More than a nice line?
Since 2020, Seat has been supplying the fourth generation Leon, an elegant variant on the Golf and Octavia themes. Compared to these two models, it sells slightly less well, but against the trend, the Leon does better than its SUV-like brothers Ateca and Tarraco. Does the Leon mainly seduce with its looks or does it also have other qualities? Users share their practical experiences.
The Seat Leon is available as a hatchback and as a station wagon, in the latter case it is called Leon Sportstourer. Under the hood you will find a three-cylinder 1.0-liter (e)TSI, a 1.5 (e)TSI with four cylinders or two power variants of the 2.0 TDI diesel engine. The Leon is currently not available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Interior and space offer Seat Leon
The Leon proves to be a practical companion. “As for the interior, I am very happy! The quality is fine and I have no problems with creaks. With my 1.99 meter length I sit comfortably and I have enough headroom left,” writes the enthusiastic owner of a Leon Hatchback. He continues: “To my surprise, I can sit behind myself and can finally take three passengers instead of two.” The Sportstourer also appears to be sufficiently spacious, if we are to believe this driver. “The children in child seats can stretch their legs without kicking my seat, which makes a ride even more enjoyable. Cargo space in the back is more than sufficient at 620 liters.”
Infotainment and malfunctions Seat Leon
Just like the Volkswagen Golf 8, the Seat Leon has the latest infotainment system from the Volkswagen Group on board. This is characterized by the very limited number of buttons, a choice that people are rather enthusiastic about. “Physical buttons, I really don’t need many, but a button for seat heating would be nice,” writes an irritated user. “In addition, it is strange that the scroll bars under the navigation screen do not give any light, so you have to turn on your reading lamp in the dark to raise or lower the temperature.”
Those who started using their Leon as one of the first owners could experience malfunctions of the central screen. “The multimedia system sometimes had some quirks, so that the guest account was regularly primarily active. It also happened several times that the system was not ‘connected’. Sometimes Spotify didn’t work properly, but installed the first OTA update last week and no more disruptions to date.”
Another user had to deal with a central screen failure while on vacation, which means that basic functions are also lost. “Screen on black. No navigation, no audio, no air conditioning controls, no parking sensors, no reversing camera, really nothing at all,” said a driver on vacation. Apart from the somewhat unruly infotainment system, owners report no structural problems.
Lane assist not appreciated
The Seat Leon is equipped with the necessary driving assistants. Take the adaptive cruise control, which people generally have few complaints about. Such a system is not desirable for everyone under all circumstances, which is why some owners would like it to also function as a regular cruise control. This also applies to this driver: “Almost every day I continue to be annoyed by the adaptive cruise control. This system cannot be switched off, so there is no normal cruise control!”
The lane warning appears to work little subtle. “Lane Assist regularly picks up old stripes and cracks in the asphalt to adjust the chosen direction. As a driver, you experience this when the steering wheel starts to pull on your hands.” Another owner appreciates the system so badly that he even dedicates a large part of his review to it. It is to be hoped for these owners that the operation of the driver assistance systems will improve over time, as they are mandatory in new cars.
How does the Leon drive?
Drivers are generally positive about driving the Leon. “I was actually quite impressed with the car during the holidays,” writes the owner of a 1.0 eTSI with DSG automatic transmission. “Despite the modest engine size of the three-cylinder, the car held up excellently. Mountain roads in the Pyrenees and long slopes on the autoroute went really well.” This is confirmed by another 1.0 owner, who is also very pleased with the Leon’s chassis. “I really like the handling,” he writes enthusiastically. “The car is super tight on the road. And yes, the 1.5 is a beast, but this one is smooth enough in my opinion!”
The aforementioned 1.5 TSI does not convince everyone of its ‘beastly’ character. Take the following comment from someone who drove a Peugeot 308 SW 1.6 HDI before the Leon. “I think the Peugeot had 120 hp and the Seat 150 hp. This difference is barely noticeable.” Now that he is comparing: “Compared to the Peugeot, I find the Leon stiff and hard-suspended. I found the Peugeot more comfortable to drive.”
Those who want to adjust the comfort of the Leon to their liking can opt for an adaptive chassis, as this owner probably did when compiling his FR Launch Edition. “I am very satisfied with the handling and the automatic transmission. It shifts smoothly and silently. I have included the option ‘drive profile’ so that you can choose whether you want a sporty edge, or just comfortable. And that is a significant difference.” The ability to select a drive mode is standard on FR versions, but the mode selected only affects the chassis when the ‘adaptive chassis control’ option is checked.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl