Seat Leon Review (2020-present)

What is the Seat Leon?

Ever heard the phrase ‘always the bridesmaid, never the bride’? Well, if you were the Seat Leon, you could be forgiven for thinking that this little expression summed you up in a nutshell.

You see, as one of the Volkswagen Group’s many midsize hatchbacks – those including the Audi A3, Skoda Octavia, and of course the VW Golf – it uses pretty much all the same oily bits as all the rest of them. That means it shares many of the same dynamic attributes, along with other similar attributes in the areas of efficiency, practicality, dependability and technology. And yet, even though the Leon is a fabulous car in its own right as a result, it never proves quite as popular with buyers as the slightly more glamorous members of its stable. Where’s the justice?

We’d argue, though, that what the mk4 Leon lacks in glamour, it more than makes up for in edginess. Each of the VW-Group siblings brings a slightly different character to the party, and the Leon’s is sporty, stylish, yet at the same time, impressively affordable, a role that the car plays brilliantly.

How practical is it?

And while delivering on the style aspect of that equation can often mean compromising on practicality, there’s not a bit of that with the Leon. Its crisp lines look great, and they also conceal a cabin that’s actually roomier than those of some of its siblings, and that also compares very well with the class-leaders on that score. Rear legroom is particularly impressive, and the boot is pretty big at 380 litres, too.

And that's in the Leon hatchback; boot space is boosted to 620 litres in the estate version, and you get a clever adjustable floor that helps you make the most of the boot space. Happily, if you choose the estate, you don’t lose out on the Leon’s sporty driving experience; it’s just as poised and precise as the hatchback, and that makes it one of the most involving estates around.

What's it like to drive?

Granted, to achieve the car’s sportiness, it has a firmer-feeling suspension set-up than you'll find in most of its rivals – especially in FR-trimmed cars which have an even sportier setup than regular Leons. This means it’s not quite as comfortable or as cosseting as, for example, a Skoda Scala or even a Ford Focus.

It’s still comfortable enough, though, and this dynamic approach does deliver a level of handling sharpness with the Leon that its Volskwagen Group siblings can’t match, giving you a real feeling of connection with the road, and making the Leon a really enjoyable car to drive. A range of perky-feeling engines also contributes to the dynamic sizzle.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

In either hatchback or estate form, the Leon delivers on the affordability bit, too, with prices that are competitive with those of mainstream rivals and impressive efficiency figures that’ll ensure low running costs. Granted, cabin quality takes a wee bit of a hit as a result, with materials and finishes that aren’t quite as glossy or appealing as those in the VW or Audi, but it’s a match for most other rivals. Equipment hasn’t been scrimped on, either, with most versions coming with all the luxury and safety kit you really need.

So, while the Leon isn’t perfect, it’s a superbly impressive all-rounder in a very competitive class, and one that delivers a mix of style and sportiness that some buyers will find very attractive. We’re a little surprised there aren’t more buyers who do, to be honest.

Seat Leon running costs

In terms of new car purchase prices, the Leon costs a fraction more than key rivals such as the Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Vauxhall Astra, but the differences are marginal. Look at the starting price of the Leon range, meanwhile, and it’s far lower than that of the Volkswagen Golf, making the Leon much more attainable. However, the entry-level Leon has less power and less equipment than the entry-level Golf, and when you compare versions that are more similar on those factors, the prices become much closer, although choosing the Leon will still save you a four-figure sum. Pound-for-pound, all of the cars mentioned depreciate in value at a pretty similar rate, meaning the difference in the prices of used examples will also be fairly proportionate.

On the efficiency front, the Leon does a very competitive job when compared with rivals, pretty much all of which are already very impressive in this area. Both the 1.0-litre and lower powered 1.5-litre petrol engines will return an official maximum of about 52 mpg, while both the 148bhp 1.5s - the mild hybrid included – sit back at around the 48 mpg mark. At the time of writing, the diesel was the pick of the bunch on this score, with an equivalent figure of up to 67mpg, but that’ll inevitably be superseded by the plug-in hybrid once figures become available for that. However impressive this figure turns out to be, though, don’t go expecting to match it in the real world. What you actually get will depend entirely on how much time you spend driving the car on electric-only power.

At the time of writing, insurance groups sat between 14 and 23, but that’ll inevitably change over time as more engines join the range, as we know they will. You can be fairly confident, though, that premiums will be very affordable on all but the most powerful versions.

Seat Leon reliability

With this generation of Leon still being fairly new, there isn’t very much reliability data available, and until there is, we can’t really be of all that much help on common problems to look out for. As yet, there have been no recalls to tell you about, either. However, Seat has a fair-to-middling reputation for mechanical dependability as a brand, so that should provide some peace-of mind. Compared with its fellow VW-Group brands, Seat doesn’t perform quite as well as Skoda in surveys such as the JD Power UK Vehicle Dependability Study or the Warranty Direct Reliability Index, but it’s pretty much neck-and-neck with Volkswagen and it comprehensively out performs Audi on a consistent basis. It should be noted, though, that while Seat’s performance in this area is fairly solid, it’s not quite as solid as those of key rivals such as Ford and Vauxhall.

Like all of Seat’s cars, the Leon comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard. That’s a fairly run-of-the-mill arrangement. Pay a bit more, and you can extend your car’s warranty to last for four years or 75,000 miles, or for little more cash, five years or 90,000 miles. What’s more, you can do this either when you buy the car brand new or when your warranty is just about to expire.