SEAT Leon review – a good-to-drive family hatchback

Verdict – is the SEAT Leon a good car?

The SEAT Leon is a great hatchback from the Spanish brand, and despite previous versions living much of their life in the closely related Volkswagen Golf’s shadow, it’s now genuinely a car buyers could consider in its own right, rather than just because it costs less. It feels good to drive, sophisticated, and is more practical than the old model, so deserves as much, if not more attention than some of its big-name rivals.

SEAT Leon models, specs and alternatives

The SEAT Leon is one of four very closely related hatchback models from the Volkswagen Group, the others being the ever-famous Volkswagen Golf, the budget-friendly Skoda Octavia and the upmarket Audi A3. In addition to these, there’s the Cupra Leon, which is a hot, sporty spinoff model that we’ve reviewed separately.

With so many variations based on the hatchback’s underpinnings, you would be forgiven for being unsure where the SEAT Leon fits in. Well, the Leon has a slightly bigger focus on driving feel and offers a more left-field look compared with its siblings (aside from the Cupra) and it’s cheaper to buy, too – it’s the car you go for when the Volkswagen Golf feels a little too conservative.

Compared to the previous-generation SEAT Leon, the latest model has grown in size with a longer wheelbase and curvy, muscular design. There’s a full-width light bar at the rear and small grille and sleek headlights at the front. When the Cupra Leon launched, it looked very similar with a bodykit and sporty touches, but has since been facelifted and given a more distinctive look.

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Improvements to quality are most apparent on the inside of the Leon – a neat 10-inch infotainment screen, crisp digital dials, cool ambient lighting and attractive materials all around the cabin mean some may even prefer the Leon’s interior to the Golf’s. Its wheelbase is also 50mm longer than that of its predecessor, which makes it a more generously proportioned car for families; there’s more space in the back for adults and larger door openings, although its 380-litre boot is average for its class.

An update in May 2024 has slimmed down the engine range, so it now consists of standard petrol, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the 1.5-litre TSI engine, plus a 2.0-litre diesel option, as the brand has removed the previous entry-level 1.0-litre TSI petrol.

The SEAT Leon was initially offered with a variety of engines, including both petrol and diesel options, as well as a plug-in e-Hybrid model for the first time, though this has now been discontinued, as has the more powerful 187bhp 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine with an automatic transmission that was introduced to the range in 2021.

Now the range consists of just a handful of simple petrol engines with or without mild-hybrid tech. The range kicks off with a few petrol engines in different sizes – there’s a 1.0-litre TSI with 108bhp, and a 1.5-litre TSI with either 128bhp or 148bhp, all paired with a six-speed manual. The automatic versions get mild-hybrid assistance (badge eTSI) and a seven-speed DSG gearbox, but aren’t any more powerful and are only marginally more efficient. There’s one diesel engine available, which is a 2.0-litre TDI engine with either 113bhp or 148bhp and a six-speed manual.

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For a more performance-focused hot-hatch version of the SEAT Leon, buyers might consider the Cupra Leon – Cupra was previously offered as a performance trim level on a number of SEAT models, but has been a fully-fledged VW Group brand since 2018.

On the road, the Leon drives with a slightly sportier feel than the Golf on which it’s based. On a challenging road, the sense of connection between the surface and driver is increased by a few notches, but this also makes the Leon slightly less comfortable on UK roads than the Golf. This is exacerbated by the FR trim, with stiffer suspension, so the SE Dynamic model offers the best balance of comfort and equipment.