Test Seat León FR 1.5 eTSI 150 HP DSG 7v 5 doors (with video)

Seat entered a new era with the arrival of the first Seat Leon. It was the year 1999, and the new compact from the Spanish firm landed with a lot of character and sportiness, carrying behind it the support of the Volkswagen Group. In Spain it soon became a highly demanded model, especially by young people.

Later the second generation would arrive and later, in 2012, the third, which gained a lot of maturity and considerably helped the brand to expand globally. The fourth generation has been on the market for a few months. This time we thoroughly tested the Seat León FR 5-door with the 1.5 hp 150 eTSI engine, the micro hybrid version with the DGT Eco sticker.

Will the new Seat León be able to maintain the success of its predecessor? Will he manage to be the main responsible for the brand being the best-selling in our country? Let's check if the new model has the necessary attributes for it. We get going!

The outside: Yes, and no…

The Seat León has given a notable change at an aesthetic level compared to the previous model. Fortunately, we have been able to couple the new model with a unit of the predecessor generation to appreciate more directly the evolution. In addition, both carry the FR sports finish.

El front changes considerably, with a flatter nose and more character lines. The grille, for example, goes from having four sides to six, while the headlights are more elaborate. Of course, from my point of view, the lower part of the previous one provided a little more aggressiveness.

Meanwhile, the side view The silhouette varies slightly due to the new curves at the front, but in general it has not been a revolution. An appreciable change is perceived in the tension lines, which are different. Now there is only one that starts in the headlights and dies in the taillights. In addition, it must be taken into account that the new model is longer, especially increasing the wheelbase by 5 cm and the total length by almost 9 cm.

All the dimensions of the new 5-door Seat Leon are 4.368 mm long, 1.800 wide and 1.456 high. For its part, the wheelbase is extended to 2.686 mm.

Personally, the rear It is the one that has disappointed me the most in the new model. Despite the personal image of the taillights with the communicated light, it does not convince me. I know this is somewhat subjective, but I don't like that detail or the new calligraphy for the inscription “Leon”. Logically, both exhaust outlets The real ones from the previous Leon FR seem to me much more exciting than the new ones, which are simple trims.

Finally, I do not want to forget to mention the reversing camera location. It is located in an area that is highly exposed to shocks in car parks and also to rear-end shocks. I don't think it's exactly an ideal place. Also, it doesn't hide, so it gets dirty easily. I think it would be much better off hiding in the Seat logo, like the VW Golf does, for example.

Great interior change, but not everything is evolution

I cannot deny that the interior of the new Seat León has left me very good impressions on the one hand, and bad on the other. Let me tell you.

starting with the good, the style is totally new and completely supersedes the previous one. It is much more technological, the quality of the screens has nothing to do with it and it is much more connected. Behind the steering wheel we have a 10,25-inch digital panel and in the center of the dashboard a central infotainment touch screen, which is 10. All perfect.

However, I don't think it's a completely correct evolution. The two features that can be improved are: first, that the steering wheel is riddled with buttons to control a thousand functions and the entire instrument panel and, furthermore, it is not properly organized.

And secondly, something that we already saw in the Volkswagen Golf, which many important functions are controlled by touch. Beware, functions that were easily handled before and now are not; such as the climate control or the activation of the exterior lights. Before they used simple and intuitive roulette wheels. From my point of view, it is a major mistake because we have to stop looking at the road for a longer time.

Improving sensations

Leaving these aspects aside, the Seat Leon now it feels broader from here. Since we now have the floating screen, the dashboard is lower and gives more impression of space. There is also more visibility.

Another detail that I really liked is the curved lighting line that runs along the doors and dashboard. Beyond the aesthetics and its customization, I liked it because the corners light up when we have another vehicle in the blind spot of the mirrors. You already know that most cars have it on the rear-view mirrors. It seems to me a great success.

The materials are generally good, with softer areas above and harder plastics below. If we press through the center there is the occasional noise, but nothing exaggeratedly serious. I like the new DSG gear selector less, which is now a small knob with little visual appeal...

I feel that does not have much to envy the new Golf which we tested a few weeks ago. Of course, in the German it is more successful in some aspects, such as, for example, that the door openings are padded to prevent objects from making noises. In something you have to notice the difference beyond the logos and aesthetic changes.

To finish off this section, we have many slide holes, wireless charging surface for mobile, newly designed air vents (they are now hexagonal, like the exterior grill), USB Type-C connectors and an adjustable central armrest with a drawer. In addition, the seats are noticeably more comfortable than those of the previous FR, although they could still be more comfortable.

More spacious than ever

As we said above, the new Seat Leon is bigger than predecessor. It is longer and also extends the wheelbase by several centimeters. The front seats are spacious for large adults and there is now a greater feeling of spaciousness due to having a lower dashboard.

Meanwhile, the rear squares They are the ones that have won the most in this generational change. The greater distance between axes is clearly appreciated, having several centimeters more space for the knees. At the height level it is more or less average, with enough space for people up to approximately 1,85 meters. As a detail, we have rear air vents with temperature regulation and USB C sockets.

The new Leon has a clear configuration for four people. The central seat can be used but, although it has more legroom than the previous model, the backrest is harder because it has a folding armrest. In addition, the fact that the side seats are more marked does not help either. But at the end of the day it is logical and, from my point of view, intelligent to give more comfort to the side seats by limiting the comfort of the central one, which is rarely used.

