Original / SEAT test drives

Freetrack looks as if it has stepped off the pages of a cartoon. Its appearance is strange, almost alien, and evokes mixed feelings. It takes time to get used to it. Someday, in a Spanish school history lesson on national crossovers, the teacher will say: "The history of SEAT SUVs began in 2007 at the Geneva Motor Show, where the Freetrack concept based on the Altea minivan was shown." Students, seeing the photos, will surely open their mouths in surprise.

Showroom visitors also marveled, looking at the menacingly towering white Altea Freetrack. The car had enormous ground clearance and wheels like a giant SUV. It could be seen from afar. People approached, examined it, but did not understand the creators' intent. I think it was not so much the unreality of the idea's execution as the appearance. The elongated Altea XL stood too high (ground clearance – 31 cm), and the plastic body kit in body color only added height, making the car seem clumsy and tippy. It seemed that Freetrack would roll over in the first turn. As a result, the model reached production in a heavily modified form.

Here is what the adaptation result looks like. The ground clearance was not increased as much, and the body became two-tone – the buyer chooses only one color, the second goes to the plastic body kit by default. The wheel rims, by the way, have hardly shrunk, but the tires are now completely different. I won't say where from, but these are Pirelli P Zero Rosso. In general, the mood has changed radically. A crossover, you say?

Freetrack is not liked immediately or by everyone. At first, the lines, inflated rounded surfaces, and eyes of an incomprehensible creature repel. Modern design is usually different. But after a few days, having carefully examined the car, you begin to find harmony in the image.

And when you drive it properly and savor the character of the yellow alien, you can even become a fan of the "Seat" style. There is nothing wrong with that. There should be more original and high-quality cars. The latter undoubtedly includes the outrageous Spaniard. It is made to strict German standards but differs from its concern siblings by Spanish fervor. It does not manifest immediately. For example, if you look at the car in the showroom, you will never understand what it is really like.

Behind the wheel, gas to the floor, and the steering wheel – to the sides! I have long been familiar with the products of the Porsche concern and roughly imagined how Freetrack, assembled from unified Volkswagen parts, would behave. But it surprised me. It drove even better than I expected. The character of a car can often be determined by the steering wheel and gear lever. You place your palm on the wheel, stroke it, and begin to understand. You take the lever in your hand – the forecasts are confirmed. You start the engine, press the gas, release the clutch and... no, this time you were wrong.

But in the case of this "Seat", everything points to one thing – it is a surprisingly cohesive nature. The steering wheel, gear lever, pedal placement, seat with pronounced support, tenacious seating, ergonomics, engine sound – all this proves that Freetrack knows how to drive fast.

By the way, speaking of a cohesive nature, I missed the engine. And it is the heart of this organism. There is no need to elaborate; everyone knows it, but I cannot help saying it again. The 2.0 TFSI is an amazing power unit. People say that if there is no lag, then there is no turbo. Many have subscribed to this rule, but it has not become an axiom thanks to the turbo engine from VW. It has no lag at all, only an unshakable connection between the movement of the accelerator and the rise in revs. Oh yes, also very precise reactions. And a pleasant bonus in the form of a great sound and an unexpected amount of torque in the low-rev zone.

Therefore, when I got behind the wheel, the gas pedal understood that it would not be pampered. I did not have to spend long finding a common language with the "Seat" – I sat down and drove. Or, as they also say, as if I was born behind the wheel of this car. Two hundred? Please! Lateral G-forces – just as ordered. Rolls? We do not keep that. And so on in the same vein. Tenacious brakes, excellent stability on the arc, responsive steering. And from the outside, it seems that the driver of the "Freetrack" has gone mad – to "push" like that in a minivan! And it can do even more. In light of the above, I would like to emphasize that SEAT not only decorates its products with the advertising slogan Auto Emocion but also strictly follows it. Freetrack is the third car of the company that I have had the chance to drive (before that were Leon and Altea). All of them had filigree-tuned, spirited handling. Freetrack is also endowed with it. Have you ever seen a car of this type with the manners of a Golf GTI? No? Take another look at the photos.

But the "Seats" are still far from the perfectionism of German interiors. And Freetrack is no exception. Someone will surely appreciate the combination of dark coffee and black, but overall, without a color monitor, it all looks somewhat dreary. It would be nice to spice up the interior with a couple of striking yellow strokes – in tune with the body. But SEAT did otherwise. By the way, the materials could have been chosen more expensive, because wherever you knock – hollow sounds, no resilient surfaces. But nevertheless, the interior looks decent. At least, I was pleased to be in it.

Okay, we acknowledge Freetrack's merits on asphalt. Next will be more difficult tests. The car's name translates roughly as "track without restrictions". And if so, then the body kit and ground clearance, which has grown by 4 cm, will come in handy. Only the asphalt "Pirelli" tires... They are not for mud exercises. But there is no choice – we rush to the dirt road! We did not hang the car on wheels or sit it on its belly. The tests were of a "crossover" nature and included fun starts across fields and dirt roads. The road was slightly washed out, and in some places deep puddles had formed.

Let's imagine ourselves in the role of a crazy summer resident who wildly "floors it" forward – towards shashlik and beer. The suspension is a bit stiff, but the ground clearance is sufficient (185 mm). And all-wheel drive (plug-in on demand) even on slippery dirt allows you to feel at ease. You can race along the dirt road, but it is uncomfortable. The high angular stiffness of the suspension, which on asphalt eliminates rolls, forces you to drive slowly on semi-rough terrain. However, if the shashlik is getting cold and the beer is warming up, you can spur it on. The main thing is that the driver is alone in the car.

After the water-grass procedures, I had to stop at a car wash, where the worker diligently "knocked down" the vegetation abundantly hanging on the suspension arms. No, still better on asphalt. Or slowly, carefully along proven trails. Strange type, after all – the Spanish Freetrack. In its dissimilarity and contradictoriness, it reminded me of the Dodge Caliber SRT4 from the previous issue of the magazine. These cars have their own, different from others, view of familiar things. They are great originals. And, apparently, they are looking for the same owners. We can only wish them luck.