Key facts:
Model tested: SEAT Altea 2.0 TDI, Altea XL SE
Price: £18,330, £19,030
Date tested: November 2010
Road tester: Martyn Collins


SEAT has added a new common-rail version of the 140bhp, 2.0 TDI diesel to the engine line-up for Altea and Altea XL SE models.

Available with a choice of five-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmissions, this new engine replaces the previous 140bhp Pumpe Duse (PD)  version.

If might have the same output as the outgoing engine, but this is where the similarities end. Emissions for the manual version drop from 147g/km to 125g/km of CO2 (124g/km for the DSG) and average fuel economy is up from 50.4 to 58.9mpg.

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We drove manual and seven-speed DSG versions of this new engine in both the Altea and Altea XL versions at the launch in Barcelona. Those expecting a massive change over the outgoing PD engine will be disappointed. The only differences we noticed was that this engine felt noticeably smoother through the gears and quieter at idle.

It's no sports car, but considering the fact that the Altea isn't the newest MPV on the block we found both versions with the two transmissions were an engaging drive on the Spanish test route.

Prices start at £18,330 for the Altea 2.0 TDI SE.