SEAT Altea XL

SEAT's claims that the XL will appeal to estate buyers are wide of the mark.

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Rating:
On the road price: £13,250 - £18,350
For : More useable boot than standard, extra rear space, svelte styling, sharp handling, prices
Against : Five-seat only, lacks practicality, noisy 1.9-litre TDI, firm ride, not different enough from standard Altea

Driving:
The XL's handling is much more driver-focused than most people carriers', particularly with the optional 17-inch wheels of our test car. Firm suspension and dampers means the SEAT corners with well-contained body movement, and changes direction rapidly. The steering is direct and the XL inspires confidence - although there is a price to pay, because the ride is firm. It feels harsh and unforgiving over rough surfaces, and certainly doesn't cushion occupants as well as you'd may expect of a vehicle in this sector. And while SEAT reckons the 1.9-litre TDI diesel will be the best-selling version in the range, it's now showing its age. A noisy, coarse nature combines with the firm ride to leave the XL feeling harsh for a family car. It is, however, pleasingly torquey. Other alternatives include the smoother 2.0-litre TDI, plus 1.6-litre, 1.8-litre T and 2.0-litre petrol units.

Marketplace:
Walk into a SEAT garage, and you could get the impression that the Spanish company is selling one car with three different names. And you wouldn't be that wide of the mark, as the Altea, Altea XL and Toledo are pretty much identical up to the rear doors. So what marks the Altea XL as being different? Well, a longer rear overhang means its boot is the largest in the range, and as with the standard Altea, the XL features a sliding rear seat. Yet that doesn't explain why SEAT hasn't given it seven seats - the problem here is the Golf-based platform, which can't be tweaked to accommodate extra chairs. Bosses claim it will appeal to those who don't need space for more than five, but do want an estate-sized boot. There are ample rivals to the SEAT; and the Volkswagen Touran, Vauxhall Zafira, Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, Renault Grand Scenic, Kia Carens and Toyota Corolla Verso all offer a seven-seat option. Indeed, only the Ford C-Max stands alone in solely offering a five-seat layout, though the Altea XL does have one trump card over nearly every rival - very competitive pricing.

Owning:
As the XL is strictly a five-seater, SEAT's only option to mark it as different to the standard car was to improve practicality - that's why the rear seat has more movement, and why the boot is bigger. But while it's deep and long, the boot does suffer from an intrusive load lip. And while it has a slight advantage over standard in terms of rear legroom, the middle seat is narrow and uncomfortable. However, the driving position is good and the wraparound dash design is sporty, so you don't feel as though you're at the wheel of an MPV. It's a shame interior plastics are a little below par, while the A-pillars cause bad blind spots and the steering column needs a greater range of adjustment. But a generous amount of equipment is fitted as standard. Parking sensors, climate control, rain-sensing wipers and electric rear windows are all included on Stylance trim; there is also a more basic Reference, but this is only offered with a 1.6-litre petrol engine. We were, however, surprised to average just 33.1mpg in the 1.9-litre TDI version, which also needs servicing every 10,000 miles due to its age. But retained values show promise, and prices are extremely competitive.