SEAT Altea Hatchback (04 on) - Review

The seats in the Altea are a little firm, but they do offer good support for longer journeys plus the rear seats can slide to increase legroom when needed. There's plenty of space for all passengers and a huge amount of headroom, while noise levels are generally low. The exception is the older TDI engines - particularly the 1.9-litre - which can be loud, especially under hard acceleration. The 1.6 TDI used in the Ecomotive model is much quieter and smoother. At higher speeds, wind noise from around the windscreen pillars can sometimes be irritating, especially on the motorway. On the plus side, all models come with air conditioning as standard and even the entry-level models get front electric windows.

The Altea is a star performer when it comes to storage space - there are cubbies and boxes dotted throughout the cabin (see the picture gallery for examples of all). Plenty of thought has gone into the boot area too, which is two-tiered. The top layer is the normal boot, which is big enough for everyday use, while underneath there's extra storage. There's even a cubby built into the parcel shelf - ideal for storing umbrellas. The rear seats can't be removed, but sitting on runners they allow trade-offs to be made between leg and boot space. Alternatively they can be folded flat (with a 60/40 split) without removing the headrests. Unlike most cars, the wipers rest in the upright position in the windscreen pillars for the largest sweep - a neat touch.

The build quality in the Altea is impressive so it's a shame that some of the plastics are a touch on the hard side - there are few soft-touch areas. The driver has a good view of the road ahead, although the chunky windscreen pillars can restrict visibility when turning out of junctions or at roundabouts. But the driving position is good and the main controls are sensibly placed and easy to get familiar with. When the Altea was revised in 2009 the interior was improved considerably with redesigned switches, instrument dials and a new steering wheel. The plastics were also improved which all add up to give it a far more sophisticated feel and modern look.