SEAT Leon FR
Expert Rating:
Introduction
You may know that until recently we at Yahoo! Cars ran a SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI Sport as a long termer. And a very popular long termer it was too, except for one major thing: its brutally hard ride. But when we gave SEAT bosses a mild earful about it one day, we were promised that with the facelift the Spanish firm had dialled some comfort into the sportier versions. So, of course, we said: "ok then, prove it." The results are in.
What are its rivals?
The FR is the hot version of SEAT's sporty family hatch. Well, it's one of them; SEAT sells no less than three fast Leons; the hottest of which is the 240bhp Cupra, followed by the petrol-powered FR with 200bhp, then this, the 170bhp diesel version. Oh, and there's a 265bhp Cupra R on the way too.
So this is essentially the coolest hot hatch in the range (cool in the temperate sense), but that doesn't mean it's a slouch. That's because of its vast torque reservoir. We're all naturally drawn to a car's power figure, but really it's the torque that dictates how quick it is, so compare this car's 258lb.ft to, say, the Golf GTI's 206lb.ft and you'll see that it's worthy of its FR badge.
Other hot diesels include the new Golf GTD (which shares this car's common rail diesel engine), the Mazda3 2.2 Sport Diesel, the Skoda Octavia vRS (another engine sharer) and... that's about it in terms of deliberately fiery oil burners, actually. If only Ford would make a diesel Focus ST - we'd certainly be in favour of an ST-D.
How does it drive?
Let's start by putting you out of your misery on the ride question: the facelift has indeed put a bit of extra spring into the Leon's step. Good. However, while there is noticeably more compliance to the chassis - the car now goes over road imperfections without rattling its occupants to their very cores - it's still set up very much on the side of firm. The ultra low profile tyres that come as standard contribute to that.
But the newer Leon still transmits much of what's happening under the tyres up through the cabin, which from a driving involvement perspective is a positive thing. Plus it has a new trick up its sleeve this time around: XDS. This is a piece of electronic wizardry taken straight from the Golf GTI that adds a layer of cornering expertise hitherto unavailable to Leon owners. Essentially the system senses when the front wheels are losing grip during cornering, then brakes the inside wheel to pull the car around. It works splendidly too.
But we do have one or two gripes. Perhaps it's the raised expectation that accompanies the FR badges dotted about the car, but the steering is a little too light and a little too vague for the first few inches of travel. It seems to sharpen up progressively, but it's lacking in feel. Then there's the power delivery. While we like the big slug of torque that the FR TDI serves up, it runs out all too quickly; fine for flexible day-to-day progress, but there's an ever present reality of having to reach for another gear earlier than you'd like to.
What's impressive?
In terms of that balance of looks, price, performance and running costs that most buyers yearn for, the diesel FR is hugely attractive. A purchase price of £18,440 for this car doesn't seem a lot considering the lower TDI Sport model costs £17,390. For the premium you're getting an altogether sportier façade including silver mirror caps, distinct 17-inch alloys, a more aggressive body kit, twin chrome tail pipes, proper sports seats, a flat-bottomed leather steering wheel and, of course, 30bhp and 22lb.ft more. Amazing value really.
We also like the midlife updates, which while far from being the most comprehensive set we've ever seen, do raise the Leon's appearance and tactility notably, especially the renewed heating and stereo controls.
What's not?
If SEAT had gone an inch or two further with the facelift, the Leon would be a much better car. An obvious statement, perhaps, but the chassis could do with a degree more suppleness to make it more user-friendly day-to-day; suppressing the diesel rattle a little more would have the same effect; and the interior would benefit from more visual differences over the pre-facelift car. Some of Volkswagen's material quality knowhow wouldn't go amiss either - the Leon still feels built down to a price as compared to its Golf sister car. The flat plastic section at the bottom of the steering wheel is especially hollow and cheap.
Should I buy one?
Absolutely. For all we've just nit-picked our way through a few complaints, the Leon in this guise is ultimately a very enticing ownership prospect: it's potent, economical (53.3mpg and 139g/km), visually arresting and it actually has a bit of character. Others surpass it in the tactility stakes, and you might still struggle with its ride, but it's otherwise a very pleasing hatch. However, if it's an out and out hot hatch you're after, we might advise you to swallow the extra cost and go for the petrol version instead. Torque-rich it may be, but the diesel FR has the slight whiff of a chubby guy in a tracksuit: strong and looks the part, but runs out of puff all too quickly.
