New SEAT Leon In-Depth Review - The Best Family Car of 2020?

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This fourth generation SEAT Leon is a Focus-sized model that now offers smarter styling, improved media connectivity, extra safety provision and some fresh new engine options. If you'd been overlooking it, this Spanish contender might now be worth a second glance.

Background

SEAT, in case you didn't know, is supposed to be an emotive, 'Latin' kind of brand, a kind of 'Iberian Alfa Romeo'. Hence the passionate marketing, the rallying success and the World Touring Car Championship trophies. Customers though, remain a little unconvinced, especially in mainland Europe. But not so in the UK. Sales are strong on these shores and the Leon model range has always represented much of the reason why, ever since the MK1 version's original introduction in 1998 and subsequent second and third generation models respectively launched in 2005 and 2012. Together with the Ibiza supermini, the Leon is SEAT to British buyers.

This fourth generation version, launched in early 2020, builds upon the solid foundation established by its predecessors and, like them, is based entirely on Volkswagen Golf engineering - in this case, the latest eighth generation version of that car. It's a great starting point, which explains the appeal of this MK4 Leon with its slicker looks, increased electrification, stronger safety and improved media connectivity.

Driving Experience

What if you could take everything that's good about the drive dynamics of a Volkswagen Golf - the superb ride, the excellent refinement, the exemplary at-the-wheel ergonomics, the smooth efficient engines - and replicate it all in a better value package with a slightly sportier feel? Such has always been the appeal of the SEAT Leon and in that regard, not much is different with this fourth generation version. It still steers and turns in a little more sharply than its Golf, Octavia and Audi A3 VW Group family hatch cousins that share the same engineering and MQB platform. And, as before, most mainstream versions continue to persist with an old-school torsion beam rear suspension set-up. Which isn't to suggest that nothing has changed here. Quite the contrary. Take the engine range. Specify an auto gearbox with either the volume 110PS 1.0-litre TSI three cylinder unit or the 150PS 1.5-litre TSI EVO four cylinder petrol powerplant and you'll get the brand's latest 'eTSI' mild hybrid electrified technology. There's also now a PHEV full-Hybrid plug-in Leon, the e-HYBRID, which uses a 150PS 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine mated to a 6-speed DSG auto gearbox and an 85kW electric motor, powered by a 13kWh lithium-ion battery that when fully charged can deliver a WLTP-rated all-electric driving range of up to 36 miles.

Most Leon customers though, will be wanting an engine of the more conventional kind, which if you want to stay with manual transmission is what you'll have to have. With a stick shift fitted, in addition to conventional versions of the two TSI petrol engines just mentioned, you can opt for a de-tuned 130PS version of that 1.5 TSI EVO petrol unit. You'll also be offered the option of diesel power - there are two versions of the latest cleaner, more efficient VW Group 2.0 TDI 'twin dosing' unit, offering either 116 or 150PS. At the top of the range lies the CUPRA Leon hot hatch variant, which can be had with either an uprated 245PS version of that 1.4-litre Plug-in Hybrid powertrain we just mentioned. Or with a conventional 2.0-litre TSI petrol unit, developing either 245PS in front-driven conventional hatch form or 310PS in 4WD Estate guise.

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