Faults:

On the first day the electronics in the interior went, when I switched on a light. Later to find a fuse had blown. Got a new one the next day.

Four months later my turbo became faulty. The car performed well until I reached 60 mph and was so slow after that. The warranty covered it.

A month after that there was a leak in the air vent on the ground letting in water. The warranty also covered it.

Seven months after that my turbo failed again. Oil was leaking in causing a huge puff of smoke from the exhaust when started. Three days out of warranty had to pay half the price.

General Comments:

Seat dealers were FANTASTIC gave me all the help I needed. All of the engine was checked for any more faults. New parts were put in place and was also serviced.

Great car to drive, 6 gears, superb power dilevery, such a breeze in taking over other cars, hardly have to even push in on the accelerator. So economical in and around town about 24-30 mpg. On the motorway 58-66 with the cruise control at a reasonable speed 60-70 mph.

Love the Satellite Navigation, DVD player, auto climate control, sun roof, 6 disc CD changer, front and back electric windows, electric door mirrors, cruise control. Great family car!!!

Faults:

Nothing so far. The windscreen wipers juddered at first, but I suspect the car may have stood for a little while or had just not been used recently in the rain. I cleaned them with some vinegar on kitchen paper and now they work fine.

General Comments:

I had been looking for some time to change my old 3 series which had started to give me problems, I guess it had just got to that age where things start to wear out.

I didn't want to splash out on another BMW, they are too expensive for what they are (in my opinion) so I started to look at mainstream euro cars. I ended up at my local Seat dealership and looked at both the Altea and Toledo.

The Altea was a great car, but the Toledo has a bigger boot and with two kids that made it a much more practical proposition. The seating position is quite high and upright which is great for me as I suffer from back troubles. The doors open very wide too, almost 90 degrees so access is very good.

The styling is a love or hate thing I suspect; Ilove the fact that it is so different from mondeo/vectra/3 series etc.

It's also very good to drive - the turbo diesel engine is plenty powerful enough especially at low revs so it's very flexible both around the back roads and if you need to overtake on larger roads or motorways. I don't need to drive everywhere at 90 mph!

The economy is very good - I'm averaging just over 50 mpg according to the on board computer.

That's another thing - the level of equipment as standard - trip computer, dual zone climate control, cruise control, auto dimming mirror, rds cd etc. etc.

I've read reports that the windscreen pillars obstruct the view - it's true that they are thick because they house the wipers vertically, but you just adapt to it - when pulling out of junctions, you have to just move your head a bit more. It's not really a problem, is it?

OK, maybe the quality of the trim material is not quite up to BMW standards, but if you bear in mind the difference in cost then it's an acceptable compromise - especially if you have children! Underneath, this is a VW so it has good breeding.

When I changed my insurance, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I would get a refund of over £125 for the balance of the policy (about 8 months) and also to learn that the car tax is lower.

So, do I miss my 2000/W BMW 318? Not a bit! People now let me out at junctions, I drive a well made car that's individually stylish, is great fun, economical and in everyday driving will not be embarrassed at the traffic lights grand prix.

Well done, Seat - I wish I had bought one years ago!