![]()
Hatchback
Well, it looks absolutely gorgeous for a start, thanks to that teardrop, five-door hatchback shape. And, with the underpinnings of the widely acclaimed Volkswagen Golf backing the Leon up, there's substance beneath those seductive looks.
expand / collapse
Very good though the interior is, don’t expect absolute top-notch quality plastics. Visibility isn’t great, either, due to thick, sweeping, windscreen pillars. The boot isn’t as big as the Volkswagen Golf’s or a Ford Focus’s, nor is the load aperture as practical.
Sitting behind the Leon’s small steering wheel on the well bolstered driver’s seat, you feel very much as if you're in a sporting car - and it doesn’t disappoint you out on the road, either. Although the ride can be a little firm, body control is tight and the handling is tidy and precise, while the engine line-up is impressive, at least for the most part.
Running Costs
The days of picking up low-mileage, second-hand Seats very cheaply are long gone. When the Leon was released in 2005, predicted resale values were strong - maybe not quite up to VW Golf levels, but certainly better than the equivalent Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra. So, a used Leon can look quite dear. Servicing costs aren’t exactly low, either, but they are still reasonable. The 10,000-mile service intervals are not as lengthy as those of a Vauxhall Astra, which can in theory run for up to two years or 20,000 miles before needing attention. Similarly, if you need to pay for repairs at a Seat dealer, you'll be charged a slightly higher hourly rate than at a Ford, Vauxhall or even Volkswagen franchise. Stick with the 38.1mpg 1.6 Stylance, and you’ll only incur group 5 insurance costs. The 197bhp turbo FR is rated at group 14, which is very low for a hot hatch. It’s best run on expensive super-unleaded, but is capable of 35.8mpg.