Seat Leon SC 2.0 TDI FR

It's not quite a sports car, but the Leon SC is the perfect model for SEAT right now. Its shorter, lower and sleeker bodystyle looks stunning, while the handling is sharper than the five-door’s. Plus, it’s refined and comfortable. If you do lots of miles, this top-spec diesel offers good performance end economy – if not, the TSI petrol versions are better.

SEAT has always struggled to establish its identity as the VW Group’s sporty brand, but the Leon SC could change all that. It’s shorter and lower than the five-door, and more than just a three-door Leon – in fact, it has more in common with the VW Scirocco coupe than the three-door Golf.

The wheelbase has been chopped by 35mm, while the roof sits 30mm lower than the five-door’s. These squatter dimensions have a number of benefits – the SC is 110kg lighter than the old Leon (and 20kg less than the latest five-door), while the shorter wheelbase means more nimble handling and the stance is instantly more aggressive.

However you look at it, the SC is a great design. SEAT has used as many triangular shapes as possible – even the razor-sharp creases in the body (which have their own dedicated department at the factory to ensure they’re crisp and perfectly positioned) taper to a fine, arrow-like point.

You’d imagine removing a section of the chassis would impact on practicality, but the car demands few compromises. The 380-litre boot is the same size as the five-door’s, and while there’s less legroom, one six-footer can sit comfortably behind another.

The dash is identical to the five-door’s, and offers the same huge leap in quality and tech over the old car. Plus, the wide choice of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines is the same as in the five-door, ranging from an 85bhp 1.2 TSI to the 181bhp 2.0 TDI in our top-spec test car.

Don’t be fooled by the TDI badge – this is a genuine hot hatch contender, and the way it punches out of bends is startling. But it also scores well in terms of refinement. While there’s a bit of wind noise from around the door mirrors at 75mph, the SC is whisper quiet otherwise, which enhances the sense of quality.

In a smart move, SEAT has also resisted the temptation to make this car’s suspension firmer than the five-door’s or quicken up the steering. Those modifications will be saved for the hot Cupra, due later this year, and this means the SC rode beautifully on the smooth Spanish roads of our test.

The steering is light but quick to react, and feels more direct than the five-door’s, although that’s the effect of the three-door’s lower kerbweight and shorter wheelbase.

Find a twisty road and the SC is quite happy to be flung around, changing direction quickly with minimal body roll and plenty of grip. It’s the kind of car that will appeal just as much to an aspiring boy racer as to a family man who’s not ready to compromise on style. And if you don’t fall into either of those brackets, there’s always the five-door and forthcoming Leon ST estate.