Your Altea: Does it fit?

AntneeUK

2 Wheels 2 Many
Mar 8, 2009
1,491
0
Nottinghamshire
A few months back my wife had an Altea as a courtesy car from our local dealer, and today I've got one while my Leon is in for service. I'm 5'11" and she's 5'6" and we both have the same complaints, and I'm wondering whether it's just us, or are the Altea's ergonomics a bit weird?

Basically, I'm sat in the car, but have a hell of a reach to the gear stick, yet my feet are comfortable on the pedals. I then have to practically reach behind me for the controls behind the hand-brake. I also can't see the stalks to see what does what because the wheel obstructs my vision. Despite the height difference, the wife has exactly the same complaint.

So, I wondered whether anyone actually fits the Altea, or is it just something that you get used to? The wife was gutted because she really liked them and was thinking about replacing her Leon with one, until she drove it and hated it. I don't hate it, but my Leon is a Cupra R so a bog standard (1.6 I think) Altea was never going to get me excited :D

I must admit though, it's a very comfortable, if somewhat vague ride, and I was loving the cruise control while I was stuck in the 50mph zone on the M1:D
 

Hampton Caught

No It's These Trousers
Dec 8, 2009
35
0
Near Hampton Court
Hi, I can only go by my expereince with my Freetrack but everything is adjustable - the front (and rear!) seats slide forwards/ backwards as you'd expect. There's a small lever on the underside of the steering column which allows the column to move up, down forwards and back - just remember to push the lever back into it's starting position to avoid it wobbling around as you drive! :rolleyes:

The front seats adjust for height too using a lever on the outside of the seat (i.e. between the seat and the door). Push the lever down to lower the seat, pull up to raise it. Keep pumping whichever way you want and you should find there's plenty of adjustment. I'm 6', my wife's 5'4" and we adjust the height when changing over. If we've got it right, we don't need to adjust the mirrors as the seat moves backwards as it lowers/ forwards as it rises.

Have a look in the handbook (Gulp! :shrug:) for assistance.... that is if you're courtesy car has those adjustments.... or the handbook!

Hope this helps, Steve
 

AntneeUK

2 Wheels 2 Many
Mar 8, 2009
1,491
0
Nottinghamshire
Cheers Steve. Yeah, it's a little less adjustable than my Leon (mine has the Recaro seats that have pretty much every adjustment known to man) but with the seat in a good position for the steering wheel, pedals and visibility (barring that massive blind spot by the A pillar!) the gear stick still feels too far away and the other controls (TCS etc) feel like they're behind me.

Maybe I'm just too used to the Leon, the Mrs too (she's had hers since 2005 and I've only had mine for 10 months)
 

Hampton Caught

No It's These Trousers
Dec 8, 2009
35
0
Near Hampton Court
Hi Antnee,

I wonder whether you're used to the laid-back driving style of the Leon rather than the sit up and beg stylie in the Altea?

I appreciate the difference having had a beautiful MG ZT-T (until November) with a lovely, relaxed 'legs straight ahead' driving position. But then, I'd been used to the more upright position in my Discovery before that. The Altea is definitely more Discovery than Rover 75!

Hmmm! Now wondering what it would be like trying to find a 'sporty' driving position in the Freetrack. Come to think of it, I might not be able to see over the dashboard! :confused:

You're right about the A pillars. Difficult to see through even with the window. Still, I'd rather have the passenger safety cell and airbags to look past than have stick-like A pillars from a Mini (the proper one) or Minor!

Hope you find a comfortable position in the Altea before it goes back!

Cheers, Steve
 

AntneeUK

2 Wheels 2 Many
Mar 8, 2009
1,491
0
Nottinghamshire
It's already gone back Steve :lol:

Regarding the A-pillars, as a biker I'd much rather that people who are likely to pull out in front of me don't have a massive blind spot in the worse possible position, but since bikers make up less than 10% of the traffic on the road the focus will always be on pedestrians, passengers and other car users, and never bikes. Oh well :D

On the plus side I guess, I went in to driving the Altea completely against it. I don't think it's a good looking car, it doesn't seem to have much more space than the Leon (despite the obvious size difference) and it's just uncomfortable and too vague for my liking, BUT, I came out not hating it. I still wouldn't buy one, but I have a bit more of an understanding of why others do, so I guess something good came out of it :D (no offence intended to Altea owners)
 

pdh 14a

Mr Fussy
Jan 21, 2008
836
0
Swansea
Yep you need to sit in an altea like a van! I struggle between 3 cars! i fall into my 200sx and the wifes mazda 2 you feel like your sat on it not in it! :(

I find with the altea if you get comfy straight away,your comfy for hours,but some days i just don't enjoy the journey! :(
 

Chris_in_London

Guest
Freetrack seating

I bought my Freetrack second hand as it was cheap £13K for a 6month old with 6000 miles and it is comfortable to drive bearing in mind that I'm 6ft 7in and my wife is 5ft 7in and she has no problems getting comfortable behind the wheel. I've had the car for 12 months now and have added 22,000 miles
 

ALTEA DUDE

2.0 TDi Sport
Sep 14, 2005
127
0
Have never owned a car that I'm so comfortable in or that everything falls to hand as well as my Altea. I'm 6ft1 so maybe its good for tall folk? Still cant find anything I like as much so into my 5th year with it now; and its flown through every MOT as well - bonus! :D
 
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