SEAT Alhambra (2010 – 2020) Review

The SEAT Alhambra was in production from 2010 until 2020, during which time it cemented a reputation for being one of the best seven-seat MPVs you can buy. It shares much in common with the Volkswagen Sharan, but a more affordable price and arguably nicer styling give the Alhambra an edge over its German sibling. Today, although you can’t buy a new SEAT Alhambra, there are plenty to choose from on the used car market. Take a closer look – this could make more sense than the seven-seat SUV you were considering.

The SEAT Alhambra is one of the best seven-seat MPVs you can buy. But that’s not enough in 2020. Today’s families prefer the chunky looks, low running costs and high driving position offered by the glut of crossovers and SUVs.

But what if we told you that the SEAT Alhambra is just as cheap to run, offered the same commanding driving position and is infinitely more practical than the majority of SUVs on sale today? Would you be prepared to look beyond the slightly drab styling?

Make no mistake, the SEAT Alhambra is an excellent family car. It shares its platform, running gear and sombre styling with the Volkswagen Sharan and is one of a decreasing number of seven-seat MPVs on sale today. Indeed, the Alhambra was axed from the SEAT range in 2020, with the company hoping you’ll buy the stylish yet less practical Tarraco SUV.

The major difference between the Alhambra and the Tarraco – aside from the styling – lies in the back. While the Tarraco is an excellent ‘5+2’ SUV, the Alhambra is a genuine seven-seater. Not five seats and a couple of cheap seats in the back. Seven seats that are suitable for adults.

It’s even practical with all seven seats in use. There’s enough boot space to rival a small supermini, and the passengers in the third row aren’t pressed against the tailgate. Fold away the rear seats and you’ve got an estate car-conquering 658 litres of luggage space, which extends to 2,297 litres if you convert your Alhambra into a two-seater.

The sliding rear doors, which are electric on all except the base model, provide excellent access to the back. Predictably, there are plenty of storage boxes and pockets throughout the cabin, including hidden boxes below the floor. There are even a pair of cupholders, a storage compartment, air vents and roof-mounted lights in the third row.

So far, so good. You might be wondering if the SEAT Alhambra has any vices. It does, but not as many as you might think. Because it dates back to 2010, the Alhambra doesn’t boast the suite of driver assistance systems and connectivity tech that we take for granted in 2020. The infotainment system is a generation or two behind other units.

As an ownership prospect, it’s not the last word in excitement. Practicality, flexibility and ease of use are the Alhambra’s greatest strengths. That said, because it’s based on a car platform and not a commercial vehicle, it’s actually pretty decent to drive. Exciting, no. Decent, yes.

All models are well-equipped, but we’d recommend one with electric sliding doors. We’d also suggest opting for the 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, especially if you intend to travel ‘seven-up’ on a regular basis. If you can stretch to a facelift model, introduced in October 2015, even better. You’ll enjoy an improved cabin, enhanced safety equipment, an updated infotainment system and better fuel economy.

You might want to own a SEAT Alhambra, but if you’re a new parent and fancy a car that will see your children through to university, this might be one of the shrewdest purchases you could make.

Looking for a second opinon? Read heycar's SEAT Alhambra review.

It might not look glamorous, but you’ll have the last laugh when your neighbour with an SUV is struggling to crowbar seven people and their luggage into a car when you’ve already left and are on your way to your destination.

There’s a lot to like about the SEAT Alhambra, from the sliding rear doors, which are electric on some versions. Once you’ve owned a car with sliding doors, you’ll wonder how you coped without them.

You even get seven seats that are suitable for adults, not five decent seats and a couple in the back that are best reserved for a pair of dwarf monkeys. Crucially, you even get luggage space comparable to a supermini with all seven seats in use. In five-seat mode, the Alhambra can give a large estate car a run for its money.

Avoid the entry-level model, which feels a little like the kind of vehicle you’d collect from an airport rental desk, and the SEAT Alhambra feels like a quality product. Not bad when you consider that it dates back to 2010, although the fact that it’s essentially a German MPV with a light Spanish makeover certainly helps.

Sure, it’s not a haven of soft-touch materials and plush surfaces, but it’s built to survive years of family life. From Happy Meals on the way back from the coast, to six tired young footballers on their way back from another drubbing, the cabin feels robust and ready for anything.

Although practicality doesn’t date, the same can’t be said about the infotainment system. Although the 6.5-inch colour touchscreen media system is perfectly adequate, it’s a tad small by today’s standards. It also lacks the wow-factor delivered by the new Volkswagen Golf Mk8.

Things certainly improved in 2016, when SEAT ditched a media system that was woefully dated. Later models get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to please your children, while you might appreciate the CD player. Time to find those Now That’s What I Call Music compact discs gathering dust in the attic?

