SEAT Altea Freetrack 4 Road Test

SEAT Altea Freetrack 4

Our test car was fitted with a colour Satellite Navigation system with Bluetooth telephone control ( £1595 option) which is quite an expensive option. It was disappointing that you could not use post codes for destination entry and the map rendering is not amongst the best. Plus you have to make a choice between listening to a CD or using the Satellite Navigation system as there is only one CD slot. Bluetooth telephone integration worked well enabling you to make and receive telephone calls, using speech control totally hands free with your phone book being able to be transferred to the car.

On the safety front the SEAT Altea Freetrack 4 has TCS (Traction Control System) fitted as standard, which prevent the wheels from spinning when accelerating on slippery surfaces. The latest generation of ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) is also fitted as standard.  This teams up with the Driving Steering Recommendation (DSR) system, which detects the quality of braking at each axle and takes corrective action where required, by transmitting a small impulse to the steering wheel to help keep the vehicle on the correct course.  EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) can likewise come to the driver's aid by boosting the brake pressure to system capacity during emergency braking.

Last but not least, the ESP system fitted to the new Freetrack 4 also incorporates TSP (Trailer Stability Programme), which is specifically designed to enhance vehicle safety when towing a trailer. TSP helps to stabilise the trailer should it ever threaten to jeopardise the vehicle's safe handling as a result of, for example, adverse weather conditions, a poor road surface or emergency braking.

All SEAT Altea Freetrack 4’s leave the Martorell factory with six airbags, two at the front, two side and twin curtain.

SEAT are renowned for their design-led cars and we feel that in the case of the Freetrack 4 you are either going to love or hate it, personally we loved it! Having said that we did find the interior styling a bit drab - perhaps a little too minimal.

The SEAT Altea Freetrack 4 is an interesting vehicle; it is designed for those of you, who cannot make up your mind what type of car you need. If you live out in the country and require 4-wheel drive in the winter, combined with the practicality of an estate car and the performance of a hot hatch then the Freetrack 4 could be the vehicle for you. It does all of those jobs relatively well but in our opinion it is not a master of them all.

Seat Altea freetrack 4