Among the many praises that has always received the Seat Altea, there has never been any extolling its capacity. The compact people carrier you are always blamed a certain narrowness and, above all, lack of luggage. To solve this problem, Seat Altea XL has released a revised and expanded version we tested in its variant of 170 hp. Of course, the change is remarkable.

With their 320 liters minimum actual capacity, the trunk of normal Altea you crave small many people. The car was great and fun, but somewhat lacking in ability, so many customers were lost. Solution? Altea stretch to incorporate a trunk more capable.

The result of the operation is called Seat Altea XL and, in our Technical Center, It has a minimum of 525 liters trunk, which can become 990 if the rear seats. Yes: Seat has decided not include a third row seat, with what may still be leaving behind some of their potential clientele. Mark believes that its buyers are more young families with children and space requirements but do not seek, or need, many places in the car. In exchange for not carrying the third row, it ensures Seat its trunk is the best one category in which jut cars like the Volkswagen Touran, the Renault Megane Grand Scénic and newcomer Citroën C4 Picasso.

In any case, it remains a very interesting, dynamic, aesthetically appealing and, with this engine 2.0 TDI 170 hp, more than enough power car. It costs about good 26,493 euros, but perhaps increasing the trunk compensate this amount of money. Who is not convinced of all, you can go for the Seat Toledo, which has 400 liters of luggage space, according to our measurements.

As is well known, the Altea uses the compact chassis of the Volkswagen Group, a multifaceted platform that it serves to build a compact minivan that for an elegant convertible as the Volkswagen Eos, through the Golf, the Lion, the Jetta …
On that basis, Seat has built this Atea XL, which measures 4.47 meters long, 18.7 centimeters more than the normal Altea. Most of that growth is centered on the rear overhang, which is where the car has been stretched Battle, meanwhile, does not change: the 2.58 meter long stays. Another dimension that is modified is the height: the XL is two centimeters taller than normal Altea, reaching 1.58 meters.

But what interests us most are those 18 centimeters overhang. They translate, of course, in the growth of the trunk, but also earn two centimeters legroom in the back seat. And also allow mounting rails on which the rear seat can slide back and forth up to 16 centimeters: 14 forward and back on two basic position. These two centimeters recoil make the minimum boot capacity ranging between 525 and 532 liters, but we prefer to always stay with the minimum reference. That’s right: the seat forward 14 centimeters, already reaches 635 liters, which become 990 with the fully collapsed back row.

As you can see, take the data we take, the trunk is very good. Broad, deep, regular shaped, with a large and convenient access … A real cargo hold in which the most exaggerated fit luggage and in which no missing gaps to assure small objects.
Boot out of it, Inside the Altea XL is almost clónico the other Altea. Introduces the possibility that we discussed longitudinally moving the rear seat and another novelty, you can recline the seatback of the seat to fit in four different positions.

The rest is the same as a conventional Altea: since high driving (eight centimeters higher than a Lion), seats sporty holding quite well and an overall appearance which tries to break the coldness of the interior of Volkswagen and part of the usual aesthetic trend of Seat, character more “racing”.

And, of course, as in the normal Altea, materials are not first-line. Hard plastics abound in the passenger compartment unconvincing and there is more of a cutting edge in the settings of the various panels. A shame because, in general, the finish is not bad at all achieved.

Where if there is any change, of course, is on the outside image, “fat” much behind. The result is quite good, because the designers have concealed the Seat greater volume cocking camber of the roof and the tailgate giving a more curved shapes. It is longer, yes, but the athletic aspect of Altea is not lost on these XL.

With their 320 liters minimum actual capacity, the trunk of normal Altea you crave small many people. The car was great and fun, but somewhat lacking in ability, so many customers were lost. Solution? Altea stretch to incorporate a trunk more capable.

The result of the operation is called Seat Altea XL and, in our Technical Center, It has a minimum of 525 liters trunk, which can become 990 if the rear seats. Yes: Seat has decided not include a third row seat, with what may still be leaving behind some of their potential clientele. Mark believes that its buyers are more young families with children and space requirements but do not seek, or need, many places in the car. In exchange for not carrying the third row, it ensures Seat its trunk is the best one category in which jut cars like the Volkswagen Touran, the Renault Megane Grand Scénic and newcomer Citroën C4 Picasso.

In any case, it remains a very interesting, dynamic, aesthetically appealing and, with this engine 2.0 TDI 170 hp, more than enough power car. It costs about good 26,493 euros, but perhaps increasing the trunk compensate this amount of money. Who is not convinced of all, you can go for the Seat Toledo, which has 400 liters of luggage space, according to our measurements.

As is well known, the Altea uses the compact chassis of the Volkswagen Group, a multifaceted platform that it serves to build a compact minivan that for an elegant convertible as the Volkswagen Eos, through the Golf, the Lion, the Jetta …
On that basis, Seat has built this Atea XL, which measures 4.47 meters long, 18.7 centimeters more than the normal Altea. Most of that growth is centered on the rear overhang, which is where the car has been stretched Battle, meanwhile, does not change: the 2.58 meter long stays. Another dimension that is modified is the height: the XL is two centimeters taller than normal Altea, reaching 1.58 meters.

But what interests us most are those 18 centimeters overhang. They translate, of course, in the growth of the trunk, but also earn two centimeters legroom in the back seat. And also allow mounting rails on which the rear seat can slide back and forth up to 16 centimeters: 14 forward and back on two basic position. These two centimeters recoil make the minimum boot capacity ranging between 525 and 532 liters, but we prefer to always stay with the minimum reference. That’s right: the seat forward 14 centimeters, already reaches 635 liters, which become 990 with the fully collapsed back row.

As you can see, take the data we take, the trunk is very good. Broad, deep, regular shaped, with a large and convenient access … A real cargo hold in which the most exaggerated fit luggage and in which no missing gaps to assure small objects.
Boot out of it, Inside the Altea XL is almost clónico the other Altea. Introduces the possibility that we discussed longitudinally moving the rear seat and another novelty, you can recline the seatback of the seat to fit in four different positions.

The rest is the same as a conventional Altea: since high driving (eight centimeters higher than a Lion), seats sporty holding quite well and an overall appearance which tries to break the coldness of the interior of Volkswagen and part of the usual aesthetic trend of Seat, character more “racing”.

And, of course, as in the normal Altea, materials are not first-line. Hard plastics abound in the passenger compartment unconvincing and there is more of a cutting edge in the settings of the various panels. A shame because, in general, the finish is not bad at all achieved.

Where if there is any change, of course, is on the outside image, “fat” much behind. The result is quite good, because the designers have concealed the Seat greater volume cocking camber of the roof and the tailgate giving a more curved shapes. It is longer, yes, but the athletic aspect of Altea is not lost on these XL.