SEAT’s Revived Toledo Brand Restores Sedan Silhouette

MADRID – Spanish auto maker SEAT announces a new generation of its Toledo range with a 4-door sedan to be built in Czech Republic.

The Volkswagen Group subsidiary said in March that to reduce costs, the new model would be built by VW sibling Skoda, which will market it under the Rapid name.

SEAT’s new Toledo range will launch in mid-November in Spain and Portugal, followed in 2013 by other key markets including Germany, Mexico and Turkey.

About 860,000 units of the previous three Toledo generations were built between 1991 and 2009, when SEAT discontinued the marque. The auto maker talks of only two Toledo generations, probably because the third one was a market flop that, despite its spacious interior, had poorly received styling suggesting a cross between a sedan and a small multipurpose vehicle.

The new generation of the Toledo range revives a traditional sedan design and a length of 177 ins. (450 cm), 1.6 in. (4 cm) longer than its 2004 predecessor.

Three of the latest VW engines will be available, 1.2L and 1.4L gasoline mills ranging from 75-122 hp, and a 1.6L TDI common-rail diesel producing 105 hp. A 7-speed dual-clutch transmission will be offered with the higher-powered gas engine.

Carbon-dioxide emissions of the Ecomotive versions of the gas engines will be 116 g/km, while the Ecomotive version of the diesel will reach only 104 g/km.

In late 2013, SEAT will offer a second TDI diesel engine generating 90 hp.

The standard safety package for the new Toledo range will include driver and passenger airbags, front side airbags and head-thorax airbags. The basic model also comes with centralized locking and power front windows.