Item: Seat Alhambra
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

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Seat Alhambra

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Alhambra has been positioned somewhere in the middle of its rivals when it comes to list price. For instance, you’ll spend less buying a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, but more on a Ford Galaxy or Volkswagen Sharan. Happily, though, the Alhambra will hold onto more of its value than the Citroen, which will help finance offers.

The 2.0 TDI is the pick of the range for running costs for the majority of buyers, because while not quite as cheap to buy outright as the 1.4 TSI, it will use less fuel and emit less CO2 over its lifetime – a good thing for company car drivers, too. If you’re buying privately with cash and very rarely venture out of town, then the petrol might be the better choice. However, it makes sense to spend a little extra on SE trim over S, because it comes with useful extras without breaking the bank.

The Alhambra scored the full five stars in its Euro NCAP crash tests and was awarded strong marks by Thatcham for its resistance to break-ins and being driven away. Seat includes tyre pressure monitoring, seven airbags an alarm and engine immboliser with every car, while lane assist, road sign recognition and blind spot technologies are available as options.

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None of the Alhambra’s engines feel underpowered with seven on board and a boot full of luggage, but there’s no doubt the diesels feel more flexible when pulling from low revs up steep hills. The best balance, and our pick of the range, is the 2.0 TDI 150, because it has the pull large families need, but also emits the least CO2 and uses the least fuel. The manual gearbox is slick and precise whichever engine it’s paired with, while the automatic is quick to change once up to speed but can dither when pulling away.

For the best refinement, you’ll want the entry-level 1.4-litre petrol. It’s by far the quietest engine under load and remains smooth no matter how many revs you pile on. Both the diesels by contrast sound gruff at high revs, especially when cold, and send more vibrations back though the pedals and steering wheel.

No MPV can claim to be outright fun to drive, but the Alhambra does a good job in the handling department. Okay, so Ford’s MPVs steer more urgently, but there’s enough weight and precision in the Seat’s steering for it to feel eager and body control in tight bends is very good.

There are two types of suspension, either a Comfort setting standard on S and SE models, or the stiffer Sport set-up on SE Lux and FR Line cars. We’d definitely recommend going for the former, because even in its more comfortable state sharp-edge potholes and expansion joints can catch out the Alhambra.

<h3><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146/in-the-cabin">Next: Interior &gt;</a></h3>

There are plenty of cars that have seven seats, but, when six or seven fully-grown adults have to be transported in comfort, the number that can cope falls. The Seat Alhambra makes the grade, though, with a third row big enough to cater for the lankiest of passengers. It goes up against rivals such as Ford’s Galaxy and the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso, as well as, from within the Volkswagen group, the Volkswagen Sharan.

The engine line-up is a relatively simple affair. There’s one 1.4 petrol available as a manual or automatic, or a 2.0 diesel available in two power outputs, and again, both with either a manual or automatic gearbox. Then there are five different trim choices, although only the top two trims can be paired with the pokier diesel engine.

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To drive, the Alhambra puts on an impressive show. None of its engines feel underpowered with seven onboard, and it manages to ride comfortably over most surfaces. Refinement is generally good, although the diesels can be vocal under load. Inside, space and practicality are superb, and better in the third row than a Grand Picasso, although similar in size to a Ford Galaxy or VW Sharan.

<h3><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146/on-the-road">Next: Performance &amp; driving&nbsp;&gt;</a></h3>

The Alhambra provides a comfortable place for the driver – especially so if you go for our preferred SE trim. That’s because the driver then benefits from seat height adjustment to go with the generous amount of steering wheel adjustment as standard.

Once comfortable, the driver gets a decent view forwards thanks to the Alhambra’s huge windscreen and thin front pillar, while a glance over the shoulder reveals more tall, wide glass and thin pillars to give plenty of confidence on the motorway.

Furthermore, the pedals on manual models line up nicely with the driver’s seat, so there are no awkward angles to sit at and none of the Alhambra’s dash buttons require a stretch in order to operate them.

