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SEAT Alhambra

Huge MPV is set to be a big hit

SEAT Alhambra

By Jon Morgan

September 2010

Meet the seven-seater that’s set to inject some Mediterranean style into the MPV market – the all-new SEAT Alhambra.

Based on the same platform as the Volkswagen Sharan, but with the Spanish firm’s family face and some rear styling tweaks, the new Alhambra is longer, wider and lighter than the old model. In fact – along with the VW – the SEAT will be the widest MPV on the market when it arrives in November, plus have the longest wheelbase and biggest boot.

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the SEAT Alhambra

 

As you might expect, it’s incredibly spacious. Adults will be comfortable in any of the rows, and even in seven-seater mode there’s space for luggage.

The passenger seats have been designed to fold flat easily with one hand, and with the back row down, boot size increases to 885 litres, extending to a maximum of 2,430 litres – 105 litres more than the Ford Galaxy.

Access is easy, thanks to the electric sliding doors, which can be opened and closed with a push of a button. Plus the large windows and panoramic sunroof makefor a light and airy interior.

The driving position feels car-like, and the Alhambra is simple to drive, despite its size. It offers a quiet, comfortable ride, too. Engines will include a 148bhp 1.4 TSI petrol and a 2.0-litre TDI diesel with 138bhp or 168bhp. All come with stop-start.

We drove the more powerful diesel as well as the petrol option and both provided smooth performance with plenty of torque. Emissions figures are decent, too – the less powerful diesel unit manages 143g/km, with the petrol at 167g/km.

SEAT will offer the Alhambra in S, SE and SE Lux trims, with prices from around £21,000.

For an alternative review of the latest Seat Alhambra visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

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10 Comments

My sort of vehicle

I know it is not sexy or cutting edge or any of those things - but it is handsome, spacious and comfortable. This is what I need in a vehicle. I had the old model Alhambra and drove to Tuscany, Umbria, Basilicata in comfort for holidays, carried furniture, lawn mowers, timber, dogs etc. at other times, family plus grandchildren as well. Unfortunately will have to wait for secondhand as too expensive new.

By pajbse on 21 September, 2010, 10:38am

+1

I agree, with so many estates being replaced by heavily compromised "Sports Tourers", it's good to see there are still properly big cars out there for those of us that really need to shift some junk around.

By Oilburner on 21 September, 2010, 1:22pm

Nice Looking People Mover

Nice looking MPV actually but I really can't get my head around a 1.4 TSI unit, even with 148 BHP on tap being able to propel this thing satisfactorily. The diesels yes, no problem as you've got all the torque in the lower rev bracket but a poor little 1.4 petrol is really going to struggle even with the mildest of inclines. Sorry, I just don't see how that can possibly work. Put 7 people in it plus prerequisite luggage and that ain't gong anywhere and you'll have a burnt out clutch for your trouble. 168 BHP diesel sounds good though.

By nick7 on 21 September, 2010, 6:32pm

amendment

for gong read going lol

By nick7 on 21 September, 2010, 6:33pm

nice looking mpv if you have brats to ferry about

nice looking MPV the rear looks a little like the current Galaxy.I dunno if this is Based on the Ford Galaxy platform as the previous Alhambra and Sharan were.The exterior and interior is such an improvement on the dull looking previous version.A 1.4 petrol with 7people on board and a caravan on the back driving up a steep hill is going to be painfully slow and possibly unsafe.The 1.4 petrol may have a 148bhp but this will be far up the rev range and the torque will be minimal unless your really thrashing it,a Diesel is the only sensible option for torque also the Residual values will be stronger with the oil burner,as Taxi Drivers will always buy them.

By nickbsmooth on 23 September, 2010, 12:21pm

Why turbos?

I have recently become disillusioned with modern turbo diesels following the expiration of my Toyota Previa. I am looking for a replacement with a petrol engine as I feel these now have the potential to be more reliable and certainly cheaper to maintain-no turbos, dual mass flywheels, or injectors to go wrong at massive expense-albeit with poorer mpg. I am disheartened to see the VW/Seat/Skoda family have installed turbos on all their petrol models now.

By cthcth1 on 24 September, 2010, 8:26am

Turbo 1.4 and diesel

Ever driven a non-turbo diesel? I have and can tell you that they are gutless.
The 1.4 TSI petrol has a turbo and supercharger, and being optimised for torque in this application it won't be a matter of 'thrashing' it up the hill. It's a nice engine - try it!
http://www.ukipme.com/engineoftheyear/winners_09/winner.html

By El_Dingo on 25 September, 2010, 10:20am

Turbo 1.4 and diesel

Ever driven a non-turbo diesel? I have and can tell you that they are gutless.
The 1.4 TSI petrol has a turbo and supercharger, and being optimised for torque in this application it won't be a matter of 'thrashing' it up the hill. It's a nice engine - try it!
http://www.ukipme.com/engineoftheyear/winners_09/winner.html

By El_Dingo on 25 September, 2010, 10:25am

Why not bigger engine

El_Dingo you misunderstand my concern, it is fitting turbos-and superchargers too you tell me- onto unnecessarily small PETROL engines. Why not just use a larger, simpler, less stressed and therefore probably more reliable petrol engine in the first instance. After all there doesn't seem to be much benefit in fuel consumption using these tiny engines.
I drove a non-turbo diesel Citroen BX for 2 years and accept Turbos are necessary now on diesels for the driving experience we expect. However this comes with much greater complexity and I reckon poorer reliability-turbos to fail, common rail injectors etc. Read any forums for dual mass flywheel sagas-the only flywheels I used to hear failing were on racing cars. VW themselves didn't move to common rail initially as they maintained the reliability issues hadn't been sorted.
My Toyota diesel turbo has just blown at huge expense-I don't want a repeat with a modern petrol car, which as I said I think is now more likely to last than a modern diesel, provided it isn't lumbered with turbos, superchargers and the rest.

By cthcth1 on 5 October, 2010, 12:05pm

people carriers

modern people all look like Vans, call me old fashioned but If Im spunking 20 odd grand on a car, even a practical one, then I dont really want to feel like I just bought a van. I traded my 2006 alhambra for a Dodge Journey R/T auto diesel, and what a car it turned out to be, a genuine sporty -as in Firm- ride, a nice punchy 138hp diesel (VW Sourced) and 7 full size seats, the built in infinity sound system with DVD movie player and rear screen is an added bonus along with the leather interior, climate control and fantastic styling made it the best 22 grand I have ever spent. recommended to anyone in the market for a people carrier.

By Giles_Harcourt on 31 October, 2010, 11:17am

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FIRST OPINION

    The Alhambra deserves to be a sales success for SEAT. It offers fantastic practicality and versatility combined with a refined ride, competent handling and a range of frugal engines. It’s certainly not cheap, but you do get plenty of space for your money. It’s a very impressive MPV with lots of appeal for large families.

 

AT A GLANCE

    Price: £22,000 (est)
    Engine: 2.0-litre TDI
    Transmission: Six-speed manual
    Power/torque: 168bhp/350Nm
    0-62/top spd: 9.8 secs/127mph
    Economy/CO2: 40mpg/154g/km
    Equipment: Alloys, three-zone climate control, CD/MP3 player, parking sensors (front/rear), stop-start, multifunction steering wheel
    On sale: Nov
     
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