Set challenges for Mumsnet SEAT test drivers and see what they think of the car- £200 Love2Shop voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the three Mumsnetters who are test driving the SEAT Alhambra.

Here's what SEAT say, "SEAT's seven-seat New Alhambra is ready to reaffirm its pre-eminence in the large MPV market with a UK range that majors on more powerful and efficient new engines, a wealth of new equipment features and extra flashes of contemporary styling. The all-round improvements are set to consolidate Alhambra's enduring popularity, reflected in more than a dozen "best MPV" awards since the current generation model entered the market five years ago. Versatility remains a designed-in quality for the New Alhambra; true to the easy-to-live-with character that has made it such an enduringly popular choice."

Non-testers: we'd like you to set the test drivers challenges to put the SEAT Alhambra to the test! Perhaps you'd like to know how many suitcases they're able to fit into the boot? Or how easy the car is to clean after testers have picked up children who have been at a muddy football practice? However you'd like the Mumsnet testers to put the cars to the test, let us know!

We'll choose 3 of the best or most popular challenges and ask the testers to complete them and feedback about them on this thread. Everyone who posts their ideas on this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 Love2Shop voucher!

Testers: Please answer the questions below.

Q1. What was your overall impression of the car?
Q2. What did you use the car for? Did you feel like the SEAT Alhambra was up to the task?
Q3. What was your and your DCs favourite aspect of the car?
Q4. How well suited do you think the SEAT Alhambra is to catering for a hectic family lifestyle?
Q5. If it came up in conversation, would you recommend the SEAT Alhambra to friends/family who are in the market for a new family car? Why?

All testers who complete all forms of feedback will be sent a £100 Love2Shop voucher!

Thanks
MNHQ

[sharond101]

Non-tester I'd like to know how warm and how cool it can get and how quickly it heats up and cools down.

[cece]

Can you fit a stunt scooter in the boot? (one that doesn't fold down)

[chairmeoh]

How long does it take the windscreens and wing mirrors to clear on a cold and frosty morning? (Hoping you're unable to complete this experiment because we're about to enjoy an elongated Indian summer!)

[RueDeWakening]

Tester here ????Car arrived this morning. Hill starts are requiring a read of the manual since there isn't a normal handbrake, just a little button that you pull up to engage, and it automagically disengages when you depress the clutch. I think...????You can definitely fit 3 high back boosters/group 1 car seats across the back, although we've got an integrated booster which is suitable for group 2 or 3 seats, so we will be trying that out as well once it's hometime for the correctly sized offspring.????Very impressed so far, although we've kind of failed the sat nav test and couldn't get it to navigate earlier, need to read that manual as well!

[RueDeWakening]

Oh and there's isofix points on all 5 rear seats in the one we have queue arguments about who's sitting where.

[RueDeWakening]

Leg room - spacious in middle row, fine in the back 2 as well - I could comfortably sit in the back row, there was plenty of room for adults to sit there, DH is 5'11" tall and his head wasn't brushing the roof, which often happens in a 5+2 type car. There was plenty of shoulder room for 2 adults to sit in the back, or 3 adults across the middle too.????Getting uncooperative 2 year old into his group 1 car seat (middle of the middle seats) was easier than it usually is in our Picasso, as there was more room to manoeuvre, also having sliding rear doors meant it was slightly less risky in car parks/on roads. Both other middle seats were unoccupied at the time though so it might be different once we've packed the other kids in - will have to report back!

[MummyBtothree]

Non-Tester Challenge Question - Is the car designed with the five back passengers in mind as being children? Could the car comfortably seat all adult passengers with adequate knee/leg room etc?

[mumsbe]

Can you fit all the stuff you need to take to nanas, like big pram or double buggy, travel cot, play mat, baby bath, suitcase, favourite toys 2 car seats and a bouncy chair.

[poopoopoo]

Does it have sliding doors? I love the sliding doors on my Chrysler, but would consider another people carrier if it had the same space and sliding doors.

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

Non tester:

Due to go on holiday soon with 2 DC (3 & 1) - please can you let me know if there is room in the boot (or elsewhere?!) for all the things we'll need including 2 large suitcases, a pram, nappies, 3 x hand luggage bags (rucksacks), snacks, toys....etc etc...

Thanks!

[RueDeWakening]

Yes. It's got sliding back doors, I'm in love with them already - there's a massive tree right outside our house which limits where we can park, but we parked with the rear door by the tree and all the kids could get out with no problems and the tree being there didn't matter. Very practical for us!

[RueDeWakening]

Butterfly with only two kids to fit in you could fold the rear seats into the floor and about triple the boot space - there'd be plenty of room for that list if you did.

