SEAT have recently announced at their Annual Results Press Presentation in Barcelona that they will be adding their first SUV to the SEAT line-up from 2016.
SEAT first showed their IBX SUV concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and their proposed SUV is set to be based on this concept vehicle. SEAT which is part of the Volkswagen Group, was recently given the clearance by the VW Group to go ahead with the production.
The proposed SUV will be built on the Volkswagen MQB platform and is expected to be available in front wheel drive with an optional four wheel drive. It is expected to have the range of petrol and diesel engines available on the SEAT Leon and will compete with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai.
The SUV will be developed and engineered at SEAT's headquarters in Martorell, Spain. Jürgen Stackmann is the current boss at SEAT and he had this to say about the proposal: “This is great news. It takes Seat into new territory in one of the largest and fastest-growing segments in the world. The SUV is an important pillar in the future corporate strategy and is a major step forward on the road to reaching sustainable profitability for the company.”
SEAT are introducing a vehicle into the SUV market as they look to increase their overall vehicle sales. In 2013 they sold 355,000 vehicles.
Do you think this will be a success in this very competitive market? Share your thoughts in our comments box below.
Have a look at the IBX Concept SUV at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The proposed SEAT SUV will be based on this concept vehicle:
