Seat clocks up one million SUV sales

Seat has announced that it has produced its one millionth SUV, as sales for these high-riding models continue to grow.

The Spanish manufacturer was relatively late to the party, not introducing its first SUV until 2016 with the Ateca. That was followed a year later by the more compact Arona crossover, and then in 2018 with the large, seven-seat Tarraco.

Across the three models, the brand has now clocked up one million sales in just six years, with the Arona leading the way in terms of numbers, with 481,585 units sold since its launch. Given a mid-life update in 2021, Seat’s home country of Spain is the biggest market for the Arona, with 98,000 units being sold in the country. The one millionth model produced was also an Arona.

The mid-size Ateca isn’t far behind on the sales front, though, with Seat shifting 435,443 models in that time, helped by a 2020 update that gave the model a fresher design and more standard equipment. Germany is the biggest market for the Ateca, with 108,000 of these models being sold there.

Though the Tarraco might not have sold in such great quantities, Seat has still sold 88,820 examples of this spacious SUV. Since the Alhambra was discontinued a few years ago, it’s now Seat’s only seven-seater, with other European markets able to have it as a plug-in hybrid, though UK buyers don’t get the option.

In 2021, SUVs accounted for 49 per cent of Seat’s global sales, ahead of the 46 per cent average for this type of vehicle.