A 6.5in touchscreen infotainment system comes as standard, flanked by menu shortcut buttons, and, for extra money, you can add sat-nav and a rear view camera, although the screen stays the same size. Overall, it’s a good system, with decent response times and logically thought-out menus, but some of the onscreen graphics look a little dated next to the newest systems on offer in rivals.

<h3><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146/space-practicality">Next: Passenger &amp; boot space &gt;</a></h3>

Today, the resurgent Seat brand is selling better cars than at any time in its history.

In large part, that’s because it is one of the brands owned by the VW Group. Underneath, all of the cars it sells are strongly related to similar models sold by Volkswagen itself, or the likes of Skoda and even Audi. If you are buying a Leon, for example, the hardware will be similar to that of the Golf, Octavia and A3.

But while Seat makes the most of this tie-up to offer everything from city, small and family cars, including estates, through to a full range of SUVs, it also adds in its own slice of character, both with its distinctive styling approach and because its engineers generally tune the cars to deliver sportier handling.

While all of its cars are decent, it is the SUVs that stand out. The Arona and Ateca are among the class leaders and have enjoyed triumphs at the What Car? Awards.

SEAT

ALHAMBRA

The Seat Alhambra is clever, spacious and good to drive. It's a fantastic MPV

In a word: huge. Few MPVs offer as much space for seven people (even tall adults will be pretty happy in the two rear-most seats), and everyone gets a great view out thanks to the large side windows.

Getting in and out is easy, too. The door openings are vast, and because the rear doors slide, they don’t limit access or take up much room in parking spaces (and the Alhambra is a wide car, so this can be an issue). Access to the rear seats is also good; simply pull a lever on the top of the seat in front and the seat will tilt and slide forwards, leaving a big gap to climb through.

There’s also loads of space for luggage. Even with all seven seats up, there’s enough room for several shopping bags or a couple of small cases. Fold the two rearmost seats down into the floor and the boot is massive, while also dropping the three in the middle row creates a load bay big enough to make a van driver envious.

Practicality is another strong point. There’s masses of storage space, including cubbies beneath the front seats and in the floor behind them, fold-down picnic tables in the back of the front seats and integrated sunblinds in the rear doors. The three individual middle-row seats are also pretty wide, so fitting three child seats safely should be possible, and can be individually slid back and forth. In short, there’s a lot to help you and your family have a more comfortable, stress-free journey.

It’s not totally good news, though. Folding the rearmost seats up and down is a little fiddly, in that you have to move the seatbacks and seatbases separately rather than both together. The manual sliding doors also require a bit of muscle to move, although some Alhambras solve this by having power-operated doors (and tailgate) as standard.

<h3><a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146/buying-owning">Next: Buying, owning &amp; verdict &gt;</a></h3>

The Seat Alhambra is clever, spacious and good to drive. It's a fantastic MPV

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

Seat Alhambra review

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Review of Seat Alhambra interior by the expert What Car? team. Compare in car entertainment system, driving comfort and visibility with similar cars.

The Alhambra provides a comfortable place for the driver – especially so if you go for our preferred SE trim. That’s because the driver then benefits from seat height adjustment to go with the generous amount of steering wheel adjustment as standard.,Once comfortable, the driver gets a decent view forwards thanks to the Alhambra’s huge windscreen and thin front pillar, while a glance over the shoulder reveals more tall, wide glass and thin pillars to give plenty of confidence on the motorway.,Furthermore, the pedals on manual models line up nicely with the driver’s seat, so there are no awkward angles to sit at and none of the Alhambra’s dash buttons require a stretch in order to operate them.A 6.5in touchscreen infotainment system comes as standard, flanked by menu shortcut buttons, and, for extra money, you can add sat-nav and a rear view camera, although the screen stays the same size. Overall, it’s a good system, with decent response times and logically thought-out menus, but some of the onscreen graphics look a little dated next to the newest systems on offer in rivals.,Next: Passenger &amp; boot space &gt;

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