Family car review: SEAT Alhambra 2.0 diesel automatic

There’s one major problem with most of the MPV’s that we test here at Mummypages – the third row of seats. Innovative storage solutions, family friendly features and appealing styling always count for nothing when your teenager throws their toys out of the pram because they are far too cramped in the back. There is a stylish, practical MPV that can seat a family of seven in genuine comfort though – the SEAT Alhambra.

What gradually became obvious to us over the course of our week with the Alhambra was the level of thought that had gone into its design. Starting with that all important third row, getting in is made easier by the sliding doors and the middle row seats tilting forward to clear the floor meaning no awkward ‘climbing’ is involved. Rear occupants get a full size seat which is high enough off the ground to ensure that taller adults’ knees won’t be sticking uncomfortably high up. Another common gripe with the third row of a people carrier is the lack of an opening window. There are air vents for each third row passenger above their head and at their feet, with separate air conditioning controls. Third row head and shoulder room is excellent; six foot passengers won’t feel at all claustrophobic.

For such a big car, the Alhambra is actually quite easy to drive. The controls are all laid out in the traditional way, with easy to reach, large, clear, radio and air conditioning controls, and large dials which stick to displaying the basic information Mums need. You sit nice and high in the driver’s seat, and the extra length of the Alhambra feels manageable due to the visibility the driver has. From the driver’s seat you can control the electric rear sliding doors, which minimises the risk of trapped little fingers from children trying to close the doors themselves, and it makes loading up so much less of a chore when you are parked close to other cars.

The Alhambra comes standard with a 2 litre diesel engine which is much quieter around town than many family cars and is not short of power when the car is full on a long drive. The automatic version is a real treat, albeit an expensive one. We had lots of rain during our week long test drive, which gave the Alhambra an opportunity to impress us with its high grip levels – not once did the car feel like it might slip or skid. Bear in mind that the large wheels on our test car look great, but smaller ones often mean you feel the bumps on the road less.

SEAT, as you might know, is owned by Volkswagen. As a result the Alhambra is at the upper end of the market quality wise. Our test car was incredibly plush, with beautifully soft but solid buttons and controls, and a classy dashboard with beautiful piano black and chrome materials. Generally speaking the Alhambra feels more upmarket than MPV’s generally are, there is a real ‘feel good factor’ about it for the whole family. Given its size and practicality it is not a car your family will ‘grow out of’ quickly – it has the potential to service your family’s needs and wants for a decade or more.

A car this well equipped of this quality and size was never going to be cheap, but we think it will make more sense for many growing and active families than some of the similarly priced less practical seven seat SUV’s like the Hyundai Santa Fe. The entry level 2 litre diesel ‘S’ model costs €38,995. You must pay €43,235 for the ‘SE’ grade if you want items such as the sumptuous black sports leather seats in our pictures, along with the rear sun blinds, automatic wipers and lights, middle row picnic tables, and two under floor storage compartments. All Alhambra’s cost €390 per year to tax, and will do approximately 375-400 miles on €50 diesel depending on your daily route and driving style.

Is there loads of storage space?

Unlike in most MPV’s there is some usable boot space in the Alhambra. The boot floor is narrow, granted, but if you can stack items on top of one another it will easily take a couple of suitcases or the weekly shop. When you fold even one of the seven seats down though the luggage space is huge. While the glove and armrest storage boxes are of average size, the door bins and dash-top storage areas are usefully big, and there’s plenty of cup holders dotted around the cabin for the whole family. The boot door is electric, too.

Is it baby friendly?

Very much so. All five rear seats have ISOFIX child seat mounts, and the middle seat in the second row slides forward to make it easier for Mum’s to reach a baby from the driver’s seat. The sliding doors make lifting a child seat into the car simple, and the vast amount of space means securing the baby is simple. There’s loads of space to store a folded buggy on the floor behind the front seats if the boot is full, and the window blinds fitted to the higher spec model are the icing on the cake for mums with young children.

Is parking easy?

Surprisingly, yes. Granted the Alhambra is long, but it is easier to park ‘front first’ because of the short bonnet and excellent visibility out of the big front and side windows. The deep rear window is also bigger than in most cars, we found it reassuring that you could see so much of what is behind you over your shoulder, particularly in school car parks. We were super impressed to find front and rear parking sensors fitted to all Alhambra’s as standard – they are always top of the wish list with our Mums! Good job SEAT.

What about safety?

The Alhambra performed strongly in the Euro Ncap safety test, scoring the maximum five stars overall. Child safety was identified as a strong point, an 80% score was awarded in this category which would have been higher had there been a more prominent sticker alerting parents to disable the passenger airbag before fitting a child seat in the front. Safety equipment includes a drivers knee airbag, child locks for rear doors, and various driving aids to help you losing control of the car. Curtain airbags are fitted, but to extend them to the third row costs €258.

Verdict:

Thumbs Up:

One of the only cars to seat 7 people in genuine comfort

Loads of well thought out features to increase passenger comfort

Cheap to run and tax

Easier to manoeuvre than it looks

Thumbs down:

Full length curtain airbags cost extra

Expensive if you want an automatic

Mummypages Ratings:

Baby friendliness: 5/5

Safety: 4/5