SEAT Exeo ST (2009 - 2013) 2.0 TDI CR Sport Tech (170bhp) 5d (2013/62) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

To people who know a bit about cars I'm a wise buyer who is having the last laugh. To everyone else I'm just driving another car, seat leons and ibizas are cool and funky and aimed at a younger market. This is a great car but doesn't have the kudos of the A4 or 3 series, the badge stops it being as special as it actually is imo.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They think its an audi! Im happy with that.

Would you buy this car again and why?

What are you likely to buy next?

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£14,995

When did you buy the car?

August 2013

Did you get a good deal and why?

Very good deal, about £2k below list for its age and milage and about £11k of its new price (only 7 months old). I was told the dealer was willing to sell below cost in order to meet a volume target. Not sure if this is true but I couldn't find a comparable deal anywhere else.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

I wanted an audi but couldn't justify the high cost for the typical age/milage and generally low spec you get for £15k, especially as they were all out of warranty and had the low power 143 engine. This had the 170bhp engine I wanted plus all the spec, not to mention less than 6000 miles and 2.5 years manufacturer warranty. Yes it doesn't have an audi badge but in every other way it is the car I wanted for a fraction of the cost!

What was the dealer like?

Other than getting a very good deal I was not very impressed with the dealership. Whilst it was a franchised main dealer it certainly didn't have the feel to it. The car can be compared to an audi, the dealership cannot! It was small and pokey and the sales man was very unknowledgable about the car and spent far more time trying to sell me various insurances and finance packages which I didn't need or want. After picking it up, and despite its pre release checks, I found its breaks were scored and pitted beyond repair, despite having only 6k on the clock. The car had to go straight back for new brakes aswell as fix the cup holder. They fixed these problems but broke the ashtray in the process, not impresses!

What's it like to drive?

Fantastic car to drive. I read many reviews saying the sport suspension on 18" wheels was too hard, I disagree, I find it perfectly comfortable, even on the awful roads in my area. It is good around town but simply a dream on the motorway. The flexibility of the 170bhp engine makes it great for either cruising for economy or making ground if the need arises. The 143 bhp engine is by far the most popular but in my opinion the extra power is welcome concidering the extra fuel and tax cost is relatively minor. Very comfortable for the front seat occupants too.

What's it like to park?

Parking sensors and good visibility make it easy to park. Smaller dimensions than the competition also help here.

Have you had any problems with the car?

As already mentioned the brakes needed replacing at 6k but thats because the dealership left it sitting around as an ex demo for too long and allowed the brakes to rust beyond repair. The cup holder problem is apparently a common one brought over from the audi a4 and as far as I can see the ashtray problem is purely as a result of the dealer fixing the cup holder! Ive only had the car a week so cant give a proper reliability review but dispite these few minor problems it really does feel like a premium product that will last and last. This is the audi side of the car which made me buy it. The build and material quality really is unmistakably audi in every way.

What's most practical about your car?

This class of car is getting bigger and the fact this is an old design is shown in its dimensions. Both boot space and rear leg room are less than the competition with the latter being a serious issue for taller adults or children to travel any significant distance in comfort. The boot is about 25% smaller than the likes of the mondeo and superb and about 10% smaller than the new a4 and octavia. This is not an impractical car however, just falls down compared to the rest on this area.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

I got the sport tech spec which offers unbeatable spec for the money. I love the following bits equally and the spec is one of the main reasons I brought the car, especially as many of the audis I looked at didnt even have cruise control! Full leather (unfortunately not heated) Sat nav Bluetooth Bose (very clear, not massively loud) Led running lights with directional bi xenons. Plus of course all the bits I concider to be standard (or should be) such as 4x elec windows Cruise Dual zone climate contraol Ipod conection etc etc. I wish it had an audi badge though!