THE SEAT Toledo it was once again the Car of the Year in Portugal in 2000 (1M, the second generation, launched in 1998) after having won this award in 1992 (1L, the first generation).
The Spanish family, which showed itself to the world for the first time at the Barcelona Motor Show in 1991, was the second model to win this award on two occasions (the first was the Volkswagen Passat).
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, like the first, the second generation of the Toledo made its debut at the Paris Motor Show in 1998 and was based on the Volkswagen Group's PQ34 platform, debuted on the Audi A3 in 1996 and which served as the basis for many other models from the group at the time: Audi TT, SEAT Leon, Skoda Octavia, Volkswagen Beetle, Volkswagen Bora and Volkswagen Golf.
Family with sporty character
It shared several components with the Octavia and Bora, although it was assumed to be the sportiest proposal of the three, despite the four-door format. At the time, there was much speculation about possible Toledo derivations, especially a coupé version. But the one that didn't take long to appear was a five-door hatchback, the first Leon.
Inside, the dashboard was derived from the first generation A3 and the trunk allowed 500 liters of cargo (up to 830 liters with the rear seats folded down), a figure that respected Toledo's family responsibilities. However, and because of the “fault” of the new positioning of the Spanish brand, the finishes and materials of the cabin were presented in a good plan.
As for the engines that made up the range, the highlight was the 1.9 TDI block with 90 and 110 hp and the three petrol blocks available: 1.6 cross-flow of 100 hp, a 1.8 20v of 125 hp (Audi origin) and a 2.3 of 150 hp, the latter the first five-cylinder engine to power a SEAT, and moreover, an even rarer five-cylinder V-shaped engine (derived directly from the VR6).
Despite not having been restyled, the second generation of the Toledo was receiving new engines that were adapting it to the increasingly strict European emission standards. In 2000, the entry-level mechanics were replaced by a 1.6 16v engine with 105 hp that promised greater performance and less consumption and in the following year, in 2001, an even more powerful version of the 1.9 TDI, with 150 hp would arrive — and the legendary three TDI letters in red.
180 hp for the most powerful of Toledo
The 2.3 V5 would see its power rise to 170 hp in its multi-valve variant — 20 valves in total — but the most powerful of the SEAT Toledo would turn out to be the original Audi 1.8 l four-cylinder turbo with 180 hp. Interestingly, it also had 20 valves, but in this case with five valves per cylinder.The 1.9 TDI also gained a new 130 hp version in 2003, when SEAT took the opportunity to give Toledo the new mirrors with thermal regulation inherited from the new Ibiza (third generation).
At a time when the European market was beginning to pay more and more attention to larger saloons and to… people carriers, to the detriment of medium saloons, Toledo ended up being a victim of this new European situation and did not “return” in the market what the Spanish manufacturer yearned, falling short of the numbers of the first generation.
It gave rise to one of the most special Leons ever
Perhaps for this reason, one of the versions that would give more “spices” to Toledo has never been produced. We spoke, of course, of the SEAT Toledo Cupra presented at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. It had 18” wheels, lowered suspension, an improved interior and, most important of all, with a V6 engine (the VR6 from the Group Volkswagen) of 2.8 liters capable of producing 204 hp of power, sent to all four wheels.
It would never be commercialized, but it turned out to be the engine chosen to “animate” the (also rare) Leon Cupra 4. It was the only Leon in history to have more than four cylinders.
Made its mark in the tourism championships
The second generation Toledo also experienced a competition chapter, through the Toledo Cupra Mk2 presented in 2003, for the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC). In 2005, the ETCC was renamed the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) and the Toledo Cupra Mk2 remained there.
In 2004 and 2005 SEAT Sport also competed in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with two Toledo Cupra Mk2 similar to those used in the ETCC, a model that would eventually have a long competitive life, as in 2009 there were still private teams using them. in this British tourism test.
The SEAT Toledo would be replaced in 2004, when the third generation of the model arrived, which adopted a… different body. It went from being a four-door sedan to a strange, tall 5-door hatchback with the 'airs' of a minivan — it derived from the Altea — created by Italian Walter de Silva, the “father” of models like the Alfa Romeo 156 or the Audi R8 and which for several years led the design of the Volkswagen Group.
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