Skip advert
Advertisement

SEAT Leon review - a Golf fighter at every level - SEAT Leon design

SEAT's Leon is much more than a Volkswagen Golf understudy

Evo rating
RRP
from £20,000
  • Neat styling, spacious interior, tidy handling, economy
  • Interior a touch plain and dark, high rear boot lip

The Leon has recently been given it's mid-life touch up, but the changes are so minor it would take a true anorak to pick them out. The thing is though, the Leon was such a sound design in the first place it still looks fresh, even in the presence of newer rivals.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Still sat on a good set of proportions, the SEAT is sharply detailed and outgrows its Golf on a budget image with aplomb. Basic S models can look a bit weedy on steel wheels, but from there up, especially in FR or Cupra trim, the SEAT totally pulls off a fun and youthful vibe. The LED headlamp upgrade on SE and FR models is well worth the extra outlay as it offers both excellent night vision and distinctive daylight running light signatures.

The hot Cupra shares its bodywork with the FR, so it’s attractive, but as a result looks very subtle for a hatchback boasting just under 300bhp. Only larger 19-inch wheels, the lack of foglights, ‘Cupra’ badging and dual exhaust pipes give the game away. Finally, the bright colour packs available on the previous pre-facelift model have yet to be transferred into the new model, giving you less personalisation options, itself not necessarily a bad thing.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

TVR: Why we think it’s all over
TVR Griffith
Opinion

TVR: Why we think it’s all over

There’s barely a flicker of life when it comes to TVR and the ‘new’ Griffith. We can only fear the worst
17 Jul 2025
Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!
Range Rover
News

Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!

Discounts on new Range Rovers are so big you could buy a new Renault 5 with the money you save…
15 Jul 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
14 Jul 2025