Seat Altea Freetrack (2007): first official pictures

Seat Altea Freetrack: the lowdown

Seat has given the Altea some wellington boots to join the burgeoning ranks of wannabe soft-roader 4x4s. First seen in concept guise at the Geneva Motor Show back in March, the Altea Freetrack is Seat's first-ever attempt at an off-roader. However, an extra 40mm of ground clearance, some chunky tyres and aesthetically challenging grey cladding don’t necessarily mean that the Freetrack is going to beat a Defender to the top of the hill.
So it’s no hardcore off-roader. What’s it got going for it?

The Freetrack is fitted with the Haldex 4wd system, which is commonly found on VW group four-wheel-drivers, shunting torque evenly between the four corners of the cars games. Seat has also thought of the school-run crowd and included a fold-out picnic table in the boot, along with a multi-media system, sliding rear seat base and a huge, 593-litre boot. Punters have the option of just two engines: a 197bhp petrol, which will hit 62mph in 7.5 seconds and return 30mpg, and a 168bhp diesel alternative which will slug its way to 62mph in 8.7 seconds and deliver a much more wallet-friendly 41.5mpg. Unusually, Seat is offering only one trim level with the Freetrack.