SEAT's fourth generation Leon has sharpened up its act. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Review

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

Under the bonnet, things have a familiar look if you know your Volkswagen Group models. At the foot of the petrol range, there's a 1.0-litre TSI three cylinder 110PS unit and the other mainstream petrol engine option is a 1.5-litre TSI EVO variant with efficient Cylinder-on-Demand technology and a choice of 130 or 150PS outputs. Choose a DSG auto gearbox with either the 1.0-litre TSI unit or the 150PS 1.5 TSI EVO and you'll get the brand's 48-volt mild hybrid tech thrown in. There's also a 1.4 TSI plug-in petrol hybrid model with a 204PS output and a 38 mile driving range. Sporty Leons get a conventional 190PS 2.0 TSI petrol unit. Plus there are a couple of diesels, both 2.0-litre TDI units, developing either 115 or 150PS and mated to 6-speed manual transmission.

SEATs always tend to feel a bit more sporty than the Volkswagens they're based upon and this one should be no different. Indeed, the pokier variants further up the range really relish a good flogging. This car is still based on the same MQB platform that undergirded its predecessor and is used on other similarly-sized VW Group models like the Volkswagen Golf, Audi's A3 and Skoda's Octavia. It produces enough torsional stiffness to allow this model to combine a supple ride with firm body control. Go for a variant with more than 150PS and it'll also come with multilink rear suspension for a better ride and handling balance: it's a pity that more Leon variants don't get this.

Design and Build

As before, Leon buyers choose from either a five-door hatch or an 'ST' estate model. In both cases, SEAT says that visual style was one of the key reasons why people bought earlier versions of this car, so that's been focused on here, hence the sharper, more assertive lines of this fourth generation design. In hatch form, it's 86mm longer than the previous generation car, but 16mm narrower and 3mm lower. Full-LED headlights feature at the front and there's a more distinctive full-width 'coast-to-coast'-style lamp arrangement at the rear.

Inside, the redesign centres around the use of SEAT's 'Digital Cockpit' layout, which brings together a high-resolution 10.25-inch configurable driver instrument cluster and 10-inch infotainment system. A key change is the improvement in rear seat space (a slight failing of this model line previously); a 50mm increase in wheelbase has usefully improved legroom. But not boot space: it's 380-litres in the hatch, that's the same as before, though cargo room has improved in the estate version, which can now offer up to 617-litres of it.

Market and Model

Pricing hasn't changed much, so, as before, you'll be looking at list pricing primarily in the £19,000 to £30,000 bracket, which is pretty much par for the course in the family hatchback segment. Customers get a choice of five trim levels - 'SE', 'SE Dynamic', 'FR', 'FR Sport' and 'Xcellence'.

Even base 'SE'-spec gets you quite a lot: 'Kessy Go' keyless start, full-LED headlight technology with automatic high beam and 16-inch alloy wheels, plus an eight-inch centre-dash infotainment screen with SEAT Connect technology and access to the 'Apple CarPlay' or 'Android Auto' media systems. 'SE Dynamic' mid-range trim upgrades you to the SEAT Digital Cockpit package, which gets you a 10.25-inch digital driver instrument binnacle display, plus a larger 10-inch centre-dash infotainment screen with navigation. Plus at this level, you get Park Assist (front and rear sensors) and tinted rear side windows, as well as larger Dynamic 17-inch alloy wheels.

To make your Leon really stand out, you'll need one of the meaner-looking 'FR' trim levels, which add sporty front and rear bumpers, Dynamic 17-inch alloy wheels, dual exhaust pipes and a unique suspension set-up that gives a 15mm lower ride height. 'Xcellence' trim adds luxury touches like microsuede cloth upholstery and Predictive Adaptive Cruise Control.

Cost of Ownership

Lots of work's been put into efficiency here. The standard 1.0 and 1.5 TSI petrol engines feature a Miller-cycle combustion process and variable geometry turbocharger, along with integrated Active Cylinder Management. The Miller-cycle optimises valvetrain control with early closure of the inlets which, combined with a higher compression rate and turbocharging, better control the air-fuel mixture and improve fuel efficiency by up to 10 per cent.

Specify DSG auto transmission with either the 1.0 TSI unit or the 150PS 1.5 TSI EVO engine and you get the brand's Mild Hybrid eTSI tech. This technology uses a 48V starter-generator and lithium-ion battery enabling the vehicle to coast with the engine switched off (while retaining all key electric functions, such as power steering), harvest energy under deceleration and provide electrical torque assistance during acceleration. If you want to go further, the Plug-in eHybrid model's 1.4-litre TSI engine is paired to a 13kWh battery pack which can be fully charged in 3.5 hours and offers up to 38 miles of electrified range.

Summary

Overall, on a pure value-versus-quality basis, this Leon has long been the pick of the Volkswagen Group offerings in this sector. And that also makes it one of the key segment benchmarks outside the Wolfsburg family of brands. Which in turn, makes it a very good car indeed.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: SEAT Leon

PRICES: £19,000-£30,000 [est]

INSURANCE GROUPS: TBC

CO2 EMISSIONS: [1.5 TSI 130PS] (WLTP) 120g/km [est]

PERFORMANCE: [1.0 TSI] Max Speed 123mph / 0-62mph 9.6s [est]

FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.5 TSI 130PS] (WLTP combined) 50mpg [est]

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: six airbags, 3-point seatbelts with pre-tensioners, ESP stability control

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [Hatch] Length/width/height mm 4368/1800/1456mm