SEAT Alahambra Range : MAKING A CASE FOR SPACE

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SEATs Alhambra continues to offer much for the money for buyers or large MPVs. Jonathan Crouch checks it out

SEATs Alhambra is a well-built large MPV with car-like driving dynamics and a spacious interior. Its been around for some time now and aspects of the package are starting to show their age but the solid basics still shine through. If youre after innovation and modern design, the Alhambra may not be for you but as a quality, affordable seven-seat vehicle its still a surprisingly strong contender. Choose the 2.

0-litre TDI engine.

There was a time when if you simply had to run a vehicle with room for seven, your choices were strictly limited. You either bought some kind of rough and ready van-based minibus or plumped for one of the select band of large MPVs like SEATs Alhambra. Today, the choices for rugby sevens teams or parents of quintuplets has widened substantially with a whole range of MPVs and 4x4s sporting the requisite capacity. Is the long serving Alhambra still up to the job of winning sales? The SEAT Alhambra was launched as part of a triumvirate that also included the Ford Galaxy and Volkswagens Sharan.

All three models shared the same design and engineering. This suited the SEAT very well. As the most affordable option in the group, it gained sales from buyers happy to put up with the slightly less mainstream badge on the nose. Today, while the Sharan soldiers on, Ford has gone it alone with a brand new Galaxy.

Like the Sharan, the Alhambra is no spring chicken, so is it still worth a look? In keeping with the sporty image that SEAT likes to peddle these days, the Alhambra actually drives very well. Once behind the wheel, you can easily shuffle the fact that this is a full-size seven-seat MPV to the back of you mind as the cars firm suspension helps it resist the kind of leaning and pitching that gives the game away in rival products. The main advantage of this relative composure is not the opportunity it presents to fling the Alhambra through a set of corners for fun but that at a modest pace, your passengers will always be comfortable. The engine range, like the rest of the product, is getting on in years but the impressive VW-sourced 2.

0-litre 140bhp TDI turbodiesel engine still has plenty of life in it. The other options include a 115bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 115bhp 1.9-litre TDI diesel.

All manual models have a slick six-speed gearbox but the 1.9-litre TDI is accompanied by a tiptronic automatic.

"Youll buy a SEAT Alhambra if youre not easily impressed by the gimmicky design touches on the more modern alternatives and you like the SEATs simple no-nonsense approach."

In the Alhambra, you have a car that not only costs around the same as a mid-range family estate but also measures in at about the same length, taking up no more space on the tarmac. To drive, it's very similar to medium range estate - only better, thanks to that high-seated driving position and the glassy cabin. Performance isnt breath-taking and youll be looking at a 15s 0-60mph sprint unless you opt for the 2.0-litre TDI which can do the business in 12.2s.

Id upgrade to this 2.0-litre TDI option if at all possible. Outside, the SEAT Alhambra presents an unremarkable large MPV shape with few distinguishing features. Those wanting a bit of flare from their big people carrier may need to look elsewhere.

Inside, theres a pleasantly up-market atmosphere, with good quality plastics and switchgear. The usual MPV extras like retractable cupholders, extra map pockets in the doors and a pair of useful lidded cubbyholes on top of the dash are present. The Alhambra doesnt go as far as some more modern products in offering storage solutions and family-friendly extras but many such inclusions are rarely used anyway. The seating is always key in any MPV and the Alhambra employs a system of removable chairs which are very comfortable.

Sadly, they're very heavy, so lugging them in and out is a job not to be undertaken by the weak or faint-hearted. The two front seats on some models can be swivelled round completely to face the rear - which is great for picnics and business meetings if you're stationary and there's only four in the car. Space is generous in the front two rows and the third is adequate. The rear two rows can be slid forwards and backwards to increase leg room or luggage space but with the full complement of passengers on board, theres not much room for luggage. The SEAT Alhambra comes decently equipped, across two trim levels titled Reference and Stylance over a price range that for most buyers will be somewhere between £17,000 and £20,000.

All models get climate-controlled air conditioning, cruise control, the ESP stability programme, a CD-based stereo, ABS, twin front airbags, remote control central locking and electric front windows. Plusher versions get side airbags, combination leather/alcantara upholstery and electronic climate control that you can operate front and rear. There are also practical options like a fridge. A spot of haggling can seriously reduce your initial outlay on an Alhambra but once youve signed on the dotted line, youre at the mercy of its running costs.

Thankfully, theyre fairly manageable. The petrol models 29mpg is as bad as it gets but most buyers will choose a diesel and that means 37mpg from the 1.9 TDI automatic or 41mpg from the 2.0-litre TDI manual with 175g/km emissions.

You can reduce that to 159g/km if you go for the 2.0TDI Ecomotive version which manages 47.1mpg on the combined cycle. Depreciation on the Alhambra is similar to what you can expect on other large MPV models and insurance of group 11 for the petrol and group 12 for the diesels is hardly extortionate.

The SEAT Alhambra has been continually developed over a lengthy lifecycle and is genuinely tough to criticise in its latest state. Yes, there are newer large people carriers you could consider but dont ignore this one if you get offered the right deal. Its well sorted, its well designed and its well priced - which has to count for something. Youll buy a SEAT Alhambra if youre not easily impressed by the gimmicky design touches on the more modern alternatives and you like the SEATs simple no-nonsense approach.

The models age should mean that discounts will be forthcoming but despite its advancing years, there are few rivals that drive better.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: SEAT Alhambra range
PRICES: £16,495-£21,945 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-12
CO2 EMISSIONS: 159-223g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.0 petrol] Max Speed 110mph / 0-60mph 15.0s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 petrol] (urban) 23.7mpg / (constant 56mph) 41.5mpg/ (constant 75mph) 32.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4634/1810/1762