Second-Hand Sense: Anyone out there honest enough to admit they remember when a Seat was a Spanish Fiat?
If they do they'll have memories - either from their Spanish holidays or from the early Seat models that arrived here - of the Fiat 127 in another incarnation . . . or of one of the ugliest cars ever designed, the first Seat Malaga. In fact, the Malaga diesel and the Fiat Ritmo diesel must go down as two of the most awful cars ever produced.
It was not until 1984 that we saw what Seat was actually capable of. At the Paris motor show that year the company unveiled a car styled by Guigario and with a Porsche system engine. It was called the Ibiza and since it went on sale the company never really looked back - it really was a sexy looking car for its day.
Years later we were to see a Seat car that was built on the same platform as the VW Golf, the Bora, the Audi A3 and the Skoda Octavia - the Seat Toledo. Seat was now a part of the VW group, and the car has enjoyed greatly deserved recognition for cars that are generally really well designed, practical and good value for money. In fact, some Seats have impressed more than the VW originals with which they share their developmental pedigrees.
The Toledo, a new version of which has gone on sale, is one of the best cars ever produced under this Seat/VW partnership. The older version - and now is a good time to look for one - is sturdy, nice to drive and a practical proposition for those who want all the benefits of VW group technology at a better price. It is also a very well-styled car, and is ageing well.
The ride is harsher than that of a Golf and it has better handling. The basic version has a 1.6 petrol engine producing an acceptable 100 horse power. The 1.9 turbo diesel is the usual offering from the VW group - full of vim and torque and fairly quiet, although obviously not as well refined as later technology.
The interior is practical and full of familiar Golf and A3 features and the driver and front seat passenger are not short of comfort. But rear seat passengers have a different experience. They are cramped, reminding one that this car may look bigger than a Golf, but it's not.
The Toledo has lasted well and has not really been affected by recalls. Very small numbers of cars have been recalled for problems with cooling fan motors and a potential problem with the passenger airbag. Only 11 cars were recalled for the latter problem, however. There have been some problems with the 1.8 20 valve engines, such as timing belts snapping at between 70,000 and 80,000 miles. However, the main British motor reliability index rates Seat as the fifth most reliable manufacturer.
A 2001 model with a 1.6 petrol engine and 32,000 on the clock has an asking price on Carzone.ie of €11,500, while a 2003 version with lots of extras, including air conditioning, and a very low 14,600 miles is available at €15,000. A 2003 diesel 1.9 with 47,000 miles on the clock can be had for €16,950. All these prices should be open to serious negotiation. ... -