SEAT Leon review - Reliability and safety

In 2022, the SEAT Leon finished in a creditable 29th place on our list of the best cars to own based on that year's Driver Power owner satisfaction survey results. In 2023 however, the Leon didn't make it on the list and neither did its VW Golf sibling. Meanwhile, SEAT came 23rd in our best car manufacturer rankings – four places ahead of Volkswagen.

Euro NCAP tested the SEAT Leon in 2020, awarding it a maximum five-star safety rating. The individual scores were impressive. It scored 92 per cent for adult occupant protection and 88 per cent for child occupant protection, with 71 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 80 per cent for safety assist technologies.

All models get cruise control with speed limiter, a forward-collision warning system for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, lane-keeping assist, ISOFIX anchor points in the back and rear parking sensors.

The Leon is the safest car SEAT has ever built. It features a Safety & Service system as standard, which contacts the emergency services in the event of an accident. If the occupants cannot respond, the car sends details of the car’s position, type of engine, body colour and the number of passengers.

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Keyless start is also standard, while some models also feature keyless entry. Also available are blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, auto high beam, dynamic road sign display and even semi-autonomous vehicle control in an emergency. 

Warranty

The SEAT Leon comes with a three-year/60,000 mile warranty, which is standard for this class. This can be extended to four years and 75,000 miles or five years and 90,000 miles. Extended warranties cost extra, but the cover can be transferred to the next owner. Alternatively, rivals from Kia and Hyundai are covered for seven and five years respectively.

Servicing 

SEAT offers fixed-price servicing plans, or you can pay for scheduled maintenance on a more flexible monthly basis.