SEAT Altea I TECH announced

The SEAT Altea and SEAT Altea XL are now available in an all-new I TECH specification, which costs the same as the out-going Copa SE model but adds loads of extra standard equipment.

I TECH specification gets 16-inch alloy wheels, front parking sensors, and forward-sliding rear seats for added versatility. Also added to the kit list is a TFT colour screen for rear-seat passengers, which should prove popular for parents looking to keep their children entertained on long journeys.

Equipment carried over from the SEAT Altea Copa SE model includes dark-tinted rear windows, roof rails, separate climate control settings for the driver and passenger, automatic wipers and headlights, rear parking sensors, sat-nav, Bluetooth connectivity, under-floor storage in the boot, plus over-head storage in the cabin.

The SEAT Altea is an excellent family car that features numerous cubby holes and a 409-litre boot. This is even more impressive in the larger SEAT Altea XL, which boasts a decent 532-litres with all five seats in place.

Engine options include the 1.6-litre Ecomotive diesel, which is available with a manual or automatic gearbox and returns 63mpg and emits just 119g/km of CO2. The faster 2.0-litre diesel manages 58mpg and 129g/km – offering decent economy and impressive performance.

Although interior quality can’t quite match the Volkswagen Touran, with which the SEAT shares many of its parts, the SEAT undercuts the VW on price. Like-for-like, the Altea is around £1,000 cheaper than an equivalent Touran.

With a five-star Euro NCAP rating, the Altea and Altea XL should also prove safe family transport. However, the manufacturer did not score well in our 2013 Driver Power survey, finishing 27th out of 32 manufacturers – leaving questions about the car's reliability.

SEAT Altea I TECH prices range from £19,345, for the Altea 1.6-litre Ecomotive, and rise to £20,865 for the 2.0-litre Altea XL.

For the full SEAT range, visit the CarBuyer SEAT reviews page.