SEAT altea test drive since 2009 minivan

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Does the car look so famously and unusual that it is not even clear what kind of class it represents? Minivan? But why a family fabric is a plastic skirt and an enlarged clearance? What, crossover? It seems that a powerful motor and all -wheel drive direct evidence. But the crossover in the usual sense of the word Freetrack also does not pull.
 
Freetrack seemed to jump out of the cartoon! The design is wonderful, alien. And associations causes incomprehensible. You need to stay with him longer, someday at the Spanish school in a car history lesson dedicated to national crossovers, the teacher will say the following phrase: the SUV story from the Seat began in 2007 at the exhibition in Geneva, the company demonstrated the Freetrack concept made on the basis of the Altea minivan. The kids, having seen a photo of the car, probably open their mouths in surprise.
Visitors to the car dealership were also surprised, passing by the menacingly rising Altea Freetrack white. The car had a grand clearance and wheels almost like that of a BIG-foot. It was visible from afar. The audience approached, stared, but did not understand the great idea of \u200b\u200bthe creators. And the point here, I think, is not so much in the impossibility of embodying the idea of \u200b\u200ba concept as in its appearance. Too high (clearance 31 cm) stood an oblong altea XL, and a plastic body kit painted in the color of the body only added growth machine, which made it look awkwardly and fluently. It seemed that in the first turn of Freetrack it would rush into the chipper roof forward. As a result, Freetrack has reached a very modified form.
 
The result of adaptation is it. The clearance is not so powerful, and the body received a two -tone color in which the buyer can choose only one color. The second by default belongs to the plastic body kit. Wheel discs, by the way, slightly decreased in size, but rubber is now from another opera. I will not say where, but she is Pirelli P Zero Rosso. In general, the mood changed almost radically. Crossover, say? Freetrack does not begin to like it outwardly and not everyone. First, all these are the course of the lines, the bloated rounded surfaces repel, and the eyes of an incomprehensible creature are alarming. Still, the mainstream of modern design adheres to other solutions. However, after a few days, having repeatedly examined the car, you already find some harmony in the image.
Well, when you train and try the character of a yellow alien properly, you can completely become a fan of the Seat style. There is no bad thing in this. For there should be more original and different machines. Yes, even to be of high quality! To the latter, no doubt, we attribute the shocking Spaniard. It is fulfilled according to strict German standards, but differs from relatives in the concern with special Spanish fervor. It does not appear immediately. Say, if you are considering a car in a car dealership, then you will never understand what it really is. For the wheel, gas to the floor, and the steering wheel to the sides!
I have been familiar with the products of the Porsche concern for a long time. And he roughly imagined how Freetrack would behave, assembled from unified Volkswagen parts. But he surprised. He, admitted, went even better. The nature of the car can often be determined by the steering wheel and lever of transfers. You put your palm on the steering wheel, stroking it and begin to understand a lot. You take the gearbox lever in the hand, and forecasts are confirmed. You start a motor, sink gas, release the clutch and no, this time you were mistaken.
But in the case of this Seat, everything speaks of one amazingly whole nature. The steering wheel, the gearbox lever, the location of the pedals, the chair with pronounced support and the tenacious landing, the ergonomics, the sound of the motor all this is evidence that Freetrack can ride quickly. By the way, speaking of a whole nature, I somehow lost sight of the engine. But he is the heart of this organism. It’s not worth bursting out especially, everyone knows, but I can’t help but say it again. 2.0 TFSI amazing power unit.
 
The people are customary to say that if you do not have a lag, then there is no turbine. Many have signed under this rule, and it did not become an axiom thanks to a turbo engine from VW. After all, he does not have a lag, but only an unshakable connection between the movement of the accelerator and an increase in revolutions. Oh yes, still very clear reactions. And a pleasant bonus in the form of a cool sound and an unexpected amount of torque in the low -speed zone. Therefore, when I got behind the wheel of the car, the gas pedal realized that they would not stand on ceremony with it. I did not have to find a common language with Seat as they say, sat down and went. Or, as they say, as if he was born behind the wheel of this car.
Two hundred? Please! Side overloads were ordered. Krains? But we do not hold this. And further in the same spirit. Tenacious brakes, excellent arc resistance, sensitive steering wheel. And from the side it seems that the driver of the Fictrak is crazy to pile on the minivan! But he is also not so. In the light of what has been said, I would like to focus on the fact that Auto Emocion Seat not only decorates its products, but also strictly follows. Freetrack the third car of the company that I had to manage (before that were Leon and Altea). All of them had filigree gambling. Endowed with her and Freetrack. Have you ever seen a car of this type with Golf GTI habits? Not? Look at the photo again.
 
But before the perfectionism of German salons, Seatam is still far away. And Freetrack is no exception. Someone will probably appreciate the combination of dark coffee and black, but in general, in the absence of a color monitor, all this looks somewhat dull. Dilute the interior with a pair of spectacular yellow strokes in unison with the body. But the Seat did otherwise. By the way, the materials could also be picked up more expensive, otherwise wherever you knock booming blows, there are no elastic surfaces. But, nevertheless, the salon looks worthy. At least I was pleased to be in it.
OK, we recognize the advantages of Freetrack on the asphalt. Further tests will be more difficult. The name of the car is translated approximately like a track without restrictions. And if so, then the body kit and clearance, grown by 4 cm, will come in handy. Only now Pirelli's asphalt tires are not for them mud exercises. But you do not have to choose to choose to the laundry! We did not hang the car, we did not put it on the belly. The tests were cross -over in nature and included funny starts in the fields and primer. The road was a little blurred, and in some places deep puddles formed.
Imagine yourself as a crazy summer resident who wildly falls forward to meet a barbecue and beer. The suspension is harsh, but the clearance is enough (185 mm). And all -wheel drive (connected on demand) even on slippery soil allows you to feel relaxed. You can rush along the country, but uncomfortable. The high angular stiffness of the suspension, which on the asphalt eliminates the rolls, makes you go along the semi -over -overly area slowly. However, if the barbecue is crushed, and the beer heats up, you can spur. The main thing is that the driver is alone in the car.
 
After water-grass procedures, I had to call on the sink, where the employee carefully knocked out vegetation, abundantly hanging on the levers of pendants. No, it’s better to be asphalt. Or slowly, carefully along the proven paths. Strange still type Spanish Freetrack. In his dissimilarity and inconsistency, he reminded me of Dodge Caliber SRT4 from the last issue of the magazine. These machines have their own, different from others, a look at the usual things. They are large originals. And, apparently, they are looking for the same owners. What they can only wish for good luck.
Leonty Tyutelev
 
 
 

Source: Motor magazine [November 2008]