SEAT Altea I TECH

SEAT Product Manager Steve Mirfin says: “With the Altea I TECH models we’re giving the customer great value and a simplified choice. We’re also reflecting buyer preference – over the last year, more than nine of ten Altea models sold were specified in SE Copa trim, on which the enhanced I TECH is based.”

Basically, SEAT has taken their Copa, looked at it, buffed it up, and come out with a brand new and shiny Altea: the I TECH edition.

Available now, both the SEAT Altea and the SEAT Altea XL are the only ones available in I TECH trim, which adds in a stackful of equipment inside the SEAT’s five-seat family car that “combines the styling and dynamics of a traditional family hatchback with the space of an MPV”; equipment like 16-inch titanium finish alloys wheels, front parking sensors, a colour TFT screen for rear passengers, and forward sliding rear seats for added versatility.

Added to this fine list of equipment you can add in; dark tinted rear windows, roof rails, dual zone climate control, automatic wipers and headlights, rear parking sensors, SEAT Media System 2.2 (including satellite navigation and Bluetooth), a double floor boot, and overhead interior storage: so much so, in fact, you don’t even have to glance at what’s available as an extra because it’s probably all in here anyway!

SEAT have also simplified the Altea and Altea XL ranges so that now there is only one trim level but three powertrain options in the shape of a 1.6 TDI Ecomotive diesel engine with 105 PS or a DSG automatic transmission, or a 2.0 TDI diesel with 140 PS; all three available in two brand new colours: Bahama Blue and Technic Grey.

With even the simplified engine availabilities, the fuel economy on the Altea and Altea XL I TECH trim models is pretty close to excellent, with the manual 1.6 TDI Ecomotive versions giving a combined mpg of 62.8 mpg and both the 1.6 TDI DSG and 2.0 TDI 140 PS manual returning 57.6 mpg. How many cars with that much stuff and that size boot (Altea 409 litres and Altea XL 532 litres) can return those figures?

With these two ‘additions’ to the SEAT family, SEAT UK are pretty much nailed-on to increase both their 2012 sales figures of 38,798 cars and their 1.9% market share.