Seat Altea 2004 test drive - 2009 minivan

I am, of course, I'm glad to be deceived ...

The Spanish novelty is really able to pleasantly disappoint not every modern car can boast of this.


Hearing deceit
What did you come to? Fiat? Ah sfat since the Spanish brand is not too well-eared, almost everyone is asking for the name of the car. Further, the conversation enters the next phase, and options are already possible. The first option: what is it? Second: is it such a Spanish Volkswagen? The third option is also good: definitely not fiat? The next phase is this: what kind of model? And when, finally, it becomes clear that the Seat-Altea is not at all the same as the Fiat albeya, the last question arises, the most important: well, how?
 

And here my story about this car begins. Especially for you, about dear readers, I tell my impressions in the most complete version, the author.
 





Optical illusion
The beginning of the test drive came out a little crumpled out of the Leningradsky station, I flopped into the glating of althe-gray-colored Altheus, who was waiting for me in the rain in the rain in Komsomolskaya Square. Therefore, our acquaintance began with the interior. What is she healthy! A bunch of places, a bunch of air continuous. For a car located in the golf class, just wow! The central panel is huge, going far, far away, somewhere to a completely invisible hood. At least hang the sky above your head. The seats are harsh, but comfortable and really Spanish Volkswagen. And even despite the fact that the materials are tough to the touch, the salon makes a very pleasant impression. Well, the interior design seemed non -trivial: the tumor in the middle of the torpedo sheltered the weather control in the cabin and the audio system that seemed to be confused with each other: music from below, the climate upstairs. Usually, on the contrary, but so good. By the way, audio sounds quite decently write down in a plus.
 

Under the passenger seat on which I proudly sat down, a good chest was revealed. I found another storage for Scarb in the front armrest. And a little later, he discovered two small niches between the rear seat pillow and the doors there successfully stood quarter -liter jars with the power engineer.
 
   


 
There are few adjustments, but they are exhaustive

There are no complaints about the readability of devices. But the display of the flight comprehensive light glows too brightly distracting
 


We arrived at the sink. Wash with rugs? But there are no rugs! Wash like that.

 
   
Under both front seats, very functional boxes are hidden

The glove box is small and uncomfortable

According to the possibilities of transformation of the alteen salon, of course, is inferior to purebred compactwegers


After the shower, Altey was thoroughly studying for practicality and functionality, this is a compact. It soon became clear that the rear seats, as separate, can move in advance, that is, there is always the opportunity to choose between the passenger legs and the luggage volume, but in insignificant limits, of course. However, for some reason, the Spaniards for some reason did not bother to supplement the mobile seats with the adjustment of the angle of inclination, although they would have fallen very much even in the subject. But the back row can be folded, giving the machine a vanimity, but it will not be possible to throw a pillow. And it turns out that the flat floor does not work out the cargo platform comes out with a step. Not super, as you understand.

 

Under the floor of the trunk, a doktka with a set of tools
 
The most convenient shelf with a double bottom and pockets in the ends of the rear seat are real finds of the Spaniards


But the additional shelf in the trunk, suspended under the main one, is a wonderful thing. In addition, there are niches on the sides of the luggage compartment: the one on the left, on an elastic net, and on the right on the rubber band. Of course, come in handy!
 



Deception of feelings
Seat is good! True, everything goes to the fact that soon in the lineup, the Spaniards will not have any other machines at all, except for the single -volume. But since Wenchik, then without options for a car with a claim to the utilitarianism of Altey is unimaginably emotional! The general idea of \u200b\u200bthe entire body design, which emerges from under the headlight, smoothly streams of the front wing and rushes to a famously outlined rear arch. There are two such lines in the car, respectively, on the right and left. Between the headlights, at the very base of the hood, a radiator grille reigned with a proud logo. And the fifth door, sharply cutting the rear lights, looks as if the platform was brewed under the number in the room, and the number was lowered to the bumper.
 

And if not for rain, I would love to continue the contemplation of Ceat. Beautiful car! It is not surprising: the Italian Walter de Silva walks in the authors of the Altea, who found a whole bunch of ingenious cars one Alfa-Romeo-156 what is worth it.
 

But I, perhaps, will hide from the vile autumn driving. The devices drowned in the wells of the torpedo, and the arrows of the speedometer and tachometer look at the floor. Yes, they love to make cars with a precortian in character. Well, Altea, will you really deceive?
 

No, it is just everything honored: nimble acceleration, a clear work of the box lever, well-chosen gear rates go! Actively accelerates, confidently goes to overtaking everything as I would like. The glorious motor was picked up for a family car! By the way, what kind of motor? At a traffic light I rummage in a glove box and get a price list from there.
 



Attention, now there will be intrigue!
So what do we have? The 1.6 -liter motor about 102 forces is the same as on the fifth golf. Obviously not him: I rode golf and was not at all impressed. So, we have a 2-liter 150-horsepower car because it does not look like a 200-horsepower turbine at all. Ok, ok. Incidentally, the sound of acceleration is very even: on the bottom, the engine is quite quiet, but closer to high begins to sing with sonorous nobility.
 

