SEAT Leon ST (2014 - 2020) 2.0 TDI FR (Technology Pack) 5d Owner Review

I’ve had my car for just over a week now and although the honeymoon period is fading, it continues to impress me in many ways. I would go as far as to say that the Leon FR ST has surpassed most of my initial expectations (with only a few minor let downs) and I’d make the same choice if I were to buy again tomorrow. My wife insisted on an estate (mainly for camping trips) whereas my criteria was performance, handling, economy and styling. Our Leon ticks most of those boxes with little compromise. If you’re looking for a vaguely sporty estate on a budget (and I’m guessing you are as you wouldn’t be reading this) I must make reference to the two main contenders during my research and test drives. Looks Right now (July 2017) I honestly think this car will turns heads more than anything else at the same price point on the used market. It looks great from most angles (especially above). I wasn’t completely convinced on how well the design will stand up as the years roll by, but in comparison to ‘the contenders’ (Octy Elegance estate and Golf SE estate) it looks considerably sharper, younger, sportier, and brave with it’s sharp cut angles and 17 inch alloys. I dare say the Golf and Octavia will age better but they’re so boring to look at I find it hard to care or feel regret over my purchase. The Tech Pack (an absolute no brainer) also brings full LED headlights front and rear with aggressive and contemporary daytime running lights. Only Audis look as good from the front but were well over our budget. Tech For an extra 5-700 quid (used) the Tech Pack is a must. We were tempted by an absolutely mint example but the absence of this was a deal breaker. It brings full LED headlights, ‘coming home’ option, electric/remote power folding mirrors, better colour screen between the speedo and rev counter allowing full access to all the infotainment functions, DAB radio, and sat nav. The version I have also has voice activation which is a bit of a gimmick and somewhat hit and miss. Amusing nonetheless. The display on the infotainment system isn’t quite to the same standard as equivalent Skoda or VW models but functions just as well. I found the stereo in the Octavia quite poor. I like my music and have no gripes about the stock stereo in my Leon. Standard spec on the FR model also includes half leather upholstery, duel zone climate control, full electric windows front and rear, illuminated LED interior strip on the door panels, adaptive cruise control, and a choice of either 150 or 184 bhp units if you’re buying diesel. The remote can also open and close the windows when locking/unlocking which is quite cool. No USB with our version although it does have a media port (which I favoured) as well as a CD player and two SD card slots stowed away in the glove box. The ‘Illumination Pack’ in ours also brings LED bulbs throughout the interior, footwell lights, and LED number plate lights. The brightness of these is adjustable in the infotainment option screens. Performance/Economy Firstly, the steering and manual gearbox in mine are exceptional. The steering is light and nicely weighted in ‘Normal’ driving mode but can be weighted up through ‘Sport’ mode. Driving modes deliver exactly what they promise and therefore serve genuine purpose (as opposed to some cars that have these options purely as a selling feature). The car turns in directly and precisely with no need for correction. There’s also more grip than I’d ever be looking to push beyond. Of course, if I had the budget, I would have undoubtedly stretched to the 184bhp version, although after a week of realworld driving, I question how much use you would get out of it’s full performace capability on our congested roads. So is the 150bhp powerful enough? I guess that depends what you’re coming from. We actually bought the FR version for the extra tech and styling but I’ve had a number of much quicker cars baiting me on slips roads and at junctions because of the FR badge. One guy was stuck to the back of me on a slip road then shot past in a BMW 330d. Not sure if it was a genuine challenge or to make himself feel better about his small manhood? I know my cars and wouldn’t even start to make a fool of myself there. Made me laugh anyway. Power delivery is ample in every gear but you should probably think of this car as a quick cruiser as opposed to a punchy racer. If your main driver is performance I’d probably look at some other options. It is after all a diesel and 150bhp is only slightly above average by todays standards. I once had a 130bhp GTD which I thought was quick at the time although my Leon would leave it for dead. Raw speed aside, there are some major plus points with this engine that should be noted: 1. Pick up is there from all but standstill and the 150bhp offers far more over all gears and revs than the 1.6 TDi that we tested in an Octy Elegance. 2. The Leon (even in estate form) is light enough to match the performance of a Golf GT in hatchback form and with the same engine. 3. 1.6 TDi only has a 5 speed box and it’s not happy in any scenario but cruising. When I drove a car with this engine, I soon realised that it would need constant gear shifts between 2nd and 3rd in town. The 150bhp unit however is happy in 3rd at 30 and will happily cruise in 6th at 1200-1300 rpm. 4. There’s enough grunt in 2nd and 3rd to put a smile on your face. It’s geared very low in 1st and 2nd but 3rd can take you from 40-70 (erm, possibly a bit beyond) pretty swiftly and throttle response is instant. It’s the ‘go to’ gear with this engine Fuel economy continues to be somewhat of a revelation. I filled the tank on Friday (£50 from an almost empty tank with 40 miles range). Since then I’ve been driving in entirely urban conditions in and around the town I live in with the average mpg since refuel showing 54mpg !! I’ve also got used to start/stop which can often save 5 minutes of fuel burning at a few sets of traffic lights. Refinement This area is one of my only gripes and a definite trade off to buying VW or Skoda instead. If you’ve sat in or driven a modern Skoda or VW, a budget reality check will follow in a SEAT. Before I put you off you should consider that my comments are based on the extremely high standards we have come to expect in modern cars. I can live with the materials. A motoring journalist summarised this perfectly with their comment ‘the cabin is smart rather than premium’. A Golf or Octy will make you feel special, whereas the Leon leans more towards function than premium glamour. That said, use of materials is very clever as the quality’s there where it matters and where you spend most of the time looking. There’s also compromise to be made with noise levels. The diesel is quite noisy when idle and at a standstill. There’s more road noise at cruising speed than a Golf (I’ve had three and still have a mk5 FSI). This is understandable as when you sit at the roadside, there’s quite a bit of outside noise in the cabin particularly from the back of the car (possibly more so in the estate version as noise proofing seems virtually none existent at the back). There’s more vibration on startup than I’d expect in a VW or Skoda but the engine is very refined over 30mph where you’d be hard pushed to know it was a diesel. There are also rattles in the door panels which can be pretty annoying in a nearly new car. It’s generally really well screwed together so I can’t see any reason why SEAT should have let things slip here. Refinement of electrics also leave a lot to be desired. The folding mirrors for instance make a noise that make you question whether the motors are up to the job. So I guess you have to weigh up what’s most important to you. To conclude on a positive note, here are a few reasons to buy one: * It looks better than both a Golf or Octy estate (in most people’s opinion, not just mine) * It’s cheaper than a Golf or Octy estate (up to £2000 less than an equivalent Golf GT estate) so you can buy newer or lower miles for the same money * Some of the options are not even available on the Octy or Golf and would cost you a small fortune with an Audi equivelent. * The economy’s great but there’s a bit of power there if you need it. * The ST (estate to you and me) is rare and unique and a refreshing change to the procession of usual suspects * It drives better on the twisty bits than a Golf in my opinion. Motoring journalists would never say this but that’s what I believe through my own experience. * The Octy has my favourite cabin. I was genuinely blown away by the quality and how much influence VW have had on the build quality of modern day Skodas. Unfortunately they’re more expensive than the Leon and the crashy ride and body roll put the nail in the coffin for me. The boot in the Octy is huge but it feels like an estate car for it. If you put someone in a Leon with a blindfold on, they would not know it was an estate when driving (obviously with blindfold taken off by this point)