Which hatch is this one, again?
Seat’s new Leon looks so generic, it’s making our eyes go a bit funny.
Who knows what this car actually is? It’s a Ford Focus, right? No wait… a Hyundai i30? Mazda 3? Mercedes A-Class? The front-drive 1-series?
Oh hang on, just spotted the badges on the back – it’s 2020’s new Seat Leon! The VW Group hatch from Spain has reached its fourth generation and, as is the way with a new version, there’s more technology on board than the previous generation, cleaner engines and a new (if completely anonymous) design.
Yes, the Seat that we know and love for managing to offer some points of distinction from the donor VW Golf has decided not to bother at all this time round. Along with the entirely derivative exterior look, the interior has been lifted wholesale from the recently debuted Mk8 Golf with only a badge telling you you’re in the Spanish version.
Most of the Leon’s cabin functions no longer have a physical switch. Instead you need to use a touch panel or access them via the ‘natural’ voice assistant – you can say things like ‘I’m cold’ and it’ll turn the heating up. A large, glossy digital instrument system gives you loads of info, with scrolling controlled by buttons mounted on the steering wheel. The new family hatch uses the MQB Evo platform, which has allowed the designers to extend the wheelbase by 50mm, meaning more space inside and a 30-litre bigger boot for the estate.
As Seat readies the production version of its El Born EV, the Leon will be filling in the rest of the electrification gaps. So, along with the familiar TSI petrol (109bhp-187bhp) and TDI diesel engines (113bhp and 148bhp), there are all-new eTSI mild hybrids with 48-volt integrated starter motors and a plug-in hybrid capable of 38 miles of zeroemission motoring. A hot Cupra version is coming – not that you’ll be able to tell.
Six trims and no option packs should keep things simple at the point of ordering, even if you’re under the impression you’re buying a Focus.