Seat Altea XL 2.0 TDI 140 CV, road test (Engine and performance)

If you are looking for a spacious MPV with five seats plus a large boot, the road test we start today may be of interest to you. We leave behind the saga of blue cars (blue is undoubtedly fashionable among sports cars) to take the wheel of the Seat Altea XL equipped with the most powerful two-litre diesel engine, capable of delivering 140 CV.

The MPV segment has more than the Citroën C4 Picasso or the Renault Scenic: there are other alternatives just as interesting as these two best sellers. What strikes us most about the Altea XL is its performance 2.0 TDI 140 CV engine and its interior practicality, so let’s get down to business and start, as always, with a review of the engine.

Engine and performance

When we talk about the 2.0 TDI 140 CV unit, we are dealing with one of the best-known engines in the VAG Group, fitted to a Volkswagen Golf, an Seat Altea, an Skoda Octavia or even an Audi A3 (among many others).

Power delivery is noticeable above 1,800 rpm and continues until almost 3,500 rpm, while at low revs it has practically no response. Its 143 CV is more than enough for this MPV, and this version is the most powerful diesel (below it sits the 1.6 TDI 105 CV). In fact, for a driver who drives calmly, the 105 CV version may be an interesting alternative.

Its torque of 320 Nm lets us move with ease and overtake with complete confidence, and even when the car is loaded we still get a firm response from this two-litre unit.

Paired with this engine is a six-speed gearbox, with a correct feel, above all in terms of precision. It does have a gear-change indicator, but the system is very optimistic about when to shift up; on several occasions I tried to follow it, but the poor low-rev response means we often ignore the gear-change indicator.

Handling

On the road we are talking about a comfortable, easy-going car. Its suspension is rather soft-tuned, which makes it especially comfortable on poorly surfaced roads or for long journeys. The positive point is that it does not suffer from the typical body roll of an MPV.

If we compare the Seat Altea XL with the typical MPVs in the segment, some abuse overly soft suspension, but on the Altea XL this problem has been solved very well. We can even say it is an agile car, especially considering its dimensions.

Completing the package is the steering with a light feel, typical of an MPV and practical when parking, while the braking system does its job without problems.

Consumption

To test the consumption of the Seat Altea XL, as always we head out along the A-52 and A-6, on our usual 1,200 km route. On that route the Altea XL had an average motorway consumption of 5.3 litres per 100 km.

The country road test over a distance of 140 km, on our usual test route, returned an average consumption of 5.8 litres per 100 km. Finally, consumption in town came to around 8.8 litres per 100 km.

These figures are normal for a 140 CV engine, and the 1.6 TDI 105 CV unit is surely a little more frugal, one more argument for choosing this engine if we drive calmly.

The next part of the test will cover the exterior design of the Altea XL and, above all, its interior. There we will discuss space, finishes and the boot.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira