SEAT Altea Freetrack 4 TDI Estate
SEAT Altea Freetrack 4 TDI Estate
What is it?
Based on the long wheelbase XL Altea. Freetrack 4 retains the five-seat and large load area configuration, but adds four-wheel drive and an extra 40mm of ground clearance. Drive is to the front wheels. But when extra grip is required power is transferred to all four. SEAT’s sports image means engines are a 2.0-litre TSI 200PS turbocharged direct injection petrol unit and a 2.0-litre TDI 170PS turbo diesel.
What’s hot?
- Competent off-road – copes well with rough tracks, and steep hills
- MPV-style practicality
- Capacious boot
- High level of specification: dual zone climate control, electric windows…
- …rain sensor wipers, automatic headlights, cruise control. It goes on
- Good driving manners from lofty seating position
- Smart-looking in a chunky SUV way
What’s not?
- Road noise from coarser off-road tyres
- Plastic underbody engine guard: better protection is an option
- Petrol version better on-road…but thirsty
Verdict
First: do you really need to spend an additional £3000 or so over an ‘ordinary’ Altea XL? If four-wheel drive is critical on your shopping list, then the Freetrack 4, with its sports SEAT image, makes a price-competitive case against cars such as the Citroen C-Crosser and Vauxhall Antara.
SEAT Altea Freetrack 4 TDI Estate specification
- Price £21,180
- Company car tax band 26%
- Engine 2.0-litre TDI turbodiesel
- CO 2 emissions 179g/km
- Power/torque 170PS/258lb ft
- Fuel economy 41.5mpg
