SEAT Altea 2009 SE 1.4 TSI road test
The SEAT Altea is a true chimera of the car world – part hatchback, part family car, part MPV. Trying to neatly pigeon hole the Altea is a difficult thing indeed – it is a multi-function five-door small family car, yet has enough room to seat five, and still comes with that flair and sportiness that has become the hallmark of the Spanish marque. Currently available with a choice of seven engines, spread over four trim levels, there is a Altea available for most budgets – from the entry level ‘S’ trim 1.4-litre petrol to the top-of-the-range ‘Sport’ 2.0 TDI CR derivative. The car under test was a ‘SE’ trim level Altea with an innovative 1.4 TSI petrol engine.
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The SEAT Altea we drove came with a new breed of engine which aims to combine the torque and fuel efficiency characteristics of a diesel unit with the free revving and spirited nature of a petrol engine car. The 1.4 TSI engine is also used within models from all marques that fall within the Volkswagen Group and is arguably now the most popular petrol engine choice. In truth the diesel options have recently out sold the petrol equivalent for most vehicles within the VW group simply because they were so good! The diesel achieving performance along with economy and that is a combination few buyers can pull themselves away from. The TSI engine however does a great job of trying to bring some balance back to the petrol/diesel equation. The engine offers far more torque than a conventional petrol unit and better fuel efficiency at 44.1mpg on a combined cycle. We feel that this engine will appeal to those buyers who were previously undecided about whether to switch to diesel or stay with the green pumps and will now feel they have a petrol engine they can feel good about.
Read the full SEAT Altea 2009 SE 1.4 TSI road test
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