Q1. What was your overall impression of the car?
It's a lovely car, very roomy but drives like car not a van iyswim. Handles really well (compared to our current car at any rate!), goes quick when you want it to. The children were very excited by it, and are great fans of the integral child seat that we had, and of the sliding doors. Although they did struggle to shut the sliding doors themselves, they were very heavy. The stop start engine took a bit of getting used to, as did the handbrake, and 6th gear, but it was a quick adjustment.
Q2. What did you use the car for? Did you feel like the SEAT Alhambra was up to the task?
We used the car for everything! School runs, driving to work/playgroup, supermarket shops, longer drives at the weekend. The Alhambra was definitely up to the task - we were getting about 20 mpg on school runs in S London (av speed 6 mph!) by the way, I know that question was asked a few times and I don't think ever got answered.
Q3. What was your and your DCs favourite aspect of the car?
I loved how easy it was to get kids in and out, the sliding doors helped massively with that, as did the roomy interior - I could easily climb in to get a wriggly toddler into the middle of the middle row seats, and didn't feel at risk or as if I was blocking the pavement leaving a big door open. Also the boot was fabulous - we could fit a full weekly shop (5 bags for life plus nappies and a few other bits) into the boot with all 7 seats up, and with the back seats down we could have fit the entire contents of our house in there I think :o
Also, I loved the seat belt indicator on the dash, it was useful to be able to see which child hadn't done their seat belt up before we started driving. And saved the "everyone ready?" conversation that usually happens.
The children liked being able to sit in the very back seats, the individual heating controls, the blinds on the middle row windows, the cubby holes and storage places for stashing all their bits and pieces in, the sliding doors, and most of all the integrated booster seat. Basically everything!
Q4. How well suited do you think the SEAT Alhambra is to catering for a hectic family lifestyle?
I think it's really good - it's very flexible in terms of boot space vs seats, although I think you'd struggle to fit in stuff for a weekend away when all 7 seats were in use. Assuming your kids have their own booster seats, having the integrated one means you can offer lifts at the last minute without worrying about car seats. And for DH, the integrated booster meant that when he offered 5 people lifts home from an evening out, he didn't have to mess around putting car seats in the boot (which is what normally happens in our own car).
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?
Yes, I totally would. In fact I already have. And it's leapt into first position on our own shortlist, as we're replacing our car (ancient Citroen Picasso) in the next few months. I think though that we'd be seriously tempted by the automatic version, and the sliding doors with the assisted closing mechanism that one of the other testers mentioned.
Thank you so much for letting us test the car, we've loved it.