• Diesel the way to go for best fuel economy
• Deeper pockets needed to run a petrol
• Servicing and maintenance should be manageable

What are the running costs?

All Taraccos are powered by the Volkswagen Group’s time-honoured range of petrol and diesel engines. Even the entry-level 1.5-litre TSI petrol is capable of delivering respectable fuel consumption, though it has its work cut out when loaded; most buyers will be best served by a TDI diesel engine if maximum economy is a key part of the purchasing decision. Just try to avoid doing too many short trips around town, as this can block the diesel particulate filter and cause other reliability problems.

The most economical Tarraco according to official WLTP figures is the 150hp entry-level 2.0-litre TDI, which is supposedly capable of over 50mpg. Out in the real world, the more powerful 190hp model may actually be better if you want the associated DSG automatic and 4Drive all-wheel drive – simply because its additional torque (pulling power) will place it under less strain.

40

Either way, routinely achieving over 40mpg will be a good result in our experience. Our long-term test of a 150hp 4Drive model resulted in an overall average of 37-38mpg.

The more powerful 2.0-litre turbo petrol models will struggle to return over 30mpg; you might get mid-30s from the 1.5-litre version.

For full fuel economy and CO2 info, see our SEAT Tarraco specs page.

Servicing and warranty

Recommended service intervals for the SEAT Tarraco are once every 12 months at distances of no greater than 10,000 miles. You can get a service plan from SEAT to help spread the cost, if required.

The warranty offer from SEAT is not especially generous, lasting just three years or 60,000 miles. Extended coverage is available at extra cost.

Reliability

• There have been issues
• VW tech is no guarantee of dependability
• Somehow not as reliable as related Skoda Kodiaq

You’d think that a VW Group product closely related to another car with a good reliability record, powered by a set of engines that have appeared in millions of vehicles, and built by a brand that has a generally solid reputation would be a fair guarantee of dependability, right? Sadly it appears this is not so with the Tarraco.

It has consistently performed badly in owners’ surveys, with some suggesting that as many as a third of Tarracos sold have experienced issues. While not all – or indeed many – of these problems have been serious, there still seems to be a big divide between the performance of this SEAT compared with the Skoda Kodiaq, which is considered a largely reliable purchase.

However, our own Tarraco owner reviews section shows a perfectly adequate 4.2 stars out of five rating. Add your experience to help others, if you can.

There have been quite a variety of official safety recalls, which suggests the manufacturing process perhaps wasn’t quite all it could have been. Any issues with a particular vehicle should have been fixed by SEAT by now, but it is worth a quick phone call to the local service department to check.

If you’re considering a used Tarraco, examine the service history and MOT data carefully. Ask the seller about dealer visits outside of routine appointments – and do all the usual checks to make sure everything electronic works, the body is in good condition (there have even been complaints about rust), and that the seats all function properly and aren’t too gummed up by previous family life.