SEAT Altea - Pictures

SEAT cars are renowned for their overly firm ride, and the Altea XL is no different. It’s not as hard as in, say, a Leon FR, but over rough surfaces it proves harsh. On the motorway, there is a fair bit of tyre noise, too.

Some plastics feel brittle but, on the whole, build quality is good. The dash top has a nicely textured surface, while the controls are clearly laid out. There’s decent storage, as well as standard MP3 connectivity.

Although passengers get as much headroom as in the C4, the transmission tunnel restricts legroom for the occupant in the middle seat – and both rivals have a flat floor. Shoulder room is not as generous, either.

The 2.0-litre VW Group diesel unit has plenty of clout, yet is coarse and unrefined – a constant gripe with this motor. At idle it was 9dB louder than the Citroen. There’s vibration through the pedals, and hard acceleration

With the largest boot here, the SEAT is certainly useful, and the extra length is a help. But a high lip makes loading tricky, and the carpet can’t be removed. We like the sliding parcel shelf, though.