New SEAT Leon revealed. Plus we spy hot Ateca Cupra
■ Hatch gets styling update and new engines; on sale in February
SEAT is in the middle of its biggest product offensive ever, and following the arrival of the Ateca SUV in UK dealers, the Spanish manufacturer has introduced an updated version of the Leon.
The Volkswagen Golf-rivalling hatchback now features new engines, added safety tech and minor visual updates, and goes on sale here in February. Prices will be announced closer to the launch, but should hover around the current car’s £17,400 starting figure.
The updates spread across the entire Leon line-up, with the five-door hatch and ST estate arriving first, followed by the three-door SC, rugged X-perience and range-topping Cupra models.
As we’ve come to expect from midlife updates, visual changes are minor. Dr Matthias Rabe, SEAT’S vice president for research and design, told Auto Express: “If you look to the design, you might say there is not a big change, and you’d be right. We really concentrated on the technology and wanted to modify the car with small steps.”
The reshaped front bumper now features a grille that has been stretched by 40mm, while three new exterior colours and alloy wheel designs are now available. Inside, SEAT has taken greater steps to improve the finish of the Leon. New door linings, seat upholsteries, an electric handbrake and ambient lighting have all been added, while SEAT has also introduced a flagship XCELLENCE trim that sits parallel to sporty FR models, but focuses more on luxury.
More tech comes in the shape of a new digital instrument cluster, much like Audi’s Virtual Cockpit display. It won’t be offered immediately but will be available towards the middle of next
“We really concentrated on the technology and wanted to modify the car with small steps”
Interior gets higher-quality materials and ambient lighting, plus electric handbrake
year. Changes continue under the bonnet, with SEAT introducing a new 115bhp 1.0litre three-cylinder turbo for the first time. It’s the same engine that’s available in the Golf and Audi A3; all cars also use the same MQB chassis technology. Another new arrival is a 115bhp version of the 1.6-litre diesel. As before, gearbox options comprise five and six-speed manuals, plus a DSG auto.
As for the fiery Cupra variants, no official announcement has been made with regards to performance updates, but SEAT has said it will arrive next year “complete with its own surprises”. That could mean a small bump in power from the 2.0-litre turbo to bring the hot hatch in line with the 296bhp Golf R.
From launch, the updated Leon will be offered in five trims: S, SE Dynamic, SE Technology, FR and XCELLENCE. With the exception of entry-level models, all Leons now come with a larger eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
The range also now benefits from a raft of tech first seen on the Ateca, with wireless phone charging, traffic sign recognition and Traffic Jam Assist now available. The latter is able to bring the car to a complete stop and continue automatically when the traffic begins to flow again. Smartphone tech such as Apple Carplay, Android Auto and Mirrorlink are already included on the current Leon.