But already in the evening, when I checked the documents for the availability of order, I looked into the registration certificate and did not believe my eyes. One and six cannot be like that! But the golf is going to the car, I open the hood and there, yes, 1.6 liters of all. That's what I was surprised that with active pedaling the triple-computer showed the average consumption of less than 12 liters.
 

But why? I know this motor, I drove! As competent people later explained to me, it's all about setting the engine control unit. Yes, the strength is the same, but the motor is not recognized. And if I suddenly intended to get Altea, I would safely choose 1.6 especially since such cheaper two -liter for as much as $ 6500.

But maybe he is going to his girlfriend? Be sure to check on occasion.
 

And the suspension settings of Ceat are as close as possible to the ideal: the car does not seem soft at all, but at the same time there is no shaking as a fact. Altheus tightly grasps the trajectory and holds it to the last: she confidently passes the turn even along the paved asphalt. But I had to get used to the brakes: if we tended to decent speed, then everything is unambiguous. However, when moving in a whisper, the brakes are too sensitive: a light press on the pedal and immediately pecks with your nose.
 



Deception of expectations
And the next day in Moscow, the winter was unexpectedly turned on, and I was able to appreciate the wipers in a non -working state, they are cunningly located along the front strokes of the body, that is, vertically. And therefore, when Altea was overgrown with wet snow from head to toe, the first wave of the brush at once raked all the precipitation on the hood, returning me the joy of the view. By the way, the kinematics of the wipers are such that only a small sector of the windshield remains unpeeled, which is still hidden behind the rear view mirror. Not chic but brilliance and beauty!
 

A few hours later, I had to part with the sultry althe and go to the Leningrad station for my two. Snow, slush, brrrr

Not only the weather was cooling my ardor, but also the price for Seati. How much do you think the Spanish Volkswagen should cost? Obviously not more expensive than German, right? But no: just more expensive. The basic version of the Altea is estimated at $ 24,890 this is a machine in configuration with a 1.6-liter engine that I liked so much I liked. The level of equipment, by the way, is very not bad: six pillows, ABS, an anti -wings system, air conditioning, music. But the golf plus close in every sense, ceterly equal to several thousand dollars, is cheaper. But by the end of the year, the discount is also 8%at the end of the year.
 

Well, 2-liter altea will pull on all $ 32,990 (the machine is still plus a thousand). However! For a car in a sports equipment FR with a 200-horsepower turbo engine, you can even only an eye $ 40,990!
 

I liked Altea. I am pleased with the design and running qualities, I am not embarrassed by the minivanism and unknown of the brand that is not suitable for me in family status. But here is the price
 

So you don't have a fiat, but Coat? Why is such an expensive one? This, you know, will confuse anyone.
    
In one volume

It is not so easy to figure out the line of Ceata. Not only that most of the cars actually on one person (common style!), So they are also created on the same platform, that is, pretty unified not only with each other, but also with the fifth generation golf and other derivatives from it. All of them, with the exception of Leon, can safely be considered compactweons: to catch the difference between the althe, its elongated version of Althey-XL and Toledo (the physiognomy is the same, its own feed), at first glance, seems to be very observant. And Leon, by and large, is also actively gravitated to the uniform

By the way, soon we will have an alteus-friter built on the basis of the Altea-XL All-resistant modification with increased road clearance and all-wheel drive.
 
Seat Altea 1.6 Stylance (2.0)

common data
 
Body, number of places/doors
Hatchback, 5/5
 
Equipped mass, kg
1320 (1375)
 
Length x width x height, mm
4280x1768x1568
 
Base, mm
2578
 
Front/back, mm track
1534/1523
 
The diameter of the turn, m
10.9
 
Speed, km/h
181 (206)
 
Acceleration 0-100 km/h, with
12.8 (9.6)
 
Fuel consumption, l/100 km
6/10.4 (6.2/10.5)
 
Trunk volume (5/2 places), l
409/1320
 
The volume of the fuel tank, l
55
 

Engine
 
Location
Front transversely
 
Design
4-cyl., Rowing, 8 (16)-cracked. 1 (2) upper camshaft
 
Working volume, SMZ
1595
 
Power, L.S. at rpm
102/5600
 
Torque, kgsm at rpm
15,1/3800
 

Chassis
 
Drive unit
On the front wheels
 
Transmission
Mechanical 5-st.
 
Suspension:
Independent, spring
 
front
Type McEzerson
 
behind
Mollycent
 
Steering
rack type with amplifier
 
Brakes
disk, in front ventilated
 
Tires
205/55 R16
 

Car
from 0.27 $/km
 

+ 
Bright appearance; pleasant salon; peppy engine; Great suspension
 
-
High price; Lack of developed dealership
 
 
Kirill Brevdo, photo of Maxim Goncharov
 
 

Source: Magazine buy a car [21/2007]