We've had an eclectic string of long term test cars through the doors of CompleteCar.ie, but few are as well suited to my personal situation as the SEAT Alhambra we have on loan 'for a while'. I don't technically need all seven seats, seeing as my wife and I have only two kids, but anyone that has children will nod along in agreement when I say you can't have enough space in a car.
The Alhambra is simply massive inside, and perhaps just as importantly, there's loads of oddment space for items as diverse as plastic Annabel Karmel pots full of raisins to my laptop and camera to my wife's hair accessories... Another advantage of having such a flexible seven-seat MPV on hand is that when the rear-most seats are not in use (we've not had reason to use them once as yet) they easily fold to create a completely flat - and huge - load space for luggage. We now throw buggies, kids' bikes and suitcases in with abandon, without worrying about packing efficiently. That's a real luxury.
I'm a walking cliché, but I took the Alhambra to Ikea, along with my wife and two kids. Naturally, we were intending to buy a lamp shade or two and came out with a chest of drawers and a couple of headboards... Only then did it dawn on us just how long the latter was. No matter, I took one of the kids' seats out, folded down two sections of the middle-row (the third occupied by another child seat), flipped one half of the rear-most bench back into place and latched in the second child seat. This created a long, wide load space alongside the children and behind the passenger seat. Everything fitted in and the kids thought it was great craic altogether to be sitting in different locations.
Indeed, though the Alhambra does without such creature comforts as leather seats and satnav, it's a very comfortable cabin. The textile upholstery is a little grey for my liking, but it is at least of high quality - something that can be said for the interior in general.
Further comfort comes from the suspension set-up. The Alhambra is an exceedingly comfortable car, regardless of the road surface. The 16-inch alloys look sporty enough, but they're sensibly covered in 215/60 tyres so they don't detract from the ride comfort. Yet the big SEAT isn't at all bad from a driver's point of view either. The steering is well-weighted (though I'd prefer a leather steering wheel) and quite direct with less than three turns lock-to-lock - and body roll is kept well in check. The six-speed manual gearbox is satisfying enough to use and keeps engine revs nice and low at a high-speed cruise. Indeed, though the 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine has only 115hp it's well-matched to the car and it rarely feels flat-footed in town or on the motorway.
Speaking of which, the car has its first long journey coming up, a return trip to Ennis (from Dublin) with kids and luggage for a few days. We'll let you know how it goes.
Key Facts:
Model tested: SEAT Alhambra 2.0 TDI Exclusive
Price: €37,795 (€38,418 as tested with metallic paint)
Engine: turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Body style: seven-seat MPV
Rivals: Ford Galaxy, Opel Zafira Tourer, Volkswagen Sharan
CO2 emissions: 146g/km (Band C, €330 per annum)
Combined consumption: 5.6 litres/100km (50.4mpg)
Top speed: 183km/h
0-100km/h: 12.6 seconds
Power: 115hp at 4,200rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,750- to 2,500rpm