Seat Alhambra S 2.0 TDI CR Ecomotive (140ps) 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The 2.0 litre diesel engine offers plenty of power even at low revs, and the steering is light and accurate enough, but it does feel a little cumbersome when driving around town. The ride is supple and comfortable and the handling is also good when you pick up the pace, with a minimal amount of body roll when cornering which is surprising in a car as big as this. The driving position is very good offering plenty of forward and rear visibility, and the driving seat and steering wheel can be easily adjusted to suit the driver.

The diesel engine also delivers some good performance, meaning that the Alhambra is far from sluggish off the line, with acceleration from 0-62mph happening in only 10.9 seconds. The top speed of 120mph is more than enough for most Alhambra drivers who are really looking for practicality over performance, and even when driving at speed the cabin remains tranquil and refined.

The Alhambra is a car that is designed to have seven seats, and one design problem with cars of this size is that they will naturally be quite square in terms of the shape, but the designers have done quite well. The headlights have a hooded appearance which combines with the grille to give the front end quite an aggressive look, and the back end is nice and attractive, with a tail light cluster split over the body and the back door. Inside the cabin is tidy and functional, but there is a lot of matt black plastic to be seen throughout.

There is a reasonable level of equipment included with this version of the Alhambra, with alloy wheels improving the look, and front and rear parking sensors to help simplify parking this large car. Climate control helps to ensure that the cabin remains comfortable, and the CD stereo is supplemented by Bluetooth connectivity too.

There is no doubt that the Seat Alhambra has been designed with practicality in mind, offering seven seats that are all spacious enough to be used by adults. The boot space is also very good, and it has the flexibility of being able to fold the five back seats for a huge load space. The association with Volkswagen has certainly helped to improve the reliability of the car, and this is reassuring for those choosing between the Alhambra and other MPV’s.

The Alhambra also comes with a fine range of airbags to help look after all the occupants in the car, and it also has some good technology to improve the stability and safety of the car when driving. This has helped the Alhambra get the top mark of five stars in the Euro NCAP safety test.

With a list price of £24,780, the Seat Alhambra is quite competitive, but isn’t the cheapest car on the market. It is more expensive than the Peugeot 5008, but is also significantly more spacious than the 5008, while spacious rivals such as the VW Sharan are actually more expensive than the Alhambra.

The running costs for the Alhambra aren’t bad at all, with the 2.0 litre diesel engine able to deliver an average 50.4mpg in terms of fuel efficiency. The insurance costs are also quite competitive, but one area in which this car does suffer is the depreciation seen when it comes to selling the car. The Alhambra is supplied with a three year or sixty thousand mile warranty, and also has two years roadside breakdown assistance.