Volkswagen might have played it safe with
the 2020 Golf Mk8, but Seat is here to spice things up with the all-new Leon.
Looking even better than its predecessor, the redesigned Leon has a bold front
fascia with an upright grille that is flanked by slender LED headlights
featuring distinctive daytime running lights. Further below, there are sporty
air intakes and horizontal fog lights. The dynamic styling continues further
back as the Leon has a sculpted hood and flowing bodywork. The latter features
pronounced fenders and strong character lines.
Elsewhere, the Leon has a rakish
windscreen and a gently sloping roof which meets a tailgate-mounted spoiler.
The model also has a dynamic greenhouse and a sporty rear end with slender
taillights that are connected by a thin illuminated strip. Overall, the
hatchback measures 4,368 mm long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,456 mm tall with a wheelbase that spans 2,686
mm. This means the model is 86 mm longer than its predecessor and
has a wheelbase that has grown 50 mm. The vehicle is also slightly shorter and
narrower than before. An assortment of trims will be available, but the
range-topping FR is the most distinctive. It features unique bumpers, larger
17-inch alloy wheels and a sport-tuned suspension.
The cabin follows in the footsteps of the
Golf, but has its own unique design. Drivers sit behind a 10.25-inch digital
instrument cluster and will find an 8- or 10-inch infotainment system to their
right. Speaking of the latter, the
infotainment system features natural voice control as well as Android Auto and
wireless Apple CarPlay. The angular dashboard has a wide swath of trim and
stylish air vents with metallic accents. Further below, there’s a minimalist
center stack and a streamlined console. Thanks to the larger dimensions, the
Leon is more accommodating than its predecessor. The Sportstourer now has a boot capacity of 617 liters which is an improvement of 30
liters. However, the hatchback retains
it’s capacity of 380 liters.
Engine options carryover from the Golf and
include a 1.0-liter TSI three-cylinder petrol with outputs of 89 hp and 108 hp. Customers can also opt for a 1.5-liter engine
that has outputs of 128 hp and 148 hp.
Lastly, there’s a 2.0-liter TSI four-cylinder with 187 hp. On
the diesel side, there’s a 2.0-liter TDI which is available with outputs of 113
hp and 148 hp.
There will also be a CNG variant with a
1.5-liter engine that produces 128 hp. That particular model will have three CNG
tanks which give the car a range of 440 km. Since natural gas can be hard to find in a
pinch, the model will automatically switch over to petrol if the CNG tanks run
dry. The big news is the addition of a plug-in hybrid variant which uses a
1.4-liter TSI engine, an electric motor and a 13 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
This setup gives the model a combined output of 201 hp and an
electric-only range of approximately 60 km.
There will also be mild hybrid variants
based on the 108 hp 1.0-liter TSI engine as well as the
1.5-liter TSI with 148 hp. They feature a dual-clutch transmission, a starter-generator, a
lithium-ion battery and regenerative brakes. Seat didn’t go into too many
details, but the hybrid variants will reduce fuel consumption as the engine can
be shut off while coasting to a stop. The electric motor can also provide
assistance to help with off-the-line acceleration.
On the safety front, there’s a host of
driver assistance systems including Adaptive Cruise Control, Dynamic Chassis
Control, Emergency Assist 3.0, Travel Assist as well as Side and Exit assist.
The 2020 Seat will go on sale in the second quarter and additional information
will be announced closer to launch.
