THINKING BIG TO SAVE AT PUMPS
THE SPACIOUS TARRACO HAS A CLEVER WAY OF MITIGATING ITS SIZE, SAYS EDWARD STEPHENS
IF you buy a large, spacious, six-seater family vehicle it always helps to find the manufacturer has built in a way of keeping the running costs down. And with the latest SEAT Tarraco SE Technology model the Spanish car maker has a trick up its sleeve to do just that.
For while the Tarraco is a four cylinder car it automatically cuts off two cylinders when you’re cruising along at a constant speed and have a light foot on the accelerator. In other words the engine is only working at half its power, which sends the instant fuel consumption readout into three figures.
And that helps keep the average fuel consumption at a sensible level of around 43 miles per gallon.
You know when it’s happening because you get a “two cylinder mode” message on the dashboard, and unless money is no object it’s a message which it’s tempting to aim for every time you get behind the wheel.
The new SEAT Tarraco, which is named after the northern Spanish city of Tarragona in case you were wondering, is the largest model in the company’s SUV line up.
And unusually it’s not manufactured in Spain but in
Wolfsburg, Germany, home of the Volkswagen Group of which SEAT is part.
This is a car which you buy for space and flexibility and it has both in spades allowing you to stretch your legs – and your arms – without encroaching on anyone else.
And when the two rear seats in the third row are not in use they fold neatly into the floor. This increases the luggage space under the tailgate from 230 litres to 700 litres as well as giving the three travellers in the middle row of seats even more space as you can slide these seats – which are split two-thirds/one third – backwards and forwards. And if you really need a vast carrying capacity folding down all but the front seats will give you a van-like 1,775 litres.
The SE Technology model is just one up from the entrylevel SE model and adds a navigation system with 3D mapping, dark tinted rear windows and 18-inch rather than 17-inch alloys for a premium of just over £1,000.
But despite its fairly low status in the pecking order it has everything on board that most people will want, from full LED headlights to height adjustable front seats and parking sensors.
You can even dial up the driving mode you want to use, with a choice of Eco, Normal, Sport and individual settings. On the road the Tarraco has a nice solid, chunky feel to it. Slip it into Sport mode and it firms up the ride to give it just the right handling for enjoyable driving with very little body roll. And while the high stance gives you good all round vision it doesn’t detract from its handling.
From the driver’s seat everything is easily controllable thanks to an eight-inch central touchscreen which operates most on-board features and is impressively logical to use.
For under £30,000 the SEAT Tarraco SE Technology is a lot of car for the money.
This is a car which you buy for space and flexibility and it has both in spades
WHAT a strange year it’s been, not only with Covid-19 but also our weather. A brilliant sunny spring led into an early summer drought and now we are having downpours.
In turbulent times, the thing to cling on to is nature and gardening, which are always there and dependable. July is high season in the garden and it’s time to slow down and enjoy our plots in full bloom.
Unlike the first fast flush of May and June, July is not so fleeting and there is so much variety from roses, shrubs, annuals, herbaceous plants and exotics to appreciate.
So what is looking especially good this month?
If I were to pick something with interesting foliage, it’d be Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex,’ the rice paper tree. It’s a woody shrub, and nearly the size of a small tree with huge lobed leaves that can be as large as 2ft in diameter.
Later, there will be white flowers, but you really grow this to achieve an instant tropical effect. Although exotic-looking, it’s hardy, hailing from mountains in Taiwan, but I’d add some protection in very harsh winters.
Another interesting specimen doing its thing this month is Sonchus arboreus, the tree dandelion. This odd-looking plant looks like Roald Dahl got his hands on a dandelion or a scene from Honey, I Shrunk the
Kids. The foliage is wonderful and topped with clusters of yellow flowers.
There’s no shortage of blossoms either. Abutilons are a stunning addition to a sunny sheltered garden, but most will need moving to a conservatory for winter. ‘Ashford Red’ is one of my favourites with deep red pendant flowers and handsome dark green leaves.
One of the zingiest colours available is from rose campion or Lychnis coronaria – the bright magenta pink flowers dazzle even on grey days and they form a beautiful contrast against the silvery grey felty leaves. It’s a shortlived perennial but will self-seed.
There’s also a gorgeous doubleflowered variety ‘Gardeners World.’ The flowers are sterile so it won’t produce any seed, but you can propagate by division or taking basal cuttings in spring.
Other reliable herbaceous for the July border are achillea, which is so long-flowering, Knautia macedonica if you love those rich jewel-like crimson colours and, of course, campanulas for lots and lots of blue and white bell flowers.
Eryngium Big Blue looks fantastic right now with its electric blue thistle
and family were guests of Warwick Castle, which offers semi-detached Woodland Lodges sleeping up to five, and Knight’s Lodges (up to seven) on a bed and breakfast basis from £212 per night. This includes two-day Warwick Castle entry tickets, themed evening entertainment and car parking.
NATALIE BOWEN
See
warwick-castle.com/ stay-overnight/knights-village 0371 265 2000.
or call