SEAT Tarraco e-Hybrid plug-in: pictures, specifications and on-sale date

SEAT has commenced production of its first plug-in hybrid SUV, the SEAT Tarraco e-Hybrid. Set to arrive in the UK in the second half of 2021, the Tarraco plug-in uses the same petrol-electric drivetrain as the Volkswagen Golf GTE and Cupra Leon e-Hybrid.

It's based on the standard Tarraco SUV, which shares underpinnings with the Skoda Kodiaq, and marries a 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine (making 148bhp) to an electric motor fed by a 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Key rivals will include the Toyota RAV4 and Suzuki Across plug-in hybrid sister models, as well as the Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e and upcoming Kia Sorento plug-in.

Together, the engine and motor produce 242bhp, for a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds and a top speed of 135mph. CO2 emissions are between 37 and 46g/km depending on the exact specification and wheel size chosen – in all cases sufficient to get the car into the lower tiers of the Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company-car tax-band system – while official fuel economy is between 141 and 177mpg. 

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The Tarraco e-Hybrid will always start in pure-electric mode, only calling on the petrol engine once the battery charge has dropped below a certain level or the speed exceeds 87mph. In hybrid mode, the driver can choose to maintain the battery charge at a certain level, or use power from the engine to top it back up entirely.

As well as being able to select pure-electric mode manually using a switch next the gearlever, the driver can also activate an 's-Boost' mode for a sportier driving experience with stronger acceleration. To recharge the battery from a 3.6kW wallbox takes three and a half hours, while a 2.3kW domestic supply will do the job in less than five hours.

Unlike the petrol and diesel-engined Tarracos, which can be specified with up to seven seats, the e-Hybrid version will be a five-seater only, offered in the UK in FR and Xcellence trim levels.