SEAT ARONA

Does this aged former class leader still cut it after these latest updates?

- CHARLIE MARTIN

When it arrived eight years ago, the Seat Arona shot right to the top of the burgeoning crossover class. But the game has moved on: the Ford Puma has proved that such cars can be fun to drive, while the Dacia Duster and Fiat Grande Panda have demonstrated that going cheap doesn't have to mean going undesirable - leaving the staid Arona in murky waters.

The headline change is a restyle that's intended to emphasise the Arona's SUV-ness, bringing a more angular front end. The round foglight housings that were a signature of the Arona's higher trim levels are gone, with the fogs moved into the lower area of the grille. Whether it's successful is a matter of personal preference, but I feel it has lost a defining design feature and therefore a bit of character. It's all a bit anonymous, especially compared with the Ibiza supermini.