SEAT Sparks Easy Movement as Millennials Drive Revolution

• The Barcelona-based car manufacturer has designed a simplified purchasing process, with just three steps to choose a new car
• The brand is responding to changing consumer habits and erasing the ‘choice paralysis’ that frequently comes with traditional buying
• Fixed trims fit all customer needs, with important options included as standard and free metallic paint with every car
• The system was trialed with the launch of Arona in early 2018 and met with unanimous customer and dealership support
• SEAT UK’s innovative approach has contributed to its outstanding growth, with half-year sales up 22%

SEAT is responding to the needs of Millennials with a revolutionary car-buying strategy that simplifies the purchasing process. In an era of choice overload, the Barcelona-based brand is rolling out its EASY Move offering across the entire range – and giving customers free metallic paint.

Instead of agonising over endless choices on spec and extras, customers buying a new SEAT simply pick an engine, trim level and colour. Each trim level features a host of equipment as standard, with the packages cleverly formulated to match particular needs, such as tech, luxury or sport.

SEAT UK trialled EASY Move with the launch of the Arona in January this year and was met with outstanding customer and dealership support. In a clear sign that the strategy has tapped into and responded to a distinct customer need, SEAT UK is the fastest-growing volume car brand in the UK, with half-year sales up 22% in a declining market.

Richard Harrison, Director, SEAT UK said: “Everyone used to think that having loads of choice was a good thing, but in fact people find it really difficult to understand all the permutations and options when buying a new car. We realised it was time for a change and that if we can help people get to what they want in an easier way, then they will enjoy the experience more.

“We have built EASY Move by looking at what options customers want and bundling them into neat packages that are really logical to understand. We talked with the dealers about their experiences selling Arona using EASY Move and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. When you add on the industry complexity of WLTP (where individual factory options could change the CO2 output of the car) and you look at where consumer trends are going, it makes complete sense. I would be surprised if we didn’t see a number of competitors following SEAT UK in this.”

With model year 2019 now open for ordering, EASY Move has been rolled out across SEAT UK’s entire range. On Ibiza, Leon, Arona, and Ateca, trim levels begin with SE, and move into comfort-based XCELLENCE and sporty FR. EASY Move brings three additional trims that cater for customers who would previously have added options: SE Technology, FR Sport and XCELLENCE Lux. Mii, Alhambra and Toledo have even more compact versions of Easy Move – all with metallic paint built into the price.

Harrison added that one of the biggest selling points of EASY Move is that every car comes with free solid, metallic or special paint: “People want their car to look its best and a lot of people take exception to the tradition of charging extra for metallic paint. Generally people are pleasantly surprised at how much equipment comes with the trim packages and they understand they can choose the car in whatever colour they love, making it a really compelling offer.”

Notes to editors

About SEAT

SEAT is the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting 81% of its vehicles, and is present in over 80 countries through a network of 1,700 dealerships. In 2016, SEAT obtained an operating profit of 143 million euros, the highest in the history of the brand, and achieved worldwide sales of nearly 410,000 vehicles.

SEAT Group employs more than 14,500 professionals at its three production centres – Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza, Leon and Arona. Additionally, the company produces the Ateca and the Toledo in the Czech Republic, the Alhambra in Portugal and the Mii in Slovakia. 

The multinational has a Technical Centre, which operates as a knowledge hub that brings together 1,000 engineers who are focussed on developing innovation for Spain’s largest industrial investor in R&D. SEAT already features the latest connectivity technology in its vehicle range and is currently engaged in the company’s global digitalisation process to promote the mobility of the future.