Shortly after the Paris Motor Show of 2012 the 3rd generation of SEAT's family car became available. It was only offered in its 5-door guise until the 3-door SC arrived in Geneva 2013, followed by the ST estate in Frankfurt 2013.
The latest-generation SEAT Leon shared its platform with, you guessed, it, the latest Audi A3 and VW Golf. It sits on the new MQB platform of the VW Group. It was the first family hatchback to offer full LED headlights, although these do not come as standard.
Entry-level Leons get halogen daytime running lights, a 5-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and air conditioning. Every Leon comes with electric power steering and height and reach adjustability for the steering wheel, making it easy to get behind the wheel.
Avoid S and opt for SE level Leons which bring 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, cruise control and electric rear windows. Everything a modern family will require.
If you're particularly font of sporty aesthetics, the Leon FR ups the alloys to 17 inches, adds dual-zone climate control, electrically folding door mirrors and the usual bodystyling, inside and out. A feature that makes this car recognisable from afar, day or night, is the LED technology used in the tail lights.
Only the CUPRA 290 gets LED headlights as standard. The LED interior lights means it has the full package for just shy of £29,000. The uprated 6.5-inch touchscreen adds 3D mapping and smartphone connectivity such as Android Auto and CarPlay. Automatic headlights, wipers and a dimming rear-view mirror complete the CUPAR 290.
X-PERIENCE models are available for the ST estate only, and are well-equipped. Dual-zone climate control and rear parking sensors make it easy to live with, but the off-road bodystyling and 4Drive all-wheel-drive system make it practical too.
Top-of-the-range X-PERIENCE Leons get 18-inch alloys, the uprated 6.5-inch touchscreen and LED headlights and tail lights.
Entry-level Leons get a 108 bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine that's capable of more than 70 mpg, but it does cost £10 a year to tax.
SE unlocks a wider range of engines, which consist of 108 bhp 1.2-litre and 123 bhp 1.4-litre petrols and 108 bhp 1.6-litre and 148 bhp 2.0-litre diesels. There's even an economy-orientated 1.6 TDI Ecomotive that can achieve almost 80 mpg, and of course is free to tax.
There is however, a 148 bhp 1.4 EcoTSI petrol engine that makes its way into the FR range, which is joined by a 178 bhp 1.8-litre petrol. Two 2.0-litre diesels are available with power outputs of 148 and 181 bhp.
The CUPRA 290 gets its very own 2.0-litre petrol engine that produces 286 bhp, with claimed figures of just over 40 mpg.
For most families, the 1.4 EcoTSI or 2.0 TDI (148 bhp variant) will be more than adequate.
The Leon shares most of its engines with the VW Golf, however the Golf does offer a lower-than-adequate 84 bhp 1.2-litre petrol and a small displacement 1.0-litre 113 bhp unit.
The Leon has a total of 9 engines, whereas rivals such as the Ford Focus provide a lot more choice, with 14 to choose from plus a bonkers 345 bhp 2.3-litre Focus RS.
The CUPRA 290 will rival the Golf R as opposed to the Golf GTI, although does not quite match the stats of the Focus RS.
There is a niche that SEAT is missing out on, and that's the alternative power market. Both the Golf and the Focus offer all-electric variants of their family hatchbacks, and the Golf GTE fuses a 1.4-litre petrol engine with electricity to form a plug-in hybrid.
Saying that, all of the Leon's engines are phenomenal and provide enough punch when you need it.
I've tried and tested the 1.4 EcoTSI which is punchy enough yet still returns good figures, which is why I've chosen it in my configuration:
SEAT Leon FR Configuration
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