Overview
The Altea was released a few years after many of its competitors arriving on the scene, but it was expected to sell well. However, it exceeded expectations and 31,223 Alteas were sold within the first year.
It is a family-oriented five-seater, which attempts to portray a more sporty image than most of its rivals. The car is based on Volkswagen Group's A5 (PQ35) platform. An unusual design feature is the 'vertical parked' windscreen wipers, which are designed to improve pedestrian safety. They disappear in to the window surround either side of the screen. The effect is a completely cleanly swept windscreen but does mean the 'A pillars' are rather wide and cause a blind spot.
There are six trim levels: Essence (no longer available in the UK), Reference, Reference Sport, Stylance, Sport (no longer available in the UK) and FR. Internal combustion engines are available, with the range-topping 2.0 FR Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) delivering 125 kilowatts (170 PS; 168 bhp), available since April 2006. There are four gearboxes available (depending on market and engine); five or six-speed manual, five-speed tiptronic automatic, and six or seven-speed Direct-Shift Gearbox.
It is named after the Spanish city of Altea.
Read more about this topic: SEAT Altea