SEAT Sports Up Altea MPV

It's been dubbed a Multi Sports Vehicle - but it looks as though SEAT is putting the emphasis on the 'Sports'. As you can see from this flagship version of the new Altea, the Spanish manufacturer is already looking to show off the car's sporting intentions. And this model points the way to an eagerly anticipated Cupra version, expected as early as next year.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Chris Thorp

11th March 2004

Displayed alongside other road-ready variants for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show, this striking blue top-of-the-range model was badged Sport Up. And it clearly shows the racy potential of the compact multi-purpose vehicle's innovative styling. The large-diameter SEAT Sport branded alloys, combined with a slightly more aggressive front end, give the Altea a distinctly hot hatch look. The rear, meanwhile, is finished off with a chrome exhaust pipe.

Based on the new Volkswagen Golf platform, the Altea is the first SEAT to get the VW Group's latest chassis and engine technology. As a result, the Sport Up benefits from the new Golf's flagship oil-burner - the 2.0-litre TDI. Producing 140bhp, the powerplant will be mated to the highly responsive DSG semi-automatic transmission first seen on the Audi TT.

The range-topping diesel unit will be joined by a cheaper 105bhp 1.9-litre TDI, as well as 102bhp 1.6 and 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI petrol engines. When the Cupra eventually joins the line-up, it is likely to be powered by an uprated version of the 2.0-litre oil-burner, which will generate more than 160bhp.

Inside, the driver sits high within the roomy MPV body, but the Altea does without any innovative seat layouts, instead providing a traditional 60/40 split rear bench. However, a roomy boot and more than 30 cubbies make the car a practical family proposition. Despite its sporting aspirations, SEAT predicts the cheaper 1.6 petrol and 1.9-litre diesel models will attract most buyers. The Altea is aimed at rivals such as the Peugeot 307 and Ford Focus C-MAX, and prices are likely to start at around ΂£13,000 for the base model and rise to about ΂£18,500 for the flagship. Geneva image library