SEAT is a Spanish car brand that has been part of Volkswagen Group since the 1980s. For many years, it offered buyers a slightly younger and less conservative alternative to an equivalent Volkswagen, while sharing much of the same engineering. Models such as the Ibiza and Leon became familiar parts of the UK market, supported more recently by SUVs such as the Arona and Ateca.

The current problem is that the range has barely moved on. Every SEAT now on sale has been around for several years, and the latest changes have been facelifts, equipment upgrades and revised engines rather than genuinely new models. The Ibiza and Arona have recently been freshened up to keep them going, while the Leon has also received technical and interior improvements.

There is also no fully electric SEAT, with no clear replacement programme waiting in the wings. At the same time, Cupra has grown from a SEAT performance badge into the company’s main source of new models, electric cars and sales growth. Volkswagen Group may not have formally announced the end of SEAT, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the impression that Cupra is being developed while SEAT is being allowed to fade away.

None of this automatically makes a current SEAT a poor choice. The Ibiza, Leon, Arona and Ateca are familiar, proven cars that can still offer good value and straightforward ownership. Buyers are unlikely to wake up one morning and find that servicing or parts have disappeared. The concern is more about where the brand goes next, and whether today’s range represents the end of the line rather than the start of anything new.

This page brings together all of our SEAT coverage in one place, including Expert Ratings, reviews, news and feature articles, so you can compare the current cars and follow what happens to the brand over the coming years.