[Closed] SEAT Leon worth a look?

Same chassis, same engine, same suspension setups, harder plastic interior, probably sportier seats. Generally a bit smaller. I've always wondered about how the VAG range fits together, though my friend explained it thusly;

Skoda is the VW budget range. Thats not budget as in cheap, but more focussed on the items that budget conscious people value over luxury items. Like wise, Seat is Audi's budget brand, in as much as the features that people value in an audi, but aren't willing to splash out on often feature on seats.

The Leon is a good Golf sized car. Consider each model to be the previous model of Golf and you won't go far wrong. Fr and Cupra models are fun.

Get your wife to try one as she may not like sportier seat/suspension setups.

We had a 2007 diesel. I hated it. Cheap, plasticy interior. Massive amount of road/cabin noise. Vague, sloppy gearbox. Typical vag on/off brakes. A-pillars with huge blind spots made merging a nightmare. Spacious cabin, but the boot was awkward to fit anything large than a few bags in with the parcel shelf on...eg the parcel shelf had to come out to get a pram in, even folded up.

Didn't have any reliability issues apart from flywheels.

I test-drove the ST with the DSG gearbox a couple of weeks ago.

Pros:

- Nice gearbox and good economy / driving characteristics.
- LED lights
- Looks alright
- Basic level of kit in the FR is OK.

Cons:

- Feels really small inside. Steeply raked windscreen puts the enormous rear view mirror about 12 inches from your face.
- Ride quite firm.
- Seats not that comfortable.
- Sat nav is very German, gives orders but does occasionally say "please".
- Infotainment screen not particularly big for the money.
- Speedo dial quite hard to read, though you can have digital speed in MFD if you want.
- No keyless go / proper toys / city braking etc.
- Dealer couldn't find out if it could come to a stop and go again using active cruise.
- LED lights aren't clever matrix style a la Audi.
- Not good VFM in my opinion. Dealer refused to even discuss a reduction on Seat's list price.
- Overall, felt cheap but isn't!

Unsurprisingly he didn't sell one and I bought a V60 from the Volvo dealer down the road instead, which while slightly more expensive is a far better car in comparison.

^^ oh yes, forgot to mention all the stuff jimjam said. Brakes suck; I commented on the a-pillar when I drove it so it's not just me, and it was hard and plasticcy inside too.

okeydokey ta, maybe SEAT not the best choice. anything else at that size that may suit? i like the look of alfas, do they still have a name for being unreliable?

Volvo V40?

I imagine once she's passed the test and gets some practice in it won't take long before driving the Skoda is second nature.

Or is this an excuse for a new car? 😉

sadexpunk - Member

okeydokey ta, maybe SEAT not the best choice. anything else at that size that may suit? i like the look of alfas, do they still have a name for being unreliable?

I should add that my wife loved ours. We want very different things from a car. There was a time when Seat used to really be a cheap and chearful "Golf", but now I don't think they are really that cheap, but still cheaply built. Golf, A3, you get what you pay for. Recent efforts from Ford seem a lot more refined than the Seat too.

Or is this an excuse for a new car?

altho it may be some time before she gets to drive it anyway, she failed her theory this morning :-/

EDIT: ill have a google at the v40 thanks

Just get a VW Golf. The Leon and to some extent A3 are both compromised to look 'cooler', and yet underneath they are all the same parts.

Test drove all of the VAG Golfs recently. Ended up with a Seat ST.

Reasons:
There isn't an ST/Estate version of the A3 and the boot was shit on the Sportback so that didn't get a look in.
Specs on the Golf were shit if you get the Bluemotion engine
Skodas still have old engines so not as economical
Seat was nice to drive, better engine/kit for your money with the Ecomotive engine

It's a company car though so CO2 and BIK makes the prices very different to buying privately.

But I can't agree with most of what Flaperon wrote. The Seat compares very favorably to the last generation BMW 1 series I had before.

I've got a Mk2 Leon FR. It goes like stink

Yes it has a cheap interior but it has comfy seats a good driving position and is good fun to drive. It was when I bought it also about £7k cheaper than the equivalent GTI (3 years old low mileage it was £11k) Agree about the A-pillars though.

Did I mention it goes like stink?

I'd seriously consider a Cupra 280 for my next car (once someone else has paid the depreciation on them). Its very understated for such a quick car, which is something I enjoy.

The Leon and to some extent A3 are both compromised to look 'cooler', and yet underneath they are all the same parts.

That's not exactly true though.

I get a car mag every month and they suggest from the VAG group that VW is the standard, Skoda the value version, Seat the sporty but not quite as nicely finished version, Audi the posh version.

Having spent time in all of them I can't really disagree.

We just changed my fiancee's Mini for a car this size and tested the Alfa Guilietta as she liked the look of it. Very disappointing, the interior and the ride were below average and much worse then our old Ford Focus. The Focus is worth a look as you'll get lots for your money and the current ones are very refined.

On the subject of the magazines I'd recommend getting hold of a copy of Top Gear for info as after trying lots of cars I couldn't disagree with any opinions they had on specific cars.

im having another look at the SEATs thanks chaps. just trying to suss out the models. id like 5 door petrol, so am i right in thinking thats called a 5DR SE? and a 5DR FR is a sports version? and if so whats a cupra then, i thought that was the sports model?

not after anything too sporty, more comfort, nice sound system, economical. the ST is the estate right? that looks nice too but im after a smaller car than the octavia so id probably stick with the normal hatch.

thanks

EDIT: thanks for the heads up on the alfa, i like the look of them so its interesting to hear theyre disappointing.

5DR FR is a sports version?

In the previous Leon range it went FR = Fast. Cupra = Faster. The new Leon FR is more of a trim level with more engine choices than previously. The Cupra is still the fast one (265 and 280hp, 2.0T petrol only)

ST is the estate SC is the three door.

the 1.4 TSI (in whatever trim level you prefer) is probably the one to look at for a balance of reasonable poke and good economy

the 1.4 TSI (in whatever trim level you prefer) is probably the one to look at for a balance of reasonable poke and good economy

im not really a car person, is dual clutch DSG those flappy paddle gears, so you change gear at the wheel? and if so, how does it affect fuel economy?

I've been reading about very high oil consumption on the 1.4 TSI engine, 1 litre every 500 miles isn't uncommon. My reading was aimed at the sportier stuff Fabia VRS, Ibiza Cupra so may not be relevant, but plenty of stories from people with multiple engine swaps.

Got a 1.4FR and well pleased with it. Certainly goes well with pretty good fuel consumption as a bonus. Very nice to drive and equipment level as standard pretty good. Got LED lights and sat nav as part of offer at no extra cost. Sat nav pretty rubbish have to say, would have been well anoyed if had paid for it. Do find paint does seem to mark very easily, awful lot of stone chips on it for age.

I just got a 61 plate 170 FR from the auctions. Its very noisy with the tyres and quite hard suspension. I absolutely love it. gives me a smile just sitting in it. Lots of fun to drive and still gives 60mpg. Far better than my mates MK6 golf even though similar gear. Still yet to find out what FR stands for? (Fast Rickshaw) 🙂