FirstDrive: Seat Altea Freetrack 4A compact MPV mating with an SUV, with a sprinkling of hot hatch - it may sound like a disaster, but Kyle Fortunefinds it all works rather well
Is the Seat Altea Freetrack 4 a car for the interminably confused? Is it a compact MPV? Check. A chunky off-roader? Check. And a bit of a hot hatch? Check. But does this fusion recipe actually create a car that's any good? Surprisingly, yes. But it's difficult to know exactly who this niche-buster is for.
Pasting on some contrasting chunky bumpers and wheel arches, adding roof bars and smart 17-inch alloy wheels and raising the suspension transforms the Altea XL into the Altea Freetrack 4. And the result is unquestionably more appealing than the standard car.
Like the Altea XL, it seats five in comfort, while offering flexible load space via the usual compact MPV folding and sliding rear seat trickery. So it's a convincing family hauler, with a functional cabin. Importantly, that functional-looking interior feels as if it will stand up to the sort of destructive abuse only young children seem capable of. There's also storage aplenty for hiding the boiled sweets until they're needed for bribery, or for keeping other family detritus from rolling about the footwells.
Inside is an odd hint to the exterior's new-found off-road chunkiness. Perforated plastic features on the dash, while it's manoeuvred by a sportier steering wheel and the gears are changed with a Freetrack 4-branded gearknob. The seating is a touch higher, meaning you're 40mm higher than in the standard Altea XL.
That suspension hike not only increases the ability to see over other traffic ahead, but also improves Freetrack 4's ride over the standard car. And that's significant. Away from smooth new roads, the Freetrack 4's ability to isolate rough tarmac impresses. The suspension is more compliant than Seat's usual stiffer, sporting set up; the Freetrack 4's dampers are larger in capacity to cope with the extra stress any off-road work might ask of them.
The improved ride is not at the expense of body control either. Sure, the centre of gravity raises due to that boosted height, but the Freetrack 4 still corners convincingly flatly, body roll rarely being an issue.
Underneath all the show, it features a Haldex-type four-wheel-drive system. There are no complicated transfer cases or buttons to press to enable its four-wheel-drive. If the front wheels slip, as much as 50 per cent of drive is automatically diverted to the rear axles, giving the Freetrack 4 enough off-road capability for all but the most committed of mud-pluggerists. Usefully, and to the benefit of fuel economy, in normal road use, the Freetrack 4 is front-wheel-drive.
The two engine choices on offer dictate how you're likely to use your Freetrack 4. Opt for the 2.0-litre TDI with its 167bhp and 350Nm of torque and it is a convincing towing machine, particularly as all Freetrack 4s feature a Trailer Stability Programme as part of the standard Electronic Stabilisation Programme.
However, the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol is the more appealing choice if hot hatch-rivalling performance is what you're after.
With 197bhp, it is able to reach 100km/h in 7.5 seconds, bettering the diesel by 1.2 seconds. It feels far more rapid on the road than its turbodiesel sibling, its torque spread generous, but use it often and you'll be wishing for the turbodiesel's more impressive economy.
The torque-rich delivery of both engines means a good number of the six-speed manual transmission's ratios are redundant in normal driving. Either will pull away easily in second gear, and unless you're in a hurry, you can skip straight to fourth then sixth.
But in the petrol version it's likely you'll use them all for the sake of it, as not doing so means missing out on some of the fun to be had driving it.
While the 2-litre version is confirmed for the British market, a smaller engine would be desirable here, to compete with the likes of Nissan's Qashqai and to offer a lower entry price to the Irish market.
Quite who this vehicle is aimed at is an enduring question, but if you're a surveyor with a young family I can think of no better car.
Just be sure to ask if Seat offers a flashing orange light and motorway maintenance sign on the options list.
Factfile: Seat Altea Freetrack 4
Engine:1,984cc turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with direct injection, putting out 197bhp @ 5,100rpm and 280Nm of torque @ 1,800-5,000rpm.
1,968cc turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine with direct injection, putting out 167bhp @ 4,200rpm and 350Nm of torque @ 1,800rpm
Transmission:Six-speed manual. Four-wheel drive.
Performance:
Petrol - 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds, and a top speed of 133km/h.
Diesel - 0-100km/h in 8.7 seconds, and a top speed of 127km/h.
Economy: petrol 9.4l/100km - combined cycle. Diesel 6.8l/100km - combined cycle
Emissions:223/179g/km (petrol/diesel).
Price:not yet released for Ireland but expect the 2-litre to start at between €33,000 and €35,000