Seat Toledo (2012) first official pictures

Seat will bring a third generation Toledo to the UK market in early 2013, to sit between the Leon hatch and Exeo saloon.

If you think it looks familiar, you'd be right - the Toledo shares its paltform and body with the all-new Skoda Rapid.

The last Toledo was a curious machine: the Leon/Altea family frontage was generic, but in an attempt to separate the Toledo from those cars, it received an awkwardly-crafted rump to provide a bigger, family-friendly boot.

This time around, the Toledo has swapped the mini-MPV style for a far more conventional compact saloon shape, shared with fellow VW group member Skoda's new Rapid.

This isn't just a simple badge-swap exercise: you can play spot-the-difference with the front and rear light clusters, grille shapes and even the creases on the dor surfaces,. which have been changed to suit Seat's sporty design direction. The headlights in particular recall those on the facelifted Ibiza supermini.

There's also the familar trapezoidal frontal grilles which lend the Toledo a look very close to its mid-sized executive class brother, the Exeo (itself an altered B7 Audi A4).

Unlike Skoda, who have stayed mostly tight-lipped on the engine options for the Rapid, Seat have provided a full run-down of powertrain options for the Toledo (rather giving the game away for Skoda in the process.)

The range will begin with a 74bhp 1.2 TSI petrol engine; higher-powered petrol duties are covered by a 120bhp 1.4 TSI, itself offered with a seven-speed DSG auto transmission. There will also be a frugal Ecomotive petrol version, producing 116g/km of CO2.

Diesel-savvy customers are also catered for with a 1.6 TDI unit - the Ecomotive model produces 104bhp and a Seat-claimed class-leading 104g/km. In 2013 there'll also be a 89bhp diesel joining the range.

Standard on all Toldeos is a comprehensive airbag contingent, as well as central locking, a two piece folding rear backrest and electric front windows. We've spotted other equipment for the high-sped models in these pictures, such as heated seats, air-conditioning and a central colour-screen infotainment system.

Seat will unleash the Toldeo on Spain and Portugal first in mid-November 2012, with Europe-wide sales beginning in 2013. Seat are promising exclelent value for money as a key factor in the Toledo's arsenal to woo buyers.

By Ollie Kew