The Spanish brand has just achieved its best September results to date, with 6,851 new cars registered – that’s up by 12.04 pc compared with the same month last year – to take a 1.63 pc share of the UK market during the month. That’s not all.  With registrations year-to-date at 28,116 units, SEAT is set to hit the 35,000 mark by the year’s end – another record for the brand in the UK.

SEAT’s sales have leapt forwards by 6.97 pc year-to-date, compared with the same eight months last year, in a stable market that has grown just 2.0 pc.

Peter Wyhinny, Director of SEAT UK, said, ‘This brilliant result smashes yet another sales record for SEAT in the UK.  It seems that the SEAT formula of producing sporty, stylish cars that offer fantastic overall value for money is really clicking with British buyers.

SEAT, whose brand values are ‘Sporty, Design-driven and Lively’, has an increasing number of market segments covered with its model range: Ibiza, Leon, Altea, Altea XL, Toledo, Alhambra. The arrival of the Altea Freetrack 4 consolidates their positioning.

Cautiously, Seat say they anticipate selling 700 Freetrack 4 models next year but quickly add that they could ramp up this number fairly quickly if demand takes off.

A slightly longer version of the standard Altea, about 20cms more, it is still a five- seater only but with a longer boot and standard pack includes rear roof mounted DVD screen and console controlled in-car entertainment system to keep kids happy on journeys. They can plug-in and play a variety of gaming systems with standard connections beside a 12v power supply.

Traditionally, Seat has seen 30pc of all its sales go to fleet buyers who appreciate low running costs but with the Freetrack 4 the company believes it will raise this percentage for the particular model to 50pc among firms who still want efficiency with effective all-weather capability.

A look at the typical buyer profile for Seat’s sportier models shows them to be around 30 years with an active lifestyle and loyalty to the brand. The practicality of the Altea Freetrack 4 is building on that profile.

Up front the driver gets to play with a choice of 170PS 1968cc diesel or 200PS 1984cc petrol engines, both with six-speed boxes but different ratios. Suspension, brakes and steering are all modified from the Altea, but there is no automatic option. Diesels go from £21,400 while petrol versions begin at £20,500.

Normally running in front wheel drive, the Freetrack 4 electronics detect when all-wheel-drive is needed and engages seamlessly, making it ideal for the less experienced bad weather driver, while giving added traction and safety benefits.

I tested petrol and diesel versions and found the traction system worked very well.

As a potential off roader it was also disappointing to find that a metal sump-guard is a £180 extra instead of the plastic sump shield which is not up to even mild off road use. Standard road tyres are fine for most conditions but their thin sidewalls mean they are also liable to punctures off road, as a colleague discovered on a flinty track we used to assess ability.

Generally, the Altea Freetrack 4 coped well with modest ruts and steep gradients but the diesel struggled to be flexible low down and it tended to go faster than I would like down steep unmade tracks, although it could be slowed without a problem on the brakes.

The gearing is so obviously chosen for on-road economy because both versions are composed on main and motorway roads and the petrol returned 23.1mpg with the diesel stretching to 34.8mpg.

Seats and comfort were good, the steering and brakes adequate but you do notice a slightly firmer ride in the diesel.

For me, the cheaper petrol FSI model was better. Smarter low down response, quieter running and lively nature are particularly suited to the Altea Freetrack 4.

Seat is considering an automatic version, now the fastest growing sub-sector in SUVs, but will not introduce Europe’s Freetrack with front wheel drive only.