New in this area, and signalling a fascinating turn in Seat’s design philosophy, Altea is really a development of a show car first seen a few years ago.

Altea includes a pleasing, boldly curvaceous body shell which supplies plenty of space, and possesses the expected battery of safety goodies.

The actual surprise comes once the car is pointed right into a set of curves; despite its height the vehicle has a low centre of gravity, which means a hugely enjoyable driving experience.

The entry-level 102PS petrol engine is very reasonable, however the best fun comes once the FSI 2.0 litre unit is specified; this is actually the same engine utilized by Audi, amongst others, and it is lively and sharp. The 105PS diesel can also be worthy of consideration, because of its excellent torque characteristics.