SEAT cars are renowned for their stylish good looks and for how well they drive. The brand offers a range of models from compact city cars to hatchbacks, estates, and SUVs.
My most recent test drive was in the Leon, available in hatchback or estate Sportstourer body styles. Both versions offer good value for money, making the model an affordable family car and the estate a very good alternative to a compact SUV.
Mine was the 5dr hatchback version, a good all-rounder that is fun to drive, spacious, and very well equipped with standard features.
The Leon and the Volkswagen Golf are closely related, sharing the same platform and many components, but the Leon is often described as the more youthful, sportier, and more affordable alternative.
Trims are FR, SE Plus, and SE. The FR trim is the sporty option for those buyers looking for enhanced performance and generous amounts of standard equipment. The styling features a prominent grille and triangular daytime-running lights, with sharp lines, distinctive creases along the sides, and a full-width LED rear light bar, which makes the rear seem wider. The FR trim adds further sporty touches, including some additional chrome, 18-inch machined alloy wheels in Cosmo Grey, and full LED headlights, along with FR badges on the exterior, while the Leon badge on the rear is now in handwritten script.
Leon is quite a low car, so tall people may have to duck their heads when getting in and out, even with the front passenger seat set as low as possible and fully back.
The well-thought-out interior features good-quality materials and excellent fit and finish. The FR trim adds red stitching and the letters FR on mats and on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a wireless phone charger (with two C-USBs close by and two more in the back). A sunroof stretches to the backs of the front seats, and you can pull down the blind. Sporty seats with black microsuede and red stitching are comfortable, and the cushions are nicely padded. Front seats have manual adjustments and can be heated.
The dash is dominated by a large 12.9-inch free-standing central screen and a recessed 10.25-inch digital cockpit where your current speed is shown on the bottom right of the screen. Colourful graphics in both cases look really well and are clear. Climate controls are on the base of the central screen, as are volume controls. The dual-clutch automatic transmission selector is located on the flat of the central console, which is my preference. Paddles on the steering wheel allow you to change up or down a gear when the selector lever is in the D/S position.
The rear offers good head and legroom but fits three adults at a squeeze. A high tunnel intrudes on the middle seat leg space; the middle seat back lowers as an armrest with two cupholders, and there’s a hatch through to the boot.
My car had a manually opened tailgate and a boot space of 270 litres, which is less than the 380 litres of the standard petrol or diesel versions due to accommodating the battery. This means there’s no room for a spare wheel.
Front and rear parking sensors, good blind spot monitors, and an excellent reversing camera are standard, while parking controls also let you see around your car.
Driving modes are Eco, Comfort, Performance, and Individual.
My car was the e-Hybrid PHEV powertrain version, which pairs a 1.5 turbocharged petrol engine with an 85kW electric motor, giving a claimed electric range of up to 133km (in the real world, maybe around 100km) and a total combined output of 204hp. Maximum torque is 350Nm and top speed 220km/h.
Acceleration from 0-100km/h is a very decent 7.7 seconds. My car returned around 5.4 L/100km fuel consumption, which is pretty efficient. Road tax is €140.
I found the Leon FR to be a perky performer, which handled well and proved plenty agile with a turning circle of 10 m. With its stiffer suspension than the other trims, the ride was a bit on the firm side over rural roads, much smoother on good motorway surfaces. Little wind or road noise filtered through to the cabin, and I had no problem with visibility front/side views. The SEAT Leon, including ICE and plug-in hybrid versions, achieved a maximum five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP.
The entry level is priced from €30,070-€43,855; Sportstourer 204hp e-hybrid FR from €45,555.
SEAT name all their cars after towns in Spain. Leon is a city in northwestern Spain.
