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All new SEAT Leon – first company car review

Company car buyers really need to take notice of the new SEAT.
Mechanically, it’s just like an Audi A3 or a Golf – but for less money. Fast, economical, and a great new look.
Car review: DAVID WILKINS<br
607_SEAT_Leon_Header_Shot

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8 November 2012

The new Leon looks great, and shares it’s architecture with the new Audi A3 and VW Golf.

 

SEAT Leon FR 2.0 TDI

SEAT car review by DAVID WILKINS

What is it?

Hot on the heels of the latest versions of the Audi A3 and VW Golf, the new SEAT Leon is the third car based on the Volkswagen group’s new modular MQB body architecture.

But where the A3 and the Golf hide their advanced innards beneath conservative same-again styling, the Leon gets a fresh, crisp new look that must count as one of the most attractive SEAT designs so far.

  • Engines and technology are shared with Audi A3 and Golf, but company car drivers can get a Leon for under £16k

The Leon’s engines and much of its technology are shared with the Audi and the Volkswagen, but the SEAT has a lower entry-price – a highly competitive £15,670 on the road – and gets a few nifty details that aren’t shared with its sister cars, such as the very striking optional LED-only headlamps.

SEAT Leon
Bigger inside than the old Leon, and even the base S model is well equipped – aircon, Bluetooth, touch screen….

There’s plenty to attract the taxation-conscious company car buyer looking for a bit of affordable style, with a 99g/km, 74.3 mpg 1.6 diesel, an entry-level 1.2 TSI turbocharged petrol giving 114g/km and 57.6 mpg, and the car featured here, the powerful but economical 184 PS £22,375 high-performance FR diesel that tops the range.

SEAT Leon
It’s lighter and bigger insider than the old car, and the 1.6 diesel ducks under the 100g/km CO2 company car tax threshold

The new Leon is already hitting the roads in some European countries but arrives in the UK in March 2013 in time for the next registration change. Order books are open now. The first cars are all five-door hatchbacks but SEAT is hoping to put on a lot of sales with a planned three-door SC coupé model and a five-door ST estate.

What’s hot?

  • The weight-saving group MQB architecture means this Leon is about 90 kg lighter – roughly the equivalent of one large or two small passengers.
  • Thanks to a stretched wheelbase, the new car is also bigger inside, although the body is shorter overall; luggage space increases by 40 litres to 380 litres
  • Petrol options – they’re all turbocharged TSI power units – include a 105 PS 1.2 (114g/km, 57.6 mpg), a 140 PS 1.4 (119g/km, 54.3 mpg) and a 180 PS 1.8 (138g/km, 47.1 mpg).
  • Diesels include a 105 PS 1.6 (99g/km, 74.3 mpg) and 2.0 delivering either 150 (106g/km, 68.9 mpg) or 184 PS (112g/km, 65.7 mpg)
  • Self-shifting DSG auto gearboxes are available with most engines
    SEAT Leon
    The FR gets to 62mph in a sizzling 7.5 secs and still manages to return over 65mpg.
  • Equipment levels are fairly generous – the base S model gets aircon, heated mirrors, Bluetooth, a colour touch-screen infotainment set-up with CD player, and important safety features such as stability control, emergency brake assist, tyre pressure monitoring and a full complement of airbags – including a driver’s knee airbag.
  • The mid-range SE adds 16-inch alloys, front fogs, cruise control, rear electric windows, leather steering wheel and gear knob, and the XDS electronic differential lock system
  • The sporty top-of the range FR also gets 17-inch alloys, LED rear lamps, dual-zone climate control, parking sensors, sports seats and SEAT drive profile – that allows drivers to set the car up for sporty, eco or normal driving, or to tweak individual aspects of the cars according to preference.
  • On the road, the range-topping 184 PS FR diesel impresses not only with its power and torque, but also its character – SEAT has managed to give it an unusually sporty engine note that makes it sound more like a performance petrol such as the Golf GTI
  • Most of the Leon engine options offer impressive performance/economy trade-offs, with the most powerful FR delivering 112g/km and 65.7 mpg at the same time as turning in a 0-62 mph time of 7.5 seconds
  • As in the case of the A3 and Golf, the lower weight and improved chassis possibilities offered by the MQB platform make for much more agile handling than before
  • The cabin of the new SEAT Leon is also a step up from that of the old car – materials have been improved and SEAT has used an unusual trapezoidal motif to make details such as the interior door handles look a lot more interesting. The FR model’s front sport seats are comfortable and offer plenty of shape – as well as a lot of side support for fast cornering.
SEAT Leon
There really isn’t much not to like – the biggest obstacle for business car buyers could just be the lack of swagger factor

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Matt Morton

Matt Morton

Matt Morton is an automotive content writer for Business Car Manager

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