SEAT Leon facelift review (2009 onwards model)

• What – SEAT Leon facelift
• Where – Madrid, Spain
• Date – April 2009
• Price – TBC
• Available – July
• Key rivals – VW Golf, Ford Focus, Renault Megane, Mazda 3, Vauxhall Astra, Citroen C4, Volvo C30, Honda Civic

Summary

A mild facelift for the Leon masks significant engine upgrades, not least the blistering 211hp turbocharged motor from the brand new Golf GTI.

• We like – Golf GTI pace for a fraction of the price, smooth new common-rail diesel, sharp handling, improved ride comfort
• We don’t like – cheap cabin plastics, claustrophobic interior, A-pillar blindspots, occasionally fidgety ride

GALLERY: SEAT Leon facelift

First impressions

For those unafflicted by badge snobbery the hotter versions of the SEAT Leon have always been something of a steal. Comparisons with the VW Golf with which it shares its architecture and engines are inevitable, the sporty FR cars offering near-identical performance to their VW relatives for significantly less money - up to £4,000 in some cases.

With its identical engine, the petrol-powered Leon FR has matched the Golf GTI pretty much blow for blow. But SEAT's on-track success with diesel powered Leons in the British and World Touring Car Championships means it's pushed ahead with its own diesel performance version too, something VW has only just addressed with the announcement of its own Golf GTD.

So SEAT has a head start here, the diesel powered Leon FR accounting for nearly a fifth of Leon sales on its own and proving there is an enthusiastic market for sporty diesel hatches. And both the diesel and petrol versions of the FR gain new engines as part of a facelift for the Leon range.

Just launched in the brand new Golf GTI, the new Leon FR petrol gets the same 211hp engine - an 11hp hike. Outputs for the facelifted FR 2.0 TDI are as before - 170hp and 258lb ft of torque - but the engine is the latest, smooth-running common-rail unit. Aesthetically new lights, bumpers and other tweaks sharpen the Leon's distinctive lines.

Performance

The existing 200hp petrol Leon FR 2.0 TSI isn't exactly sluggish but the new 211hp version is discreetly an extremely rapid car. Less heart-on-sleeve than the Cupra version, the fact it's just a couple of tenths here and a mph or two there off the pace of the new Golf GTI speaks volumes for its ability.

But it's with the new common-rail diesel engine that the Leon FR reveals its more beguiling side. And, let's not forget, this is the road-going relative of a racing car that's won the WTCC and contributed to SEAT's 43 BTCC victories, even though the team left the British championship at the end of 2008.

There was never any complaint with the way the existing version went of course. But the old Pump Düse engine's one-dimensional power delivery and gruff nature was starting to feel a little crude. No such worries with the new common-rail version, which is sophisticated, smooth and - it goes without saying - effortlessly rapid.

0-62mph takes just 8.1 seconds but it's in the mid-range where the diesel thrust really comes into its own, the TDI's in-gear acceleration in the critical overtaking range of 50-75mph just three-tenths behind the 211hp turbocharged petrol car. Better still you can now have the diesel FR with the DSG gearbox, further improving acceleration times.

Ride and handling

Golf underpinnings means the Leon benefits from the same sophisticated multi-link rear suspension set-up, putting it on a par with class leaders like the Focus and well ahead of the likes of the Civic, Megane and Astra with their semi-independent twist-beams. It's just one example of why the Leon is such a relative bargain.

The original car did come in for criticism for having a somewhat uncompromising set-up though and SEAT has responded by dialling back springs and dampers across the facelifted Leon range. The FR runs 7mm lower than the rest and the front springs and anti-roll bars have been softened by 20% and 15% respectively - significant margins, no mistake.

Final judgement will have to wait until we've driven it on typically uncompromising British tarmac but first impressions on the Spanish roads of the test route suggest a more sophisticated, less aggressive feel. The Leon is still an overtly sporty car though and feels much more nimble and lighter on its feet than the conservative Golf.

The diesel is heavier in the nose than the petrol but doesn't blunt the Leon's keenness to attack twisty roads. The steering is quick and direct, the dampers working as a perfect quartet to deliver poise and grip aplenty. FR models also gain limited-slip diff mimicking XDS traction control, as seen on the Golf GTI.

Interior

That four grand you're saving over a Golf GTI or GTD? You'll know where the costs have been cut when you get inside the Leon. True, the basic architecture, the design and the ergonomics are all pretty good. But it falls down in the materials, which are predominantly hard, plasticky and insubstantial.

We'll miss the glowing red dials too - much as VW has abandoned its trademark purple ones SEAT has chosen white illumination for clarity's sake. Obvious changes include a new three-spoke multifunction wheel and revised centre console, clearly influenced by the latest Ibiza. Optional coloured Alcantara inserts on the FR's seats do lift the atmosphere significantly too.

Economy and safety

Elsewhere in the range SEAT is looking to educate its customers in the benefits of downsizing, the 125hp turbocharged 1.4 TSI introduced last year apparently not yet fulfilling its sales potential as it has elsewhere in the VW group. But even these sportier FR models are impressively frugal and clean given the performance on offer.

The 2.0 FSI petrol drops from 190g/km to 170g/km, cutting VED from £215 to £175 under the proposed regrouping due soon and saving 4% on company car tax. The diesel FR offers similar benefits, dropping from 159g/km to 139g/km although the DSG version suffers at 150g/km. 53.3mpg is a useful gain from the existing car's 47.1mpg too.

The MSN Cars verdict

Golf buyers can rest assured the premium they're paying for the VW badge offers a step up over the mechanically similar SEAT. But keen drivers with an eye for a bargain are very well served by the Leon, especially in FR form. Sharp to look at and great to drive, a plasticky cabin could be a compromise worth making.

More pictures of the SEAT Leon from Live Search

Others to consider

VW Golf
Ford Focus
Renault Megane
Mazda 3
Vauxhall Astra
Citroen C4
Volvo C30
Honda Civic