Skip advert
Advertisement

SEAT Leon TwinDrive

New range-extending version of the SEAT Leon promises 166mpg and 39g/km

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£8,055 off RRP*
Find your SEAT Leon
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The TwinDrive provides the best of both worlds by harnessing cheap plug-in power with none of the range restrictions of a pure EV. Engine engagement is seamless, there’s plenty of power and the control system lets you use the various forms of drive when it best suits. Competitive pricing should be the icing on the cake.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Ecomotive line-up currently accounts for 47 per cent of SEAT’s UK sales, and the firm plans to increase that with a Leon plug-in hybrid Ecomotive, due in 2015.

Called the TwinDrive, the car is one of several versions of an all-new Leon that’s due to be unveiled at March’s Geneva Motor Show. We’ve tried the technology that will underpin the new model in an existing Leon.

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the SEAT Leon

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_narrow","fid":"69200","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image"}}]]

Under the skin is the VW Group’s 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine linked to a 116bhp (85kW) electric motor. These either work independently of each other or combine to give a power output of 159bhp.

The lithium-ion batteries, which sit under the boot floor, are charged via a socket next to the front foglamp. As with other range-extending EVs, a full charge takes about eight hours from a domestic supply, or two hours from a high-voltage fast charger.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Leon

2024 Seat

Leon

22,759 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £18,000
View Leon
Leon

2016 Seat

Leon

100,958 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £7,099
View Leon
Leon

2024 Seat

Leon

65,551 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £11,492
View Leon
Leon

2024 Seat

Leon

45,196 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £13,100
View Leon

Turn the key and the silence tells you the TwinDrive starts every journey running solely on battery power. It’ll do 32 miles in this mode and hit a 75mph top speed. Yet push a button on the centre console, and this Leon reverts to being a regular hybrid.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It does so in such a seamless manner that you barely notice the internal-combustion engine firing up. The really clever part of the TwinDrive, though, is the control unit integrated into the sat-nav.

This lets you programme how you use plug-in power. If, say, you have a 20-mile motorway commute before 10 miles of urban driving, the car can be told to save its mains-generated power for the town section. And if you exhaust the cells, the 1.4-litre engine can always kick in to turn generator and recharge the battery. As a result, this Leon has a total range of 562 miles.

At high speeds, a clutch engages and the engine and electric motor work together to maintain momentum. On the motorway, the engine is so refined you can barely hear it, and even under hard acceleration its noise doesn’t become unpleasantly harsh.

The extra shove from the electric motor’s 600Nm of torque gives a handy turn of speed, particularly between 30mph and 50mph.

However, the car’s economy figures are its most eye-catching asset. SEAT claims it will return 166mpg, with a CO2 figure of only 39g/km. A premium of £2,500 is expected over the diesel.

On current form, that puts this Leon’s starting price at around £20,000, making this new string to SEAT’s bow a very attractive proposition indeed.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Seat Leon

Seat Leon

RRP £24,125Avg. savings £8,055 off RRP*Used from £7,795
Hyundai I30

Hyundai I30

RRP £16,720Used from £12,434
Skoda Scala

Skoda Scala

RRP £19,520Avg. savings £2,895 off RRP*Used from £7,795
Seat Ibiza

Seat Ibiza

RRP £14,845Avg. savings £4,897 off RRP*Used from £7,849
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

At last! Ford Puma Gen-E is first electric car to get full EV Grant discount
Ford Puma Gen-E - front

At last! Ford Puma Gen-E is first electric car to get full EV Grant discount

The electric Ford Puma probably gets the higher-level grant because it is partly made in the UK
News
27 Aug 2025
New BMW i1 will cram big EV tech into a small package
BMW 1 Series render - front

New BMW i1 will cram big EV tech into a small package

The all-new BMW i1 will rival the all-electric Audi A3 and new Mercedes CLA when it arrives in 2027
News
28 Aug 2025
Updated Tesla Model Y Performance revealed at a bargain price
2025 Tesla Model Y Performance

Updated Tesla Model Y Performance revealed at a bargain price

Tesla’s mid-size SUV has returned in its high-performing Performance trim for a surprisingly low £61,990
News
29 Aug 2025