Seat Altea's alter ego

Seat's original Altea wasn't just a mid-sized MPV. Rather, it was described as an MSV - a Multi Sport Vehicle. And if that wasn't niche enough, the Spanish manufacturer has now announced the launch of the Altea XL.

It's an Altea - just a bit bigger.

The overall length has been increased by 19cm, raising boot capacity from 409 to 532 litres. This rises to an impressive 1,604 litres with the rear seats down.

Apart from the subtle stretching, the XL ticks all the same boxes as the Altea. It achieves the same five-star NCAP passenger protection rating, and all models come with six airbags.

There's also a generous level of trim, with air-conditioning and an MP3 CD player as standard.

The engines offered at launch will look familiar to Seat enthusiasts too, with 1.9-litre and 2.0-litre turbodiesels alongside a 1.6-litre petrol block.

However, Seat says the XL will soon be available with a 158bhp, 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine, as well as a more powerful 2.0-litre turbodiesel.

The Altea hits the road in January. With prices starting at £12,995 for the base model, it looks to be about £500 more expensive than its equivalent slimline cousin.

© Source: original article on topgear