From Towcar Awards 2008

List price: £19,995 (when tested)
Kerbweight: 1643kg
85% Match: 1397kg
Max towing weight: 1400kg
Towball limit: 75kg

IT’S A BIT OF A HYBRID, the Altea Freetrack. Part MPV, part 4×4, the Seat is more than the sum of its parts.

It sits lower to the road than most conventional 4x4s, which, together with firm suspension, delivers good stability. At 60mph the Freetrack proved steady and stable, and the lane-change test held no fear. The caravan recorded high G-forces but the Seat remained stubbornly on course. It was notably more secure than the Altea XL from the weight class below.

Surprise

The Freetrack’s acceleration was another surprise. The Volkswagen Group 2.0-litre diesel fitted to this model has been tweaked for more power and torque, which gave an impressive 30-60mph time of just 12.6 seconds. Powerful brakes stopped the outfit from 30mph in just 11.28 metres.

Most 4x4s performed well on the hill-start, and the Freetrack was no exception. However, the handbrake needed a firm pull before it would hold.

The boot swallowed most, but not all, of our holiday luggage, although points were lost for the difficult-to-access spare wheel and the rather high towball.

We say

Towing: 4/5
Solo: 4/5
Practicality: 3/5
Buying & owning: 4/5
Verdict: 4/5

An unconventional but effective towcar.

Braking 30-0mph 11.28m