SEAT Tarraco

SEAT Tarraco at a glance

The name was chosen by a public vote and announced on 19 February 2018; Tarraco is the Roman name of Tarragona. Other SEAT models are in our SEAT catalogue.

Versions and model history

SEAT presented the Tarraco on 18 September 2018 and showed it to the public at the Paris Motor Show in October 2018. It was designed by Xavier Guinart under design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos and introduced a new face for the brand, with a large grille and new front and rear lights. Deliveries started in early 2019; the German ADAC catalogue lists the first versions from January 2019.

The range changed several times rather than receiving a classic facelift. At launch SEAT offered SE and Xcellence trims, followed by the sportier FR in 2020. The e-HYBRID plug-in hybrid entered production in Wolfsburg in the week of 30 November 2020. In mid-2022 the Xcellence trim gave way to the Xperience in Germany. Several engines were dropped in April 2023, and the last German list prices ran until August 2024. In July 2024 SEAT confirmed that production had ended in the second quarter of that year.

Engines, gearboxes and performance

All engines are four-cylinder turbos from the Volkswagen Group. The 140 kW (190 PS) diesel of the launch range was replaced in September 2020 by the 147 kW (200 PS) 2.0 TDI, and the 180 kW (245 PS) 2.0 TSI joined in 2021. Mexico also received a 1.4 TSI with 110 kW (150 PS) and a DSG gearbox.

The e-HYBRID combines a 110 kW (150 PS) 1.4 TSI with an 85 kW (115 PS) electric motor. Its 13 kWh lithium-ion battery gives up to 49 km of electric range in the WLTP cycle, and a full charge takes about 3.5 hours from a 3.6 kW wallbox. SEAT offered the plug-in only as a five-seater, in Xcellence and FR trim.

Dimensions, space and boot

The second row is split 40/20/40 and slides. Parkers rates the third row as fine for occasional use: access is tight, the rear side windows are small, and adults need the middle row moved forward. The Škoda Kodiaq has slightly more room in the back. Our size comparison tool puts the Tarraco next to other seven-seaters.

Fuel economy and running costs

SEAT quotes 1.6-2.0 l/100 km and 37-46.4 g/km of CO2 for the e-HYBRID in the WLTP cycle; those figures assume regular charging. The plug-in was also the most expensive version: in Germany the e-HYBRID FR cost EUR 49,960 (ADAC list price, 2021-2024).

Across the range, ADAC lists German prices from EUR 29,980 for the 1.5 TSI Style in 2019 to EUR 51,600 for the 2.0 TDI FR 4Drive DSG in 2020-2023. In the UK, Auto Express lists a three-year or 60,000-mile warranty with optional extensions to four or five years.

Trims and equipment

Launch equipment included a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, an eight-inch touchscreen, LED lights inside and out and, as standard, Lane Assist and Front Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection. Options included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection and Dynamic Chassis Control. Wikipedia also lists three-zone climate control, 17-inch alloys, DAB radio and Full Link smartphone mirroring (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) as standard at launch.

Safety

The Tarraco scored five Euro NCAP stars in 2019:

SEAT introduced Pre-Crash Assist and Rollover Assist with the Tarraco. ANCAP aligned its rating with the Euro NCAP test, and the Mexican version earned five stars from Latin NCAP in 2019. Compare other results in our safety section.

Reliability and known issues

ADAC's breakdown statistics give a useful picture. For cars first registered in 2019 ADAC counted 11.6 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, falling to 8.1 for 2020, 8.5 for 2021, 4.9 for 2022 and 1.6 for 2023. Younger cars always score better in this table, so the figures are best compared with other models of the same age. The Tarraco was not included in Auto Express's 2023 Driver Power survey. We have not found a sourced pattern of specific faults.

Rivals

The Kodiaq and the Tiguan Allspace use the same platform and engines; the Kodiaq also scored five Euro NCAP stars, in 2017. Use our comparison tool for current prices and specifications.