Leon is best family hatch

Seat’s Leon is our Family Hatch of the Year.

This facelifted third-generation Leon is a Focus-sized model that now offers smarter styling, improved media connectivity, extra safety provision and some fresh new engine options.

The third-generation version – launched in 2012 – built upon the solid foundation established by its predecessors but in the years since its introduction the competition in the Focus-class family hatchback sector has become much tougher. Hence the need for this improved Leon with its slicker looks, stronger safety and improved media connectivity.

Under the bonnet, things are much as before, though there has been a change at the foot of the petrol range, where a 1.0-litre TSI three cylinder 115hp unit slots in above the existing 1.2-litre TSI 110hp four cylinder powerplant. Other petrol engine options include a 1.4-litre TSI unit with 125hp and a 1.4 EcoTSI variant with 150hp efficient Cylinder-on-Demand technology.

This car is based on the same MQB platform that undergirds VW’s Golf, Audi’s A3 and Skoda’s Octavia and produces enough torsional stiffness to allow this model to combine a supple ride with firm body control.

As before, Leon buyers choose from either a five-door hatch, an ‘ST’ estate model or an ‘SC’ three-door coupe.

At the front and rear, there are revised bumpers and bodywork with sharper, more assertive lines, plus there’s a smarter chromed front grille.

Inside, the ambient lighting LEDs’ intensity can be regulated as the driver wishes from the newly redesigned eight-inch central infotainment screen. This monitor eliminates the need for many of the buttons and dials that were scattered around the fascia on the previous model.

The Leon has long been the pick of the Volkswagen Group offerings in this sector. That also makes it one of the key segment benchmarks outside the Wolfsburg family of brands, which, in turn, makes it a very good car indeed.

The Leon comes as a five-door hatch, an ‘ST’ estate model or an ‘SC’ three-door coupe.