Seat Alhambra review: the best car for big families?

If you need a seven-seater with sensible running costs, the Seat Alhambra is a sensible choice

It's no secret that Seat is owned by Volkswagen, nor that the two companies produce cars that share some major components. Rarely though, can you buy a Seat that is identical to a Volkswagen in all but the badge it wears - the Alhambra is one of those exceptions.

Question is, does a big people carrier like this still hold enough advantages over smaller and cheaper seven-seat rivals to be worth buying?

Space 9/10

Hard to fault

The Alhambra’s seven seats are arranged over three rows, with the pair in the third row folding flat into the boot floor to boost luggage capacity.

In this five-seater configuration the boot itself is vast, and even with all seven seats in place the Alhambra retains a useful amount of luggage capacity (suitable for the weekly shop if not quite a baby buggy).

Those in the second row benefit from individual seats rather than one long bench, each of which can slide forwards or backwards in order to share legroom with those in the back row.

As a final neat touch, all five rear seats can be folded completely flat, giving the Alhambra van-like loading space.

For a car that will spend much of its life with families on board, the large number of storage places is very welcome indeed, as are the sliding rear doors, which give easy access even in tight parking spaces.

Comfort 8/10

A quiet motorway cruiser

There's nothing wrong with the supportive seats in the Alhambra's first and second rows, and adults will find that even the third row is fine for a long journey. However, while not lacking in space, the Alhambra doesn’t feel as light and airy inside as a Citroen Grand C4 Picasso.

Nor does it match the French car for low-speed ride comfort, its suspension feeling noticeably firmer. Pick up the pace on country roads and this actually helps the Alhambra to feel more stable, as its body doesn’t lean too much in corners.

The diesel engine is a little bit vocal at town speeds but settles down above 40mph, making this a relaxing car for motorway driving.

For cars of this size ventilation is an important factor, and something that the Alhambra does very well, with three-zone climate control standard across the range.

Book a free Seat Alhambra home test drive

Dashboard layout 8/10

Straight out of a VW

The controls for the Alhambra's heating and infotainment system will be immediately recognisable to anybody who has owned a VW in recent years, and that's no bad thing because it means it is intuitive and tactile to use.

What's more, all controls are within easy reach of the driver, and with plenty of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel it's possible to find a driving position that gives you a good view out over traffic. 

As with the new Seat Ibiza, the Alhambra is available with seemless smartphone connectivity in the form of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or MirrorLink (the same can be achieved by selecting Full Link on the options list).

Easy to drive 8/10

Big but not scary

Although big, the Alhambra is also quite boxy which, combined with large windows, means it isn't as tricky to park as you might fear. To help matters proximity sensors come as standard, and Seat also offers a system that can automatically steer the car into an empty space.

The steering is sensibly weighted, being neither too heavy at low speed nor so light that it feels vague on the motorway, and the manual gearbox is matched to a light clutch.

For ultimate ease of driving the Seat can also be specified with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

The Alhambra is available with a 1.4-litre petrol engine and a 2.0-litre diesel in two power outputs. We'd stick with the diesel, which offers sufficient performance even when the car is fully loaded. 

Fun to drive 6/10

Doesn’t disgrace itself

At no point in the Alhambra's conception was it necessary to make it fun to drive, but thanks to accurate steering and firm suspension that stops the car's body rocking about too much when pushed, it's a actually not too bad.

Go for the 182bhp diesel and it's quick enough to be mildly entertaining, but for most families the basic 148bhp version should suffice. 

Reliability 7/10

Warranty matches that of main rivals

Seat has an average reliability record, finishing 18th out of 27 manufacturers in the 2014 JD Power customer satisfaction survey.

Like VW and Citroen, it offers a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty as standard. While a smaller car, buyers concerned about the level of cover should also check out the Kia Carens, a seven-seater with seven years and 100,000 miles worth of cover.

Seat provides two years of breakdown assistance - one year more than Volkswagen.

Fuel economy 8/10

Competitive, but not class leading

We wouldn't expect a seven-seater people carrier to deliver the kind of fuel economy of the best family hatchbacks. But even so, the 56.5mpg the most efficient version of the Alhambra achieved in EU fuel tests isn't to be sniffed at for a car of this size, nor the fact that you can expect up to 40mpg in the real world.

Having said that, if fuel economy is your main concern, Citroen offers a Grand C4 Picasso with a 1.6-litre diesel engine that delivers more than 70mpg in official fuel tests. 

Affordability 6/10

Rivals offer seven seats for less

With even the entry-level Alhambra costing the best part of £25,000, it’s impossible to ignore that other albeit slightly smaller seven seaters such as the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer and the aforementioned Citroen are significantly cheaper to buy. In short, you’ll want to really use all of the Alhambra’s space to justify its higher price, especially as it will also cost you more in road tax than the most efficient seven seaters.

Safety 8/10

Seven airbags as standard

As standard the Alhambra features seven airbags, including one for the driver's knees and curtain airbags that run the full length of the car.

Parents will also note that there are three Isofix mounting points in the second row seats, and will no doubt be impressed that the Alhambra scored full marks in Euro NCAP's crash tests.

In terms of electronic safety nets, the Seat features an electronic stability system that will help you to recover the car if it begins to skid, but lacks any kind of auto braking device that can bring the car to a stop in order to avoid a collision with the vehicle in front. 

Standard spec 8/10

No need to upgrade from the basic spec

Entry level models include three-zone climate control, alloy wheels, parking sensors and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

On top of this SE bundles in eletrically folding wing mirrors, cruise control and automatic lights, and SE-Lux powered sliding doors, leather seats and a panoramic roof.

The other trim level worth considering is Connect, which brings full smartphone connectivity to the Alhambra.

Our favourite version

SE 2.0 TDI CR Ecomotive 150, list price £28,090

Options you should add:  Metallic paint (£585), Full Link (£150), rear side airbags (£180)

 The verdict 8/10

There’s no denying that the Alhambra is a fine people carrier, not to mention one that feels very well made. However, you pay for the privilege of having a seven-seater of this size, and many will find that a Vauxhall Zafira Tourer or Citroen Grand C4 Picasso makes more financial sense.