SEAT Leon Hatchback (2013 - 2020) 2.0 TDI FR (Technology Pack) 5d (2013/13) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

I think it says that I want good performance, though not at the expense of the environment, and that I like to let my hair down a bit at times too. It also says I'm not going to follow the crowd and pay over the odds for a more commonly seen brand.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They love it as much as I do. They love the looks (it looks really smart in Emocion red), and they find it really comfortable as passengers. My partner really enjoys driving a car that responds when he puts his foot down.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Definitely. It's fun to drive when I'm in a sporty mood, but it's also very cheap to run. On a couple of long journeys last year it did 60 mpg, a lot of which was on motorways. Add to that the ridiculously cheap £20 car tax, and the fact that it's cheaper to insure than my previous car (an 07 Clio 1.6) and you'd be a fool not to love it.

What are you likely to buy next?

I would start by looking at SEAT. However, I have no plans to even think about getting rid of my Leon. I love it too much.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

Yes

What price did you pay?

£21,635

When did you buy the car?

June 2013

Did you get a good deal and why?

I feel the deal I received was reasonable, in that the Technology Pack was offered at a considerable discount. (However, shortly after the sale was completed, SEAT started offering it for free!).

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

A relative recommended me to take a look at the new Leon. When I realised it was so closely related to the Audi A3 and considerably cheaper, I thought it was worth considering. The appalling sales team at my local Audi dealership made my mind up for me.

What was the dealer like?

Excellent. I could not fault EAG (Southend) for their attention. Neil, who oversaw my purchase, was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the vehicle and happy to answer my many questions. He even arranged for me to test-drive two different trim levels side-by-side and to have a second test-drive in the car I eventually bought to confirm I was happy with it. It was clear that he wanted me to be happy with the car, and wasn't just interested in hitting sales targets.

What's it like to drive?

Great! It seems to take all types of road in its stride. I wanted a car which felt secure at speed on dual carriageways, and this certainly does. It effortlessly gets to 70 mph and stays there. I'm sure it would be just as happy at 85 or more on an Autobahn! However, it's fine around town too, and on a mixed trip regularly returns in excess of 58 mpg.

What's it like to park?

Easy. There's a drop-down door mirror on the passenger side to save me scraping the alloys, and front and back parking sensors with a display on the information system screen take all the guesswork out of parking.

Have you had any problems with the car?

I still get excited when I have the chance to take the car out on a longer drive. The only annoyance I've had is with some trim which rattles in a very irritating way under a certain combination of outside/inside temperatures. I'm confident they'll sort it out - I'll ask them to re-fit the piece of trim in question when it has its first service.

What's most practical about your car?

It's very well laid out inside - all controls close to hand, and plenty of options available from the steering wheel and column stalks. Perhaps the most practical thing is voice control of things like the sat nav and phone calls.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

There are many gadgets I've never had before, but wouldn't want to be without again. I can't pick out one as a favourite. The cruise control has surprised me with how much stress it takes out of dual carriageway driving. I love the automatic headlights - another thing less to think about. Climate control is a real luxury.