Roy Lewis road tests the new Seat Altea (From Hereford Times)

Roy Lewis road tests the new Seat Altea

9:00am Saturday 20th June 2009

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THE return of increasing fuel prices is worrying for families working to a budget, so it is all the more important that they ensure they get top value for money when making their next purchase.

Those wanting a good quality family MPV that is affordable and reasonable to run, yet practical, would do well to include Seat’s Altea on their shortlist.

It’s also stylish, innovative and one of the safest cars in its market sector, making it a better long-term prospect than some close rivals.

The XL version, with its extra luggage capacity over the standard Altea, is proving a popular choice for many families. Its boot is big enough to swallow everything the family can throw at it and it comes with all the kit you could wish for.

It’s so much more family friendly than a conventional hatchback.

Six engines are available for the Altea – three petrol, a 1.6-litre, 1.8- litre and 2.0-litre, plus three diesels, a 1.9-litre and two 2.0-litre diesel with 140PS or 170PS.

Standard equipment includes airconditioning, MP3 compatible CD player, four electric windows, six airbags and remote central locking.

A firm favourite is the 2.0-litre turbo diesel which pushes out 140PS at 4,000rpm. This motor is not only fairly quick off the mark but has a broad range of power for most circumstances. It is thrifty, too, with the six-speed manual gearbox making it long-legged for motorway journeys and this in turn helps to provide fuel returns that can reach a pleasing 60mpg.

The Seat is also a good choice for those who enjoy driving. It has excellent composure on the road and Seat, with its sporting values, has given the Altea’s suspension a tautness which enables the car to corner sharply and grip the road like a sporty number.

But the suspension tweaks are not extreme enough to prevent a comfortable ride over most surfaces.

The crisp handling is complemented with power steering that is nicely weighted, if a little short on feedback sometimes.

However, the Seat is not only a great car to drive but also to live with. The cabin is particularly roomy with excellent leg and headroom while in the rear, there is a slim middle seat and generous space for two adults.

The cabin is solid and hardwearing enough to withstand family life well.

It has an excellent layout and is comprehensively equipped, though from a general appearance point of view, it is fairly sombre, lacking the flair of the French opposition.

However, the Altea is very practical throughout. There are numerous storage compartments, cup holders, hanging hooks and securing straps and a most useful feature is the rear parcel shelf which rolls up and folds away so that you can make the most of the boot’s huge load capacity.

Trays fixed onto the back of the front seats are handy family items, as are the 12V sockets located in the boot and front seats for charging electronic goodies.

The stretched Stylance version has some tempting options that include leather upholstery at £817, metallic paint at £370, iPod connection at £88 and special 17in alloy wheels at £294.

AT-A-GLANCE Seat Altea XL Stylance 140PS 2.0- litre TDi 6-speed.

Price: £17,490 (on the road).

Top speed: 125mph.

0-62mph: 10 seconds.

Fuel: 47.9mpg (combined figure).

Emissions: CO2 (g/km): 157.

Verdict: Roomy, practical, good to drive, well built, excellent motor and a great family all-rounder for the money.

ROY LEWIS