50
REVIEW Seat Alhambra
Family planning
The new MPV from Seat is yet another reason to have kids
MPVs are an acquired taste: and it’s usually a taste you acquire at the same time you start a family. But contrary to popular belief,
owning an MPV doesn’t necessarily lead to the death of driving for pleasure. Yes, the size and unibox shape of an MPV tends to mean that you can’t chuck it around corners, but if you have the precious cargo of your offspring in the back, you’re not likely to drive like that anyway. That said, the Ford S-Max raised
the bar for MPVs and even made this type of car sexy (or, at least, attractive to people who are living with the consequences of being sexy). The new Seat Alhambra is a good example of this modern generation of MPVs. Seat is a carmaker with a slightly younger ownership profile, a fact that is reflected in the youthful styling of its cars in recent years. The Alhambra is a case in point: despite the restrictions on designing a car that is, in essence, a large block of metal and glass, the Spanish carmaker has managed to produce a clean-looking car that is a logical extension of the taste of Ibiza/Leon owners who need something bigger for a growing family. The Alhambra is also a hugely practical car, thanks to its twin rear sliding doors and its seven-seat layout. Indeed, the five rear seats can all accommodate adults and all of them fold flat when you need the space: the boot is even more capacious when the two rear seats are folded and you can get the weekly shop in there with all seven seats in position. The cabin is stylish and well laid out,
with comfortable seats fore and aft. The dashboard is logically organised, with easy-to-read dials and all major
controls within reach. It’s also easy for drivers of any size to get comfortable, thanks to fully adjustable seats and a steering wheel that also adjusts for reach and rake. All models have lots of equipment fitted as standard, with even the base S spec coming with three-zone climate control, electric windows all round, remote central locking with deadlocks, a refrigerated glovebox, a 12V power supply in the front and the boot, an eight-speaker MP3- compatible radio CD with Aux input and Bluetooth. From a safety perspective, standard features include ESP and ABS, seven airbags (including curtain airbags for all three rows and a driver’s knee ‘bag) and five Isofix child seat anchor points, which is great peace of mind for a family drivers. Buyers can choose from a range of
three engines. A smooth 1.4-litre TSI petrol unit fitted with a turbocharger and supercharger generates 148bhp, enabling the Alhambra to hit 62mph from a standing start in 10.7 seconds before topping out at 122mph. It’s a fine engine and, despite its relatively small displacement, it proves to be just about powerful enough to propel a seven-seat MPV. A 2.0-litre diesel engine is available
in two power ratings, 138bhp and 168bhp, both of which are refined and economical. The lower-powered version has enough pulling power –
0-62mph is despatched in 10.9 seconds and it has a top speed of 120mph – it sips fuel at a rate of 50.4mpg and emits 146g/km of CO2. The more powerful version of the diesel is slightly quicker (0-62mph in 9.5 seconds, a 130mph top speed), but the fuel economy falls to 48.7mpg and emissions rise to 152g/km. Which one you go for will depend on whether the extra power is worth the extra £1,200 on the purchase price and the more expensive running costs. Both are
driving | April / May 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68