the tested car certainly has plenty of that, and yet is still capable of returning an average fuel economy figure of more than 50mpg.

In particular, it’s tuned to give high torque with only a gentle press of the throttle pedal in second gear, giving it a really lively and pokey attitude around town.

Being based on an older generation car it’s a little smaller than the current Audi A4, for example, but it feels a bit more agile and lively to drive as a result. It’s no sports car, but mid-corner the driving experience has more about it than some of the other options for the price.

Sport Tech trim provides heaps of luxury touches as well as sports suspension and seats. You get leather upholstery, 18-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, satellite navigation, a Bose premium audio system, cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, Bluetooth, front and rear parking sensors and bixenon headlights with LED daytime running lights. This car was also fitted with a Convenience Pack (£480) that adds front parking sensors, remote boot opening, electric rear sunblind and an upgraded colour dash display.

But even with the entry-level S version you get dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, 16- inch alloy wheels, a trip computer, all-round electric windows, electric heated door mirrors, fog lights, CD radio with MP3, aux-in and four speakers plus a suite of electronic driving aids.

All of this makes the Exeo very easy to live with – except for the audio system. At first glance it offers every way under the sun of playing music – iPod connection, aux-in port, SD card slot – yet you cannot play a CD and use the satellite navigation system at the same time.

That’s something that requires attention when the next generation makes an appearance.

Most drivers will opt for the SE trim, which comes with 17-inch alloys, leather steering wheel and gearknob, automatic wipers and lights, rear parking sensors, eightspeaker audio unit, ambient interior lighting pack and electrically folding door mirrors.

On the motorway – its anticipated home for much of its driving life – the double-glazed side windows go some way to helping minimise wind noise to really impressive levels.

As many company cars get used as family buses at the weekends, the Exeo ST scores more points.

The boot is wide, long and has a handy dual-floor layout that allows smaller or thinner, potentially more fragile or valuable items to be stowed out of sight.

A sporty car, the Exeo offers an awful lot of substance underneath its distinctive styling. Business and private buyers alike would do well to take a closer look.

SEAT EXEO SPORT TECH

PRICE: £24,600 (Exeo range from £19,480).

ENGINE: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel producing 170PS.

TRANSMISSION: six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels.

PERFORMANCE: top speed 142mph, 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds.

ECONOMY: 52.3mpg combined.

CO2 RATING: 142g/km.