Pros: Smart styling, economical, good infotainment
Cons: Cramped third-row seats, no significant electrification
The Seat Tarraco is Seat‘s first attempt at a full-sized SUV, and it’s a pretty good-looking one. Being a Volkswagen Group product, this Spanish SUV shares practically everything with the Skoda Kodiaq, although, unlike its sibling, the Tarraco comes equipped with seven seats as standard across the range.
It feels a touch more incisive and agile than other SUVs of its size, but this sharper handling does seem to come at the expense of rolling refinement and outright comfort. In a car such as this, comfort and refinement should arguably be of greater focus. That said, it’s far from uncomfortable, and for any keen driver who has previously had to sacrifice fun at the altar of family-friendly practicality, the extra injection of agility and ability will be welcomed.
Being based on the same stretched, seven-seat version of the VW Group’s MQB platform as the Kodiaq means it’s hobbled by some of its flaws too, the biggest of which is that there are virtually no electrified powertrain options. That’s not a big deal from a driving perspective, but given the popularity of these machines in the company car sector, the lack of a PHEV is something of an oversight.
Still, the interior is well finished and the petrol and diesel engines are impressively refined and pretty economical. It’s priced competitively, too.
Read our Seat Tarraco review
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10. Kia Sorento
Pros: Comfortable, refined, spacious interior
Cons: Hybrid isn’t especially economical, ride and handling lack polish
Well, the Sorento has really come a long way since the bland, boxy original model that turned up in 2002, hasn’t it? On design appeal alone, this new fourth-generation model easily has what it takes to mix it with the genuine premium players in this class.