SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI

22 Feb, 2013 11:45am Damion Smy

The fun and frugal five-door SEAT Leon has already impressed, but is it as good on UK tarmac?

Verdict

There's a lot to love about the Leon FR. It’s got smart looks, great performance and is fun to drive. It’s well mannered around town and razor-sharp on B-roads. Plus, it’s refined and practical, with a large boot and reasonable rear legroom. Add in the kind of running costs we used to expect from eco specials, and the Leon makes a lot of sense.

When we drove the 181bhp SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI FR on foreign roads last year, we came away thinking it was one of the best models yet to use the VW Group’s MQB platform (which also underpins the VW Golf MkVII and Audi A3). But now we’ve driven a left-hand-drive version in the UK, is that still the case?

The FR is the flagship of the current line-up and it makes the most of the Leon’s sharp lines, with LED lights, aggressive bumpers, twin exhausts, sports suspension and 17-inch alloys.

Inside, there’s a better finish and a more robust, solid feel than in the old Leon. The FR has a flat-bottomed steering wheel wrapped in leather, with sports seats set off by red stitching. There’s also a seven-inch touchscreen and dual-zone climate control, while ambient lighting adds a touch of class.

On the road, the Leon FR is an outstanding performer. The 181bhp from the 2.0-litre diesel is impressive, but more significant is the substantial 380Nm of torque from a low 1,750rpm. Quick overtakes come easily and, with so much in-gear power on tap, you often won’t need to change down. In fact, leave the smooth six-speed manual in gear in town and the low-speed response – not usually a diesel strongpoint – is excellent for brisk manoeuvres.

The Leon rides well on its firmer sports suspension, with no crashing over bumps in the way old FR models tended to. Its taut chassis and sharp steering make for crisp turn-in, while there’s loads of grip and traction on the way out of bends.

It’s very entertaining down a winding road, and although there’s a hint of diesel rattle at high revs, refinement is impressive. So, too, are the 65.7mpg fuel economy and 112g/km CO2 claims, and its 380-litre boot.

SEAT’s been setting UK sales records recently, and with the new Leon FR, that success looks set to continue.

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Submitted by Stu on Fri, 2013-02-22 14:11.

Love the look of the car, and I'd really like to own one, but unfortunately they're just too expensive nowadays ... in 2007 I bought a new Leon FR 170 TDi from a dealer (not pre-reg) and it cost £16200 (should have been £19500). SEAT is supposed to be a lower priced sporty arm, prices are coming close to the already expensive Golf.

Submitted by DC on Fri, 2013-02-22 14:57.

What was the test mpg? After 20k miles and sitting on the motorway it might achieve 60mpg but whats the real life figures guys?

Submitted by Fadyady on Fri, 2013-02-22 23:43.

Even after the expected 3 to 4 grand discount this car makes little if any sense except perhaps for those who desperately hanker after a VW product but at cut-price.

Submitted by BEREAL on Sun, 2013-02-24 11:10.

ITS JUST A VAUXHALL ASTRA/ALFA GULIETTA /MK7 GOLF / KIA CEED ETC CAR MAKERS SHARING PLATFORMS NOW SO SAME FLOORPAN & CHASSIS JUSR THERE OWN DESIGN & ENGINES NICE CAR BUT WAY TO EXPENSIVE FOR A STANDARD SIZE COMMON HATCHBACK WITH A SEAT BADGE ON IT.

Submitted by No name on Mon, 2013-02-25 12:27.

It makes little if any sense, it the buyer has little if any sense. You buy this Leon because it's a Golf GTD, with better looks and a lower price tag. That buyer would buy the Golf because they want to spend the extra 4k on a couple of nice VW badges they can show off to make people think they're doing well when people know that VWs are just overpriced cars for posers. There's nothing a VW can do (ignoring the engineering aspect and focusing on final product) that an Audi, Skoda, Seat, Bentley can do if not better. For me, there's no reason to buy VWs any more.

Submitted by Alexis on Mon, 2013-02-25 13:10.

I agree. I drive a MkI Leon Cupra and even back then it made no sense to buy a MkIV Golf when you could buy the much much better looking Leon.