SecondHandSense:THE SEAT Leon could be described as a Volkswagen Golf with edgy styling and a lot better value second-hand.
But while it is true to say that the two cars share many common parts and engineering, both are quite distinct. Seat is, of course, part of the greater VW family and benefits greatly from shared technology within the group, but the Leon could never really be described as a mere Golf clone. The model built from 2005 on was designed by Walter d'Silva whose brief was to give Seat a separate identity with a sporty profile.
It worked. The Leon has great looks and an identity all of its own. Front, back and sides have all had the d'Silva treatment and the recessed rear door handles are one of his trademarks. It is a satisfying car to drive too.
It comes in a variety of specifications and engine choices - the 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol and the 1.9-litre TDi diesel.
The exterior looks are matched in large part on the inside. The cabin is bright, comfortable and airy, but there is a lot of grey plastic. A sporty theme runs through the inside and it is certainly a different prospect than many cars in this class, with clever design of switchgear and backlit instrumentation.
Ride and handling are fine and in some cases both feel better than the Golf. Beware the sporty models, however, which have been tuned with performance rather than comfort in mind. The car is well suited for a small family because the boot space is very generous.
Some 27,000 Seat cars were recalled in Europe in 2005 because of cracks in the vacuum pipe to the brake servo. Otherwise there have been no major recalls for the Leon. The car has a four-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash test programme.
In the Golf/Focus/Corolla class, the Leon is worth considering for its looks, reliability and youthful appeal.
A 2005 model with the 1.4-litre petrol engine, multiple airbags, alloys, electrics, CD player and with 15,000km is on offer for €13,950, expect to pay about €500 more for a 1.6-litre. A 1.9-litre TDi with 53,000km is on offer for €15,950.