[confusedofengland]

Tester here . We got our lovely car this morning and i am over the moon with it! Initial impressions are that it doesn't look very big on the outside, but inside there is plenty of space. We have a stage 1 car seat plus 2 high-backed boosters in the middle row & they fit nicely. In our Picasso they do fit but you can scrape your hand trying to do up the middle (hbb) belt if you don't get the right angle. Also you can't walk across the foot well, but you can in the Seat, meaning that no D.C. has to walk into the road to get in when parked on the road.

We love the sliding doors, makes parking in non- baby spaces easier.

It drives very smoothly & lightly, plus I love not having to worry about gears as we got an automatic model.

Plenty of storage pockets plus phone charging sockets & usb port, am going to try connecting my phone tomorrow so can use it hands free!

Still getting used to it, but those are my initial impressions

[flamingtoaster]

Non-tester: How easy is it to open the boot - could you do it one-handed if you had to? Is there a "lip" on the boot that you have to lift things over or can you slide things in and out flat?

[MangoDaiquiri]

Non-tester

Is there any space in the back for all the bits and bobs that kiddies need for long journeys ie side or seat-back pockets for books/toys/drinks bottles etc?

[RueDeWakening]

Toaster there's a button on the key fob that apparently opens the boot for you - haven't played with that yet, will put it on my list for later today, now I'm not likely to get drowned going outside!

[Sockattack]

Non tester.

I'd like to know whether it has storage boxes and what the manual says about child car seats esp in back row.

I'd like to know what seats are fitted in them too.

[confusedofengland]

Sock It has tables with cup holes in the back of the 2 front seats. The 2 back doors also have a pocket for a bottle or similar plus a longer pocket where they could have a few books, toys etc. Only downside for us is there's no storage for the child in middle seat of middle row, Ds1 aged 6, so he'll share with the others.

Took it out today with pushchair. With our Picasso the pushchair goes across the boot, with the Seat it goes in length ways which is nice (with back row down). Tons of room in boot. DH said he didn't have to move middle seats forward to put back seats down.

At the weekend we will take my parents for a drive to test all 7 seats together! We'll also try automatic parking when we're brave enough

One other thing I thought is good - the main Speedometer shows mph but kph is also shown on a little digital display, useful for driving abroad.

[GloGirl]

I'd like to know if the heat controls are separate for front and back? That always seems like something I'd like to have with children sweating in their car seats in the back and me freezing up front!

[AGnu]

It's got sliding doors? I really want a sliding-door car. I've got my eye on the 7-seater Yeti-type car that Skoda are developing atm but from the pics it doesn't look like it's going to have sliding doors. If they turn out to be a similar price bracket then this thread might have swayed me when it comes to which 7-seater to beg DH for! My parents had an Alhambra for about 10 years & it was great but didn't have sliding doors...

[ottothedog]

Just checking in - Seat tester

oh yes it has sliding doors! Not just that, but they are electric so you can operate them simply by pressing a button on the inside, or using the key fob, or using a button on the front console. (I think this is an optional feature you might need to pay extra for) If you feel traditional, you can use the handle, but you only need to pull on the handle and it does the rest for you. Save that muscle power! The boot is the same - press a button and it opens automatically, pull slightly and it closes itself. Very very easy to use. I can't tell you how long my daughter has spent sat in the car, opening and closing the doors :)

I really like the way this car drives. It is very big but it does everything for you, so easy even my kids could drive it (don't worry mumsnet - I don't let them). It's automatic and has an auto stop feature so all you need to do is press the accelerator. when you come to a stop, it applies the parking brake automatically and also the stop-start engine. Press the accelerator again and it unlocks the brakes, turns the engine back on and you move gently forward (a lot slower than I normally do, but I might not be pressing the accelerator hard enough, still getting used to it). It makes it all very stress free when driving a new car. I'd forgotten how much I love automatics, but this one seems better than the ones I used to have.

[ottothedog]

I've tried the radio controls. You can move the sound around using the touch screen so you can have it just over the kids, one side or the other, or the front only. Sadly, we can still hear the kids music choices a bit, even when it is on them only ;) I think I really want one of those taxi screens that separates you off entirely from the kids

[Wilhamenawonka]

Non tester here
Are you able to fit a buggy in without folding it first

[florencebabyjo]

How easy is it to flatten the back seats to load something long into and can you get a single mattress in?

[Sparkle65]

We used to have an Alhambra about 10 years ago, it felt a bit like driving a small bus (it was a diesel mind you). How does the new one feel to drive compared to other MPVs?