Seat Alhambra
Renault invented the people carrier in the mid 1980’s with the Espace. And it had it pretty much to itself for nearly a decade. But in the mid 1990’s Ford introduced the Galaxy, VW the Sharan, Citroen the Synergie, Peugeot the 806 and SEAT the Alhambra. Competition was suddenly becoming fierce.
So now, 6 years on, if you want to buy a second hand people carrier you’re faced with a pretty good selection of alternatives.
But for me the most tempting people carrier of the lot is the SEAT Alhambra. And here’s why.
VW own SEAT and Skoda and Audi (and a few more besides). So when they wanted to build a new people carrier they adopted a platform sharing approach. In simple terms this means that by sharing technology and components with other models they save money.
And this is what they did with the VW Sharan and the SEAT Alhambra. Under the skin these cars are virtually identical. They are the same length, width and height and they have the same engines and gearboxes.
The major difference is that the SEAT is cheaper than the VW and has more equipment as standard.
The Alhambra was introduced in 1996 a year after VW launched the Sharan. Customers could choose from either a 1.9 turbo diesel or 2.0 litre petrol engines. Both units are strong and capable of handling high mileages and hard work.
The 90 bhp diesel is economical if a little sedate, the 2.0 litre petrol is smoother and livelier, but the best buy is the more powerful 110bhp Turbo diesel. The extra power transforms the car and also endows it with great towing ability.
From day one all Alhambra’s had air conditioning as standard, a costly option on the VW but highly desirable if you’re taking a car full of kids to the coast on a hot summers day.
You will find driving the Alhambra is easy, visibility is great and the power assisted steering light. The driver’s seat and steering wheel can both be adjusted for height and the cars short rear over hang and deep front screen make it surprisingly easy to park.
All models are fitted with the essential central locking and twin airbags and the useful roof rails also make the fitment of a top box a great way of boosting luggage space if needed.
Fuel economy is more saloon car like than you may expect, and will put most 4x4’s to shame. Expect close to 30mpg for the 2.0 litre petrol and nearly 40mpg from the turbo diesels.
In July 2000 the Alhambra had a minor facelift. The indicator lenses became clear and the rear light cluster became bigger. SEAT also introduced the VR6 2.8 with over 200bhp making it one of the most powerful people carriers money can buy.
The Turbo diesel also had an increase in power to 115bhp and 6-speed manual gearboxes became standard on all models.
Six years after its launch the SEAT Alhambra has proven itself to be every bit as durable as its more expensive sister the VW Sharan. So my recommendation is put aside any badge snobbery and buy the second hand SEAT.
A look through the classifieds should turn up a few cars for sale privately but it’s also worth visiting the SEAT website (www.seat.co.uk) for a list of SEAT approved used cars. Buying from a SEAT franchised dealer will have the benefit of authenticated mileage and service history and a comprehensive 12 month warranty.
Check the following
Bumpers – colour coded look s nice but scuffs will show. Allow £120 to re-spray a bumper
7 seats – some models only have 5 seats, additional seats are expensive to buy
Stereo – make sure you get security code
Boot – all cars come with a folding luggage compartment cover to stop prying eyes
Alarm and immobilizer is standard on all cars
Exhaust – look for excessive smoke under acceleration on turbo engines, turbo may be on the way out
Engine – After Jan 1998 diesel came with either 90bhp or 110bhp check the registration document to verify which one you’re buying
Alloy wheels standard on all SE models
Brakes – ABS standard from July 98, optional before that (check in engine bay for ABS unit)
Facelift models have 6 speed manual gearboxes as standard
Check service book sand telephone servicing dealer to verify mileage
7 seater models are worth a £1,000 more than 5 seater models
The one to buy
SEAT Alhambra 1.9 Turbo Diesel (110 BHP)
1998 ‘S’ (ABS was standard)
50,000 miles
© Jason Dawe Productions Limited November 2002