SEAT Leon review - MPG, CO2 & running costs
Running costs are low thanks to efficient engines and a new plug-in hybrid model
The 2.0-litre TDI is the most economical of the petrol and diesel engines. It should return between 60.1mpg and 65.7mpg, depending on the wheel size, so it’s ideal for motorway driving.
Not that the petrol engines are in any way inefficient. The 128bhp 1.5 TSI Evo offers 44.8mpg to 51.4mpg, dropping to between 44.1mpg and 49.6mpg for the 148bhp model. The seven-speed DSG auto transmission is slightly more efficient than the six-speed manual gearbox.
The 1.0 TSI Evo should return 47.1mpg to 52.3mpg with a manual gearbox and 45.6mpg to 51.4mpg with the DSG transmission. Both the 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre engines are available with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, but only in conjunction with the DSG.
The Leon 1.4 e-Hybrid combines a 1.4-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and a 12.8kWh battery pack to make it the greenest SEAT Leon you can buy. Fully charged, the e-Hybrid will deliver 36 to 40 miles of pure electric range and a theoretical 217.3mpg to 235.4mpg.
Thanks to CO2 emissions of just 27g/km to 30g/km, depending on the trim, the e-Hybrid is also cheap to tax. First-year Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) costs £15 and there’s a £10 discount from the second year.
Insurance groups
The SEAT Leon slots into insurance groups 15 to 23, with the 1.0-litre versions the cheapest to insure. At the time of writing, the insurance group for the e-Hybrid hasn’t been announced, but the cost of cover will be offset by the lower running costs.
Depreciation
The Leon hatchback performs reasonably well in terms of residual values, holding onto an average of 48 per cent of its original list price after a typical three-year/36,000-mile ownership period, which is just a touch behind the Volkswagen Golf.
