The Seat Altea is seen as Seats’ new future. It is the first car produced since the VAG (Volkswagen Audi Group) owned Spanish manufacturer joined a closer alliance with Audi. So is it just another tall hatchback / mini MPV?
Well it has five seats like a mini MPV but it isn’t an MPV according to Seat, it’s a MSV or multi sports vehicle – yet another three-letter motoring acronym.
The exterior looks like a Honda Jazz on steroids with hints of the beautiful looking Alfa 147 thrown in (no surprise as the wonderfully talented Walter de Silva penned the car). The new dynamic line that sweeps from the front wheel-arch back is going to be the new Seat signature.
The Altea has a clever party trick. The ‘A’ pillars (i.e. either side of the front windscreen) hide the windscreen wipers. So when the right-hand drive versions arrive later this summer there will be no penalty in the rain.
The interior is pretty smart too. The cabin is vast yet retains a sporty feel. The brake and the accelerator pedals are a bit too close together for my size tens but generally the ergonomics are good. The engine range (from the VW/Audi stable) starts with a 1.6-litre petrol unit that does an okay job.
Next is the 2-litre FSI petrol that is a great match and the best sporty drive. There are three TDI diesels; a 1.9 and two excellent 2-litre oil burners with differing outputs. A DSG automated manual gearbox is available in the high power (140 bhp) 2-litre diesel and it is simply fantastic.
The gearbox has not one but two clutches and was first seen in the impressive 3.2-litre Audi TT. The DSG always provides pulling power to the wheels even when the gears are being changed. Watch this space for a full Irish test in the near future. C Max and Scenic watch your backs!
-Michael Sheridan
RTÉ Guide
