Bottom Line

Feb 10 2008

Seat's Freetrack 4x4 Is A Bit Of A Bumpy Ride

Graeme's verdict

I RECENTLY took up spin classes to help shift a few extra pounds.

The high intensity workout has many advantages but they are quickly forgotten as soon as you sit on the exercise bike's razorsharp saddle.

Having spent the week in Seat's new 4x4 I now know where the spin bike designers got their inspiration.

The Freetrack is one of those clever hatchbacks that has been transformed from mumsy, school-run, sprog-carrier into an unstoppable, go-anywhere tank.

But the unforgiving suspension of our test car made even the smallest pothole feel like the Grand Canyon. Ouch!

Based on the long wheelbase XL version of the impressive Altea hatch, the Freetrack has something of the weekend warrior about it - and you get plenty of bang for your buck.

The £21,395 price tag of our 170bhp two-litre turbodiesel included stacks of standard equipment including dual-zone air-conditioning, parking sensors and chrome tail pipes.

Power is channelled to the front wheels under normal driving conditions but when they start to lose grip, the rear wheels come into play.

The Freetrack might not help you get up Ben Nevis but it certainly makes for guilt-free 4x4 ownership.

GRAEME LENNOX

Liz's verdict

POOR Graeme has done nothing but complain about his sore bottom and how this week's test car was doing nothing to help.

To be honest I'm surprised he could feel the hard suspension with so much padding on his derriere.

But he isn't wrong. Seat's Altea Freetrack is a tough ride and you do feel every bump.

This is the first all-road car from Seat and although it is designed for off-road terrain it isn't actually a fully-fledged 4x4.

The standard equipment level is pretty high. My favourite was its rearseat multi-media system which you can link to a DVD player - an excellent way to drown out Graeme's whingeing. This car also boasts rain-sensing wipers, parking sensors and integrated rear blinds.

On the outside though, it's a bit of an ugly duckling. I know the colour is all about choice but our green test car was awful.

This coupled with the big, bold plastic bumper and wheel arches did nothing to enhance it in the looks department.

When you consider that one of the Freetrack's main rivals is the beautiful Nissan Qashquai, I know which one I would prefer to spend my cash on and it certainly wouldn't have a Seat badge on the bonnet.

LIZ COWAN

TECH SPEC

SEAT'S Freetrack 4 range starts from £20,495. We drove the 2-litre turbodiesel costing £21,395.

PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph in 8.7sec, 127mph top speed.

FUEL: 41.5mpg.

EQUIPMENT: chrome exhaust, tinted windows, 17in alloys, climate-control aircon, dust and pollen filters.