Welcome to Autodrivel

End of the line for Seat Toledo KG or back to roots? After so many experiments, Toledo is currently retired in a corner, and it’s unlikely we’ll see it miraculous and acrobatic return.

The original Toledo was a compact with a boot, the second Toledo was a sedan from which a compact was born, the third Toledo was a minivan, and the last Toledo is obviously a compact with a boot. This is because Seat Toledo KG is an exercise in lack of imagination and was made in collaboration with Skoda Rapid to jointly attack a dying domain, namely the world of saloons.

I’ve said it in the Mondeo review (which was permanently retired, by the way) and the one about the Passat (which is about to be permanently retired) – the saloon concept is about as tired and outdated as mainstream music. But still, there’s a market for Seat Toledo KG and Skoda Rapid, namely Eastern Europe and Asia. That’s why Skoda Rapid is still being sold in Asia, predominantly in Russia.

And Seat Toledo KG? They made the exact same mistake as in the previous generation and sold the same car twice. Seat Toledo 5P was almost identical to Seat Altea, and Seat Toledo KG and Skoda Rapid are effectively CTRL+C CTRL+V and differ only in the badge, except that Toledo costs a bit more than Rapid because reasons. And so, I have to fill space on the website with text that is not completely identical to that on the Skoda Rapid. But, like the Skoda, you have a hatchback-type boot, which makes it more spacious… I need a drink

Can I go home?

Seat Toledo KG Engines

Petrol

• 1.0 TSI EA211 of 95 and 110 horsepower – Launched in 2017, this faulty1.0 TSI gradually became the only available engine for everything in the lower and middle range of the VAG group. I’m waiting for the Touareg 1.0 TSI to arrive soon. But until then, I’ll have to top up with a lot of oil if you’re brave enough to buy something like this.


• 1.2 MPI BZG / CGPA of 75 horsepower – Launched just to be on brochures like “Seat Toledo, starting from…”, it’s good that they retired it quickly. I had this engine on a Polo, and I can guarantee that it’s insufficient in power and drinks oil as if it just finished a marathon. It also eats coil packs. No, there’s nothing good about it except the price.


• 1.2 TSI CBZB  of 85, 90, 105, and 110 horsepower – We have 4 cylinders and a turbo. The 85 horsepower one is still as insufficient as the minimum wage, you stick with the 105 horsepower , which was a kind of village bicycle. Pulled like the leggings of a girl who arrived at a festival, the 105 horsepower is somewhat decent for Seat Toledo as long as you want to use it for taxi and delivery in the city, one of its main uses. Oh yes, if it has a timing chain, avoid it. Although most should have a timing belt by now and not have specific issues.


• 1.4 TSI EA211 of 122 and 125 horsepower – If it’s the model until 2014, then avoid it because it still has timing  and oil consumption issues. After 2014, however, it transforms from Rey Misterio into Big Show, and it’s much better and becomes the most balanced engine for Toledo. Just good luck finding one because you’re dealing with a low-cost model, and top engines are always rare on low-cost models. And in 2015, the 125 horsepower version appears, one of the best engines in recent VW history.

Diesel

• 1.4 TDI BMS of 90 horsepower – This one was lucky because it was small enough and managed to survive thanks to low emissions. It’s an excellent engine for long trips, but do you really want to go on long trips with a Seat Toledo?


• 1.6 TDI CAYB / CAYC of 90 and 115 horsepower – Generally, when you see a Seat Toledo or a Skoda Rapid, you’ll find either a 1.2 TSI or a 1.6 TDI, as if the rest of the engines don’t even exist. But at least this 1.6 TDI engine has finally been fixed and no longer has past issues and can be bought confidently.

Seat Toledo KG Reliability Issues

• Like any modern diesel, especially those in the VW group, you have to be very careful when driving in the city because it will clog the particle filter worse than you clog the toilet after eating mexican. Besides that, you also have the issue of the dual-mass flywheel that wears out faster than you’d like.


• The DSG automatic gearbox is supposed to be more reliable after 2017, but reality seems to be different. In any case, for DSG gearboxes until 2017 the oil needs to be changed every 60,000 km. As for those after 2017, there’s a switch to a dry clutch, and the oil doesn’t need to be changed because it doesn’t have oil anyway.


• Seat Toledo is part of the low-cost family, and when you say VW, you expect the low cost to be low cost. I’m surprised the seats aren’t optional, although the floor mats are optional. Just like the power windows. Or the air conditioning. Or the power steering. But at least it doesn’t have electrical issues because it doesn’t have much to fail.

Seat Toledo KG Verdict

If you’re nostalgic for the VW Bora or Megane saloon and want a simple, cheap, and reliable sedan, then Seat Toledo KG is for you. Because for the rest, there’s the Nissan Qashqai, Toyota Rav4, and the entire cohort of crossovers that came out of them. But if you’re a taxi driver who wants something relatively cheap and really good, then Toledo is okay. Not great, not terrible. Okay. But at least it’s cheap. I went on autotrader to see how things are, and it’s not shady like a 45 year old poledancer who has taken way too many drugs for her age. In other words, with 3000 pounds, you can buy a 2015 Toledo with all the features you need, which is okay. Well, just with all the features you need and nothing more.

Which engines do I recommend? I would say the 1.4 TSI with 125 horsepower for petrol, but the whole idea of Toledo is to be cheap, so I recommend the 1.2 TSI with 105 horsepower with a timing belt. As for diesel, the 1.6 TDI with 90 horsepower is sufficient, although I don’t think it fits the car’s character very well.