Seat Altea SE 2.0 TDI CR DSG 5dr Car Review - March 2012

Although this car is quite tall the stiff suspension means that there is very little body roll when cornering, but the trade off is that the ride is quite firm. The handling is very good, with the steering accurate and offering plenty in the way of driver feedback. The high driving position offers plenty of adjustment too, but the side rear windows do leave a blind spot when reversing.

In terms of performance, the 2.0 TDI engine is able to deliver reasonable performance while still being economical for an automatic. Acceleration from 0-62mph is achieved in a fairly quick 9.7 seconds, and the top speed of 125mph is more than enough for motorway driving, but wind noise does become obtrusive at speed.

The Altea SE 2.0 TDI CR DSG doesn't look at all bad considering that it is a very tall car, and the combination of air intakes on the front bumper and the typical Seat grille does give the front end a nice look. Inside, the dials are clear and easy to read, and the centre console is also quite nice.

The level of equipment included with this car is really quite good, with the alloy wheels being an attractive addition. The CD stereo comes with a number of sockets for linking with portable media devices, and it also has climate control and cruise control to ensure that the driving experience is comfortable and easy. Optional extras include metallic paint (£420), electric sunroof (£700), rear parking sensors (£250) and leather seats (£1370).

There is no doubt that the Altea SE 2.0 TDI CR DSG is a fairly practical car, and the seats in the front and the back of the car boast a good level of headroom and legroom. The boot is also very spacious, and offers plenty of luggage space. Seat has an excellent reliability record thanks to its association with Volkswagen, which should be very welcome for potential buyers.

It is fair to say that the Altea is also a very safe car, having been awarded five stars in the Euro NCAP safety test. This is because of the good range of airbags that have been included with the vehicle to look after occupants in the front and back. There is also the usual range of driver aids which helps to keep the driver in control and all four wheels firmly on the road.

The Altea range is generally well priced, but with a list price of £21,050 this version does start to look quite expensive. Although this is still cheaper than the equivalent versions of the Volkswagen Golf Plus and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the gap in price is significantly reduced.

The running costs of having the automatic version are also significantly increased, with the fuel efficiency of the diesel engine delivering a reasonable 51.4mpg, rather than the much more impressive efficiency of the manual car. The insurance costs are very reasonable, but the Seat Altea does suffer quite badly from depreciation. Seat supply the Altea with a three year or sixty thousand mile warranty and it also comes with a two year roadside breakdown assistance policy.