The SEAT Alhambra was an expensive car when it bowed out in 2020, with prices ranging from £30,500 to £38,500, depending on the trim.

For now at least, it’s still possible to buy a new Volkswagen Sharan. The entry-level Sharan SE Nav costs £33,305, but you’ll pay £40,805 for the flagship SEL with a 177PS 2.0-litre TDI engine and a six-speed DSG automatic transmission. If nothing else, this highlights the price advantage of the SEAT Alhambra.

When it was new, we recommended the mid-range SEL trim, as this added electric sliding rear doors and a rear-view camera to an already impressive list of standard features. We stand by this recommendation when buying used. Avoid the entry-level SE and you’ll have everything you need for a stress-free family life. Well, not everything, but at least the car won’t add to your list of worries.

Used prices start from around £5000, but prices at the bottom end of the market are all over the place. Much depends on the mileage and spec, but look out for cars with a history of rental or private hire use. Although the cabin is good at withstanding abuse, the interior trim might be looking a little worse for wear.

You’ll have to double the budget to £10,000 to get your hands on a post-facelift car introduced in 2016. The newest examples cost between £27,000 and £30,000. Many of these cars are unregistered and backed by a three-year manufacturer warranty.

Remember, the only new seven-seat SEAT you can buy is the Tarraco, which shares a platform with the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Kodiaq. It’s a great SUV, but it cannot match the Alhambra for practicality. It’s also more expensive, with prices starting from £29,155.

The 1.4-litre TSI petrol should deliver between 34mpg and 36.2mpg on a combined cycle, but you’re likely to see something closer to 30mpg in the real world.

Opt for the 150PS 2.0-litre TDI diesel and you’ll see 41.5mpg to 44.1mpg on a combined cycle, dropping to 39.2mpg to 41.5mpg with the DSG transmission. You could see 38.7mpg to 40.4mpg in an Alhambra with the 177PS version of the 2.0-litre diesel engine.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) costs £150 a year for cars registered from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2020, but this could rise to as much as £285 for cars registered on or before 31 March 2017. If you opt for a post-facelift car, you should pay less tax.

With insurance groups ranging from 20 to 22, the Alhambra should be cheaper to insure than a SEAT Tarraco. Own an MPV and there’s an assumption that you'll be a kind and considerate driver.

While some MPVs of this ilk are based on a commercial vehicle platform, the SEAT Alhambra uses the underpinnings of a car. This means that it’s not as unpleasant to drive as you might think. It actually shames some modern SUVs.

If anything, we’d criticise the Alhambra for being a little on the firm side, with a tendency to crash over potholes and rough surfaces. It’s even worse in cars with ‘sport’ suspension. These cars handle better, so you’ll have to decide what you want from your Alhambra.

It feels very good on motorways, where the Alhambra’s aerodynamics help to keep wind noise in check. Only the sound of the diesel engine upsets the apple cart, but you can avoid this by choosing the 1.4-litre petrol engine.

Although most buyers choose the 2.0-litre TDI engine, the 1.4-litre TSI unit makes sense if you spend most of your time in the city. It’s a surprisingly perky engine, although it can run out of steam if you’re travelling with a full load.

Of the two diesel engines, we’d recommend the 177PS unit. Although the 150PS engine delivers an adequate amount of power and torque, the more powerful version is more flexible and only marginally less economical. It’s also better at masking the DSG transmission’s deficiencies, which include hesitancy at low speeds and a reluctance to change down when required.

It’s worth noting that all diesel versions from the 2016 model-year require AdBlue to meet Euro 6 emissions standards. The cost of refilling the tank isn’t too expensive, and you’ll appreciate the 15 percent improvement in fuel efficiency.

The SEAT Alhambra was awarded a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was crash-tested in 2010, but this was downgraded to a four-star rating when the car was tested again in 2019. The later cars are no less safe, it’s just the Euro NCAP test is more stringent.

There are three Isofix points across the middle row, while the passenger seat airbag can be deactivated if required. Blind-spot recognition was added as part of the 2016 facelift, but the Alhambra lacks the driver assistance systems we take for granted in 2020.

With all that space on offer, you might not need to tow a trailer in a SEAT Alhambra. But if you intend to tow a caravan, boat or horsebox, the 2.0-litre diesel is the car for you. It offers a maximum braked towing weight of up to 2,400kg, or an unbraked capacity of 750kg. A folding tow bar is available from SEAT for a little over £700.

The mid-range SEAT Alhambra SE L is our choice for growing families. Over the course of a three- or four-year finance deal, you’ll be glad you bought a model with electric sliding rear doors, an electric tailgate, a rear-view camera, heated front seats, DAB digital radio and 12-way electrically adjustable leather seats.

Don’t rule out the Xcellence model, which adds an electric panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and go and more comfortable seats to the mix. Just be aware that the ‘sport’ suspension could be a little too firm for some tastes.