RoadTest Seat Leon: For years we've been confused with exactly what role Seat had in the world. Starting off life as a cheap and cheerful imitator of other models - albeit under licence - it was snapped up by Germany's VW motoring empire.
However, once Skoda was firmly in the fold as well, that position in the market seemed to be over-crowded.
So where for Seat? Well, how about 'sporting emotion'? But where does that leave Audi, apart from being more expensive?
Seat has certainly moved into the tight niche that is sporting good looks at a reasonable price, but when you consider the statement by VW chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder some weeks ago that he can't see the point of expensive cars when today's cheaper ones do as good a job, you would have to wonder why we bother buying the likes of the Audi A3 at all.
In reality, however, we all know that our egos require a bit more superficial badge identity and wealth demonstration than such a logical statement allows for.
So long as society measures success on such material matters, Audi will never lose out to these brands, even if the new Leon is based on the same platform, shares many of its parts, and comes at a lower price than either the VW Golf and Audi A3.
Away from the overall strategy for the brand, the first and lasting impression of the Leon is its looks. From the moment it caught our eye in a crowded car park we were hooked. The Leon is beautiful; from the deep groves on the gull-winged bonnet to its stubby tail end. It has earned the use of the 'emotional styling' cliché; dare we say dynamic?
These may be up there in the pantheon of tired old motoring clichés trotted out at every launch. Yet in an industry that turns out these terms as quickly as it presses metal, Seat can at least claim to have some justification for their use with the Leon.
The new family image at Seat has already been admired on the Altea - less so on the Toledo - and now on this hatchback.
Ironically, the Leon was the initial template upon which the design was founded, or rather the true descendant of the Salsa concept car revealed over five years ago.
The designers had meant this Leon to be the first of the new look models to feature on forecourts, but senior management were transfixed with the arrival of five-seater people carriers and wanted to get in on the act.
So the Leon was delayed as designers quickly turned out the Altea and the less-impressive Toledo. While sales of both have been strong enough to support the plan, everyone knew the real inheritor of the Salsa look was always meant to be this car.
Even when they got the others out of the way, the Leon's arrival was delayed somewhat by parent VW, which wanted the new Golf - with which it shares so much - to get a good foothold. Finally, and with an enormous sigh of relief from the designers, it's here.
Apart from the tapered lines, there are other eyecatching features. All have been seen before, but the concealed rear door handles - fitted into the c-pillar like the Alfa 147 - is a nice touch, as is the vertical positioning of the wipers, hidden in the a-pillars as in the earlier Altea.
With such attention to removing features that break the styling lines, it's surprising the designers didn't come up with some way of replacing the wing mirrors as well.
The looks are a real winner, at least on the outside. Inside there can be nothing but praise for the way it manages to retain regular family hatchback spaciousness in spite of the exterior coupé styling.
Yet it's a world apart from the exterior styling. Despite the chequered mock-carbon trim, it's an immensely dull cabin for such a good looking car. Given that it now challenges the 147 in terms of eyecatching appeal, the designers should have studied Alfa's interior as well as its snazzy door handles.
While the dials are easy to read, the central console is pure German practicality; there's no Spanish flair here and the grey swathes of plastic give the car a certain Korean characteristic - not exactly something to be proud of.
Our test car was the entry-level 1.6-litre and for all the racy looks, this engine fails to meet the billing offered by the design. It's fine for town cruising and the gear change is short and snappy. However, take it on to the open roads and it lacks punch at higher speeds.
What's more, at 120km/h it seems very close to the limits of its potential, revving to 4,000rpm. The whine of the engine intrudes into the cabin and on a 40-minute run up the M1, the incessant engine noise dented our initial delight in the Leon.
It's as if you are driving around in third gear. The car desperately needs a sixth gear for motorway cruising. Sadly, Seat doesn't get the more powerful 1.6 FSI unit offered by others in the VW family.
A 1.4-litre version is also due out in the new year, but if the 1.6-litre is anything to go by, we wouldn't fancy taking it from Dublin to Belfast.
The speed-related variable steering is light and precise and the ride is good, though it has a tendency to bottom-out on severe bumps and more than once we heard the piercing scrape of the sump guard hitting the tarmac.
With Ford and VW opting to leave the lines of the Focus and Golf largely untouched in their latest incarnations, the Leon offers something new and vibrant to the hatchback market.
Entry-level engine issues aside, it's a winner in the emotional stakes by virtue of styling. Not since the 147 has there been such an appealing car in this sector.
Match this design flair with reputable German parentage - all at a competitive price - and it's likely we'll see a lot more Leons on the road in 2006.
