The launch of the SEAT Exeo at the Paris Motor Show, in October 2008, meant the return of the brand to the D segment (medium-high or premium) of the market, which SEAT had left vacant in 1980 when it ceased production of the 132.

On sale from the end of that same year, the Exeo was based on the previous generation Audi A4 and was produced at the Martorell plant. With the Exeo, SEAT again had in its range a classic three-box saloon, having broken the concept with the bold proposal of the Toledo III. Although the Toledo III was discontinued shortly after the Exeo's unveiling, it was not actually its replacement and did not inherit that name.

In fact, as it later did again with the Mii, in the Exeo SEAT briefly abandoned the tradition of naming its cars after Spanish place names, which had started with the 1982 Ronda.

The Exeo had an unmistakable SEAT family resemblance and the interior was simply spectacular, having adapted the colourful and elegant dashboard of the convertible A4. The available trim levels were Reference, Stylance and Sport.

The initial range of the Exeo had three petrol engines, between 102 and 200 HP, and two 2.0 TDI diesels, 143 and 170 HP, to which a 120 HP TDI variant would later be added. In 2010, the 150 HP, 5-valves per cylinder 1.8 T gave way to two 1.8 TSI, 120 and 160 HP, and a 211 HP 2.0 TFSI was also added. With these power trains and the multi-link suspension tuned by SEAT's engineers in the Martorell Technical Center, the Exeo was a car with great driving comfort, smooth and quiet running, and pleasant and precise handling.

In late 2011, the Exeo got a restyling, which updated the line with new LED strip headlights, honeycomb grille and new wheel rims, upholstery and colours. In addition, the diesel engines had a better fuel economy and in 2012 came an Ecomotive version, with a consumption of just 4.5 l/100 km.

Previously, in mid-2009 the estate version Exeo ST had been unveiled at the Barcelona Motor Show. The Exeo estate premiered the acronym ST (Sports Tourer) which later went on to identify the other estate models of the brand, the Ibiza ST and the Leon ST. Again, the Exeo ST meant the return of a true estate car to the SEAT range since the farewell of the Cordoba Vario in 2002.

Thus, the Exeo covered two gaps in the SEAT family until the arrival of the real Toledo IV in 2012 and the Leon ST in 2013. However, although the latter and also the current Leon Sportstourer occupied the same segment as the Exeo ST and were aimed at the same range of customers, the Toledo IV moved in a lesser segment than the Exeo saloon, by size, equipment and price.

Actually it could be argued that the succession of the Exeo was assumed by the Leon III, at least with regard to the estate version. So the Exeo was discontinued in late 2013, just after the launch of the Leon ST. The Exeo saloon would not have a proper substitute, although in 2011 SEAT had unveiled the IBL concept-car (Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos' first project as SEAT's new head of design) as a potential high-end SEAT saloon. However, with good judgment SEAT chose to prioritize the development of the brand's future range of SUV models.

SEAT HISTÓRICOS keeps the Exeo saloon number 1 chassis, powered by the 150 HP 1.8 T engine. The Collection also features an Exeo ST and the IBL concept-car.