Motoring

Bunclody native Caroline Kidd brings us reviews of the latest new cars to arrive in Ireland. Caroline is the founder and editor of the online automotive magazine Changing Lanes and a jury member for Irish Car of the Year. Find out more about her editorial and commercial copywriting services at www.changinglanes.ie SEAT Tarraco

The SEAT Tarraco got its big Irish market launch back in 2019. Awards quickly followed for SEAT’s flagship SUV. The Tarraco was not just big in size, it also went large on design and quality!

Now it’s time to revisit the SEAT Tarraco, this time in sporty FR trim with a 2.0-litre diesel under the bonnet. The Tarraco is available in 5 or 7 seat models, with 7 seat versions starting from €41,295.

In Ireland buyers can choose from three well equipped trim levels: SE, Xcellence and FR. The FR models start from €47,365, building on the Tarraco’s considerable specification with even more features and a sporty makeover inside and out.

Power comes from a 1.5-litre TSI turbo petrol with 150 hp or a 2.0-litre diesel with 150 hp – or 200 hp and four wheel drive.

The Tarraco is a good-looking large family SUV, and it gets even better in FR trim. There have been a range of exterior enhancements, including special grille with FR logo, wider, black wheel arch mouldings, black roof rails and window frames, and side mirrors finished in Cosmo Grey. At the back the new Tarraco FR gets a new spoiler, an exclusive rear diffusor and the rear logo in a handwritten style. 20” alloy wheels complete the look!

The SEAT Tarraco feels immediately sporty inside too with some very impressive sports seats. The Tarraco has a lovely cabin and it’s standing the test of time very well. The fit and finish is excellent, allowing the Tarraco FR to command its considerable list price without buyers feeling short changed. The digital instrument cluster is crisp and modern, while an updated infotainment system with 9.2” screen in the centre of the dash looks glossy and offers good functionality and connectivity. There’s also a new touch module for the climate control functions with illuminated touch sliders for fan and temperature control. It’s pretty simple to use once you get the hang of it.

The FR model lives up to its sporty billing with a leather sports steering wheel with FR logo, leather gear se-

SEAT Tarraco

lector and aluminium pedals at your feet.

Other standard equipment features include keyless start and entry, power folding mirrors, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, rear view camera, drive profile selection, front heated seats, park assist, and parking sensors.

It is a big car but easy to manage and control whether on the road or in the car park. There’s little to complain about in terms of space. This is a large, versatile family car whatever way you look at it! Space is more limited in the third row, but it goes with the territory. It’s handy to have these extra two seats available. Boot space is limited when they are in place. But when they are folded into the floor, the Tarraco offers a cavernous boot with great width and height.

On the road the Tarraco FR proves to Interior

be comfortable and refined, with the DSG automatic gearbox offering an even more relaxed drive. The 2.0-litre diesel is a powerful companion with plenty of torque. It’s also extremely economical considering the size of the vehicle. Motor tax for this model is €270 per year.

The SEAT Tarraco FR is an exciting addition to the Tarraco range, bringing more individuality to the car once again. All models come wellequipped, which is reassuring. But this Tarraco FR surely has presence that brings SEAT’s flagship on another gear.

It is largely a cosmetic update inside and out, but equipment levels are high so you will want for nothing inside the cabin!

The Tarraco makes a great family car regardless, with a huge cabin and plenty of comfort and refinement on the road.

Model tested:

SEAT Tarraco 2.0 TDI 150hp DSG FR Price: €47,365 Engine: 2.0-litre turbo diesel Power: 150 hp Torque: 360 Nm Top speed: 196 km/h Fuel Consumption: 5.6-6.0 l/100 km Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 10.1 seconds CO2 emissions: 148-157 g/km Motor Tax: €270 per year n

Arklow Road, Gorey

Lifetime Warranty

Professional Accredited Installers Complete Range of Tints incl. NCT www.coatek.ie www.coatek.ie info@coatek.ie info@coatek.ie

ENNISCORTHY

CARS, VANS, 4X4, TRUCKS, TRACTORS, MARINE, QUADS, LAWNMOWERS AND GENERATORS. WE REPAIR ALL UNITS. ALL APPLICATIONS CATERED FOR. Island Road, Enniscorthy. T: (053) 9235933.

