There appears to be no let-up in the car-buying population’s desire for high-riding crossovers and SUVs and, spurred on by the success of the Ateca, Seat have moved quickly to capitalise on demand and launched the Arona.

It shares its chassis and engines with the Ibiza but, obviously, sits a little taller and offers slightly improved practicality.

It’s not the most rugged looking crossover – though it does have plenty of black plastic cladding lining the sills, wheel arches and front and rear bumpers – but there remains the sense that it’s just a hatchback on stilts.

To add a little context to that statement, the Arona is 79mm longer and 99mm taller than the Ibiza while the driving position is 52mm higher and there’s also an additional 37mm of headroom. The boot, at 400 litres.

Perhaps more tellingly, while there’s an extra 15mm of ground clearance the Arona is only available with front wheel drive, there’s no genuine off-road option.

Every car sold in the UK will wear metallic paint – there’s a choice of 10 colours - and be offered with the option of a contrast roof colour from a choice of three. You don’t need a calculator to work out that that’s 30 possible combinations.

The rear door windows kick up towards the bootlid spoiler – there’s an additional three-quarter light window to allow a little more light into the back of the car – and where the contrast roof meets the rear pillars the Arona wears a mysterious X motif.

Seventeen-inch wheels are standard on the SE, FR and XCELLENCE models while Lux trim rides on 18-inch rims.

The cabin is tidy but a little uninspiring and, while it’s well put together and ergonomically sound, there’s a significant amount of harder plastics across the dashboard. From hands-on point of view, it’s a better story around the parts of the cabin within easy reach, where the materials are much more pleasing to the touch. That means that even the entry-level model, the SE, gets a leather-bound steering wheel, handbrake lever and gear knob.

The driving position is sound enough and visibility out the front is excellent.

There’s a decent amount of room. Even with a pair of six foot-plus passengers in the front there’s enough space to accommodate someone of similar stature in the back. There’s no shortage of headroom either.

The entry-level Arona is fitted with a five-inch touchscreen but upgrading to SE Technology trim adds an additional three inches to the diagonal as well as sat nav. Called Media System Plus it also includes DAB radio with MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice control, two USB ports, a 3.5mm aux-in socket and SD card slot.

The graphics are crisp and the screen responds almost instantly to touch inputs. There’s a proximity sensor that senses when your hand is nearby and, only then, displays secondary menu icons that are normally hidden away, leaving the screen uncluttered.

As readers know, I’m not a huge fan of dispensing with all physical buttons and the Arona scores a bonus point for retaining switchgear that allows you to adjust the volume or zoom in on the map quickly and safely while on the move. You also get a wireless charging pad for your mobile phone.

The next rung on the trim ladder – SE Technology Lux – adds a Beats-branded audio system, keyless entry and ignition, adaptive cruise control and the firm’s Winter Pack.

FR trim – the version tested here – includes 17in alloys, chrome exterior trim, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors colour-matched to the roof, tinted rear windows and twin exhaust pipes to the exterior, along with FR sports seats, ambient lighting, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and Seat's Climatronic climate control system.

Xcellence versions dispense with the FR's customisable drive modes, but adds blind spot detection and rear cross traffic alerts. Top-spec Xcellence Lux Aronas gets those drive modes back, and gains a rear view camera and semi-automated park assist.

My test car was fitted with the 1.5-litre TSI Evo engine that has already seen service in the Leon and Ibiza. It produces a healthy 148bhp with a top speed of 127mph and a zero to 62mph time of 8.3 seconds. As you can see, it’s no slouch.

What impresses most, however, is the broad spread of torque which contributes to a relaxing motoring experience by avoiding the need to go hunting for ratios whenever the pace of forward momentum changes.

Almost as impressive is fuel economy with a combined figure that isn’t far off that offered by the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder unit that’s also available. That efficiency is largely attributable to cylinder deactivation technology which, as the name suggests, allows the engine to run on just two cylinders under light load.

The switch between running modes is imperceptible, with just a message in the driver information display the only indication that anything unusual is occurring.

If you’re not in fuel-saving mood and are, instead, keen to press on you’ll find that the engine is responsive to changes in throttle inputs and that the wonderfully precise six-speed gearbox is very gratifying to use.

The engine can get a tad boomy across the mid-range but the exhaust note near the red line is mildly addictive. At cruising speeds the engine is inaudible.

There are four driving modes to choose from. In normal the steering is light – a little too light for my tastes – but sport introduces a little more heft. The FR-spec's ride is on the firm side, not unexpected given its performance-orientated remit, but it deals with broken surfaces well, isolating occupants and exhibiting commendable composure, particularly in corners where body control impresses.

The Arona makes a decent stab at cementing its place among the top compact SUVs. The ride is composed and refinement is excellent. There are few thrills to be found behind the wheel but, in this class, that can also be applied to most, if not all, of the Arona’s competitors.

If you’re looking for something with the footprint of a small hatchback but with marginally improved practicality then the Arona should certainly be on your shopping list.

Seat Arona FR 1.5 TSI EVO 150PS 6-speed manual

Price: £21,535

As tested: £21,655

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Max power: 150PS

Max Torque: 184lbft @ 1,500 – 3,500rpm

Max speed: 127mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 8.3sec

Combined: 55.4mpg

Emissions (CO2): 115g/km

For more information visit www.seat.co.uk