This month’s road test puts me into a car that many of you probably don’t even realise exists!
This is a car that sits very quietly in the shadows of many other cars on the road, and I doubt that some of you have ever seen it on the road.
Well the reason for this is that while most of you will go with what’s currently in fashion, and what’s hip, there are some of you out there like me that like an outsider, the underdog as to say.
To be honest, I really do like an outsider. If I bet on a Horse, I will always bet on a Horse with three legs. The Toledo is a bit like this. Yes, it does have four wheels, and a glossy coat, but can it win the race of style, performance, and more importantly win the coveted first past the post?
Well, to find out, let’s just look at it for a few seconds. Hmm! It kind of looks mean from one angle, then soft and comfy, like you’re Granddads’ lap from another. This then is my sort of car.
The Toledo may not have the looks of a Ferrari or an Aston, but what it does do is make me smile. Just like the Fiat 500 did, and to be honest, in my book that is something pretty special.
Of course I know the Toledo is not for everyone, but don’t be fooled, because after you have been with it for a while, you won’t ever want to part with it. I didn’t!
Engine: The Toledo I currently have on test is powered by a 1.6 -litre 5 speed TDi Diesel engine that has 105PS on tap, and a respectable top speed of 118mph. it also has no less than 250Nm of torque, plus a 0-62 time of 10.4 seconds. Fuel consumption is also very good with a combined figure of 70.6 mpg.
On the road: It is soft but firm in the corners and very well balanced. A big plus point for this car though is it can pull very well from pretty much any gear. Then there are the brakes, which feel good and firm, and the suspension actually absorbs England’s bumpy roads really well.
Inside: As with all Seat’s, the interior is of a good standard – but, as I have said many times, Seat is a part of VW group, so it will last for years. The seating is actually rather good even after a long journey, and the dials and switches are laid out very well and are very clear and precise.
Standard equipment is good such as, ESP/ABS/EBA, ipod/MP3 connection, child-locks on the rear doors, head thorax front side airbags, air conditioning, six speakers, steering wheel-mounted audio control and split folding rear seats.
Plus it doesn’t stop there either, but I am running out of space to write. If I was going to add anything to the options list, then I would add rear parking sensors, dark tinted rear windows, centre rear headrest and the brilliant Media Sound System which Includes satellite navigation with dynamic route guidance, a five inch colour touch-screen, 3D map display, SD card slot, DAB radio tuner and Bluetooth audio streaming.
Remember this car is one of the top models in the Toledo range, and yet it only costs £17,840. So, as far as I am concerned you get a lot for your money, plus I really do think it has something more to offer than the normal run of the mill Ford Focus for instance.
I am going to finish it here, but, I’m going to give the Toledo five stars in this test, not only because I like it a lot but because I believe it’s worth every penny. Next time you are out looking for a new four door saloon car, try looking that little bit harder, because as I have shown, the Toledo is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Seat Toledo 1.6 FR 5 door
Price: £17,840 OTR
Top speed: 1118mph
0-62mph: 10.4sec
Economy: 70.6mpg (combined) emissions g/km (106)
Engine: 1.6 TDi
Power: 105PS at 4400rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 1500rpm
Gearbox: 5-speed manual
Verdict: 5 stars By Anthony Yates