The much-anticipated, all-new Opel Mokka has arrived on Opel Dealer forecourts around Ireland. Hot on the heels of the spacious new Crossland, the new Mokka is the second new model from the Opel stable in 2021, a year that promises to reshape the German brand. Eye-catching and boldly styled, it features Opel’s exciting new Vizor front face and attractive, new interior Pure Panel cockpit. Available in petrol, diesel and all-electric, it retails in Ireland from €23,295 plus delivery related charges, for the SC 1.2 petrol 100bhp model.

James Brooks, Managing Director at Leeson Motors, Opel Importer in Ireland, said: “The arrival of the new Opel Mokka, together with the Crossland, heralds the beginning of an exciting new era for the Opel brand. Sporting a daring, stand-out exterior, a breath-taking interior and boasting a high level of standard comfort and safety features, the new Opel Mokka is fun, efficient, robust and innovative. With dealers reporting strong customer enquiries already, our new Mokka is destined to change the perception of our brand and to be a true success with many existing Mokka customers and conquest buyers alike.” With short overhangs and a wide stance, at 4.15m long, the new Mokka is perfectly proportioned exuding a bold, robust presence. Complementing the handsome Opel Vizor front face, a redesigned Opel Blitz lightning bolt and a centrally aligned model name sit proudly at the rear. Inside, the new Opel Pure Panel integrates two widescreen displays of up to 10 and 12 inches in size and focuses on the essentials. The central display is tilted to the driver and provides the latest technologies. In contrast to other cockpits, intuitive buttons still control the most important functions, such as aircon and radio volume, avoiding distractive navigation through touchscreen sub-menus.

The engineering team in Russelsheim worked particularly hard to reduce weight, saving up to 120kg vs the previous generation, whilst also enhancing body stiffness. As such, the new Mokka consumes substantially less, while being much more responsive, agile and fun to drive.

Available in SC, SRI and Elite trims, standard equipment on the entry level SC trim includes enhanced traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist, collision avoidance sensor with brake assist, pedestrian detection alert, electronic cruise control with speed limiter, rear parking sensors with rear view camera, air conditioning, 7” colour touchscreen, 7” colour driver instrument cluster, DAB radio and 16” alloy wheels.

The SRI trim, retailing from €24,795 plus delivery gains heated driver and front passenger seats, electronic climate control, rain sensing front windscreen wipers, electro-chrome rear view mirror, auto lights, front centre armrest, sports alloy pedals, SRI red interior

trim, leather- effect seat trim, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 2 additional USB ports in the rear, black painted roof, tinted rear window privacy glass, 17” alloy wheels and LED front fog lamps. The Elite trim, retailing from €27,795 plus delivery adds driver seat massage function, leather upholstery, 10” colour touchscreen with navigation, enhanced 12” multi-colour driver instrument cluster and 17” bi-colour black alloy wheels.

Available across all three trims, the lively, yet economical petrol and diesel engines offer power outputs ranging from 100hp to 130hp. The fun starts with the entry-level 1.2 petrol 100bhp turbo 6-speed manual (5.7l/100km, 125g/km CO2). Higher performance is supplied by a 1.2 130bhp turbo available with manual or automatic transmission. Despite the strong power output, fuel consumption from this allaluminium engine remains excellent from both the 6- speed manual or smooth 8-speed automatic transmission with Quickshift technology (5.66.0l/100km, 125-135 g/km CO2). The two petrol engines are joined by a lively 1.5-litre diesel 110bhp 6-speed manual, (4.5l/100km, 114g/km CO2). Available in SRI and Elite trims, the powerful, almost silent electric drive of the Mokka-e produces 100kW (136hp) and 260Nm maximum toque from a standing start. In the WLTP cycle, the 50kWh battery enables a range of up to 324 kilometres before recharging is required; the electronically limited top speed is 150 kph to preserve energy. Drivers can choose between three drive modes – Normal, Eco and Sport. A 100 kW DC fast-charger replenishes 80% of the battery in just 30 minutes. Opel offers an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery.

The all-new Opel Mokka is now on sale in Opel Dealerships nationwide. Discover it virtually now at http://www.opel.ie n

MOKKA

Are you ready for Opel’s next, bold step forward? It’s a combination of pure design, a stunning interior and the latest high-tech powertrains, so expect the unexpected. The new Mokka is here and it’s rewriting the rules to take driving to a whole new level. It’s time to drive your way, with Mokka.