Although it hasn’t been confirmed if the new Alhambra 4WD will go on sale in the UK, a select group of journalists was given the chance to test SEAT’s new 4×4 earlier this month.
“If the SEAT Alhambra 4×4 comes to the UK – which isn’t a given – it’ll enter a miniscule market, but one that might just be set to explode,” said Yahoo! Cars.
“We’d be lying if we said we’ve put the Alhambra 4×4 on snow, or even a mildly slippery incline (we drove it in sunny Barcelona), but we do like the car a lot. The four-wheel drive system is a clutch-based one, the same as Volkswagen uses in its 4Motion models, which basically operates in front-wheel drive mode most of the time, but can shift up to 100 per cent of the power to the back axle when it senses slip.
“It appeals to the head of a family buyer in every which way: more interior space than the combined heads of the cast of ‘Geordie Shore’; a barely believable lack of engine noise below 3,000rpm; ride comfort close to a luxury car’s; quality to match or better the Audi-based Exeo; and a stack of neat touches like Transformer chairs that become child seats and tyres that seal themselves after a puncture. And, in theory, it will still be all those things when it snows. Bonus.
“We hope SEAT does take the risk and bring it to the UK,” said Yahoo! Cars. “Even though it’ll probably sell in tiny numbers, it may pave the way for other ‘normal’ cars capable of paving the way (through snow). A couple more winters like the last two, and cars like this will make perfect sense.”
“The [Alhambra’s] four-wheel drive system instils extra confidence on loose or rough surfaces,” said Parkers. “Despite its size and bulk it’s also easy to drive and manoeuvre.
“As well as offering extra security and capability for families who rely on their car all year round, the Alhambra 4WD could be an interesting alternative for those who go camping, find their driving taking them across muddy fields, or as a more useful tow car.”
“Who needs a four-wheel-drive version of a full-sized seven-seat MPV,” asked MSN Cars. “Logic says plenty of drivers who have got fed up with the snow we’ve suffered from over the past three winters.
“This is not an off-roader, SEAT says, but a car designed more to get you through snow or over a grassy field as you make your way out of a summer music festival.
“In the interests of thorough research we pointed the Alhambra down a track to a river in the Spanish Montserrat mountains.
“It coped well with the relatively mild conditions, gripping well and never showing any sign of the tyres struggling. In comparison, a front wheel-drive Alhambra we drove on the same day would chirp its tyres even when pulling away on tarmac.
“SEAT has moved into a truly niche area with the Alhambra 4×4… it is hard to think of a seven seater that combines as much interior space with four-wheel drive, all with a relatively economical two-litre diesel.”
“If you’re living with the fear that you and your five kids will get stranded in the coming winter’s snow – just like last year, and the year before – the Alhambra 4×4 might have you beating SEAT’s door down,” said Car Enthusiast.
“This is a well-rounded driving experience, whose most endearing qualities are a sumptuous ride and eerie low-speed silence befitting a luxury car. Light steering and a general sense of mechanical integrity add to those to make this one of the least frustrating, least sloppy vans you’re likely to drive.
“It’ll be a brave move if SEAT decides to bring the four-wheel drive Alhambra to the UK, but it might just prove to be a significant one. For some, there’s an insurmountable social ignominy attached to 4×4 ownership, but given the last couple of winters, also a genuine need for the mobility they provide.”
