SEAT wants to build a sporty SUV like the Porsche Macan

The upcoming SEAT Arona subcompact SUV will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. We've already seen it testing, in fact. But the Juke-sized Arona could be just the first of many sporty high-riders in the Spanish automaker's lineup.

According to SEAT boss Luca de Meo in an interview with Autocar, SEAT wants to build a sporty crossover to compete with the Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, and others. "A crossover – a Porsche Macan kind of concept – could be the emerging kind of model. A model that's a mix between a sports car and an SUV."

The new SUV would sit at the top of the range, above the Ateca and upcoming Arona, and come with as much as 300 horsepower (223 kilowatts). Inside, expect to see either a five-seat or five-plus-two layout. As de Meo points out, "If you give the option [of extra seats] to the owners, why not?"

If you need an idea of how it might look, the model was previewed by the 20V20 concept we saw in Geneva last year. It will ride on the same platform as the Skoda Kodiaq – though it will be a bit smaller, and like most others cars in the SEAT lineup, hybrid and electric versions are possible by 2021.

SEAT's Macan-rivaling SUV is expected to make its debut in 2019. In order the make room for the sporty new crossover, the company will be forced to drop the lowly Toledo from its lineup. Introduced in 2012, the low-cost hatchback will go the way of the dodo citing slow sales. More details will be revealed closer to the release date.