2014 Seat Leon 1.6 TDI CR 110 Ecomotive SE

At first, I didn’t notice that I was driving a green car. Having been on the road for 4 hours, I started to wonder why the fuel gauge was still “Full”. I realized that this is the future: Fewer visits to the gas stations – and a greener world!

I have tested one of the greenest diesel cars on a trip to Essex (UK) where I enjoyed a superb afternoon tea at the Wivenhoe Hotel with a stay-over at the old George Hotel in Colchester. Did I mention that I prefer green tea?

The newest Common Rail TDI from Volkswagen Group has a fenomenal MPG. If you keep the car rolling steady at 60 mph, consumption can be as low as 3.3 l/100 km – or 71 mpg (US). This engine was actually first mass produced in this new Seat Leon MkIII.

Look-and-Feel
In my opinion, all the Leons have beautiful designs. So too, our test car in Apollo Blue with the 16 inch factory mounted alloy wheels. Although it shares the chassis with the Golf, it seems much longer and wider, – but that turned out to be an illusion. On paper, it is only a few centimeters (an inch or two) separating it from the Golf. Compared to its predecessor, the MkIII has a sharper design and a more aggressive front. The LED headlights have a triangular shape and look fabulous. My test car had the standard reflectors, though.

Inside, it looks like any product from the Volkswagen Group. The interior does not belong in the premium class, but I like the classic contemporary layout. I especially like the solution with the two displays on the dashboard. One is centered and one is placed between the driver’s instruments. With the upgraded navigation/infotainment feature, the two displays work in combination to provide the driver with the most important information.

I also noticed that the seats are softer than I am used to. They remind me a little of French cars. However, they are quite comfortable. Leon does not use the electric handbrake solution we find in Volkswagen and Audi. I knew they had to cut the costs somewhere! I give it a “4” for Look-and-Feel, but I would definitely give it a “5” if it had the LED package and the upgraded Infotainment system.

Driving
The incredible low consumption did not have any influence on the driving pleasure. As with all TDI engines, it delivers a real good low-end torque, and 110 hp is plenty for this car. The 6-speed manual transmission worked very well. On the road, the Leon gave me the same feeling I get in Golf and Audi A3: Safe, comfortable, firm, a little sporty and responsive.

Comfort
The first thing I noticed, is the absence of engine noise. I had to rev the engine quite hard to hear it. I wonder if this is a feature of the newly developed engine, or maybe the Leon now has got a very good sound insulation? I would also like to mention the comfortable seating, the easy-to-use infotainment system and the climate system.

Space
There are plenty of legroom both in the front and the back. The luggage compartment of 380 liters is the same as in Golf. It is a bit too small for families with children, but Leon also comes in a very stylish station wagon (ST).

Safety
All relevant safety features are in place from Volkswagen Group. I noticed that Seat Leon has slightly better scores in the Euro NCAP than its cousin, the latest Golf.

Economy
The fuel economy is incredible, probably the best you can get in a compact car without Hybrid Technology. The engine has Start & Stop.

On the secondhand market, Seats are not as popular as Volkswagens. I am not sure, but it seems that Seats also are even less popular than Skodas. I have noticed that in Seat’s home city, Barcelona, taxi stands are totally dominated by Skodas, not Seat. Still, I think Leon with Volkswagens brand new Bluemotion engine is one of the best buys you can do from an economic perspective.

• Incredible MPG
• Good sound isolation

• None