A trunk that remains average

The trunk of the 5-door Seat León has a maximum capacity of 380 liters. It is exactly the same as in the predecessor model, standing more or less in the middle of the C-segment. It is also identical to that of the Golf and the A3.

There are some hooks and eyes for hanging bags or securing cargo. The forms are regular and easy to take advantage of. The rear seats can be folded down, but they are not flush with the floor. In case you need more space we can always opt for the ST family body, which expands the volume to 620 liters for around 1.200 euros more. By the way, in this generation we no longer find the three-door body.

Varied mechanical offer

The mechanical offer of the new Seat León has traditional gasoline engines, new 48-volt micro-hybrids, a plug-in hybrid variant and, of course, diesel mechanics. Versions with CNG, Compressed Natural Gas, are expected to be added soon.

The powers range from 90 to 150 CV in the most classic mechanics. For his part, the plug-in hybrid develops a combined maximum power of 150 kW (204 hp). The gearboxes are manual and dual-clutch DSG. In the case of the body there are only front-wheel drive systems, but Seat has confirmed that a Leon ST 4Drive will appear in a few months.

Fuel	Engine name	Power	Manual shift	DSG change
Fuel	Engine name	Power	Manual shift	DSG change
Petrol	1.0 TSI	90 CV	Yes	No
Petrol	1.0 TSI	110 CV	Yes	No
Petrol	1.5 TSI	130 CV	Yes	No
Petrol	1.5 TSI	150 CV	Yes	No
Gasoline (mild hybrid)	1.0 eTSI	110 CV	No	Yes
Gasoline (mild hybrid)	1.5 eTSI	130 CV	No	Yes
Gasoline (mild hybrid)	1.5 eTSI	150 CV	No	Yes
Diesel	2.0 TDI	116 CV	Yes	No
Diesel	2.0 TDI	150 CV	No	Yes
plug-in hybrid	1.4 eHybrid	204 CV	No	Yes

At the wheel: High ride quality and balance

And now yes, let's talk about your driving. I remind you that I am testing the Seat León with a 1.5 hp 150 eTSI engine and a 7-speed DSG transmission, that is, the micro hybrid option.

To put you a little more in the situation, develop the 150 CV between 5.000 and 6.000 revolutions, while the maximum torque is 250 Nm between 1.500 and 3.500. The approved consumption is between 5,6 and 6,4 l/100 km depending on the versions and equipment.

First of all I wanted to tell you that during this past summer I already had the opportunity to test the new Leon. It was a very similar unit to this one, with the same engine, gearbox and equipment; although with the ST family body. The driving sensations are identical at all times except when maneuvering in the city and parking, since this 5-door is shorter.

Test Seat León ST 1.5 eTSI Mild Hybrid 150 CV FR

Effective in all circumstances

En expressway and motorway it performs quite well. It is a car with a lot of poise that transmits confidence and a good roll at speeds stabilized within "morality". That is to say, at 120 it is very comfortable, but it does not object if we go at a higher rate within the logic.

for a long journey it is a comfortable vehicle because it has good general insulation and a fairly good rolling quality. The seats are more comfortable than those of the previous Seat León FR, but despite this improvement they can still be better achieved in terms of comfort.

If we want to have a little fun for a twisty road, it is best to select the driving mode Sport. The electronics quicken the throttle response, stretch the DSG gears further, reduce steering assistance and, in the case of having the adaptive chassis, stiffen the suspension a bit.

Under those conditions the chassis makes it clear that it can withstand much more power than the 150 hp that we have right now. It does not have a touch as spicy as in the first two generations, but it does feel slightly more dynamic than, for example, the new Golf tested weeks ago.

But without "kick"

Transmits a little more feeling; but what least accompanies us when it comes to having fun is the engine. I'll explain why. The 1.5 eTSI engine is a very flat engine. That is to say, it offers a very good response in practically the entire rev range, which is something positive for normal driving.

However, being so linear, when it comes to having fun a little more kick is missing in the upper part of the rev counter. It doesn't give that feeling of strong push at the end, when we get over 5.000 laps. In any case, this does not mean that it is slow, far from it, but it seems to lack some character.

On the other hand, wandering around it is a totally noble car and that takes care of the occupants. Despite having a relatively firm suspension, the truth is that it filters potholes, manhole covers and city bumps quite well. It can be said that it has a very good balance.

Furthermore, the 7-speed DSG box it is well tuned and is not so abrupt at very low speed, being able to measure well when parking. For me, honestly, the worst thing about the gearbox is the selector itself, which leaves more free space but... I don't think it's very successful visually speaking.

To this we must add that we have front and rear sensors, a reversing camera that does not show a completely adequate image to my liking and, as if that were not enough, assisted parking.

Being a brand new car, there is no shortage of crowds of driving assistants. We find adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist (which has turned out to be too intrusive), rear cross traffic warning, blind spot alert, automatic high beams, sign recognition and much more.

Conclusions

As in the predecessor model and in any other of this segment C or compact, we are facing a very versatile car. It's not too big for urban tours, moving between streets with enough agility; and on fast roads it transmits confidence, stability and poise. In addition, we can travel four adults with enough space.

There are things that do not finish convincing me, especially everything related to the touch operation of many basic functions. The engine, although it pushes well, does not have that spicy point that we always demand at high revs when we want a little fun, but that goes completely unnoticed in normal driving.

Some points that I really like are the new design on the front, the increased travel comfort for the good interior insulation, the entire cast of assistants and security systems and, of course, consumption.

During this test we have obtained a mixed consumption of 6,2 liters. On the highway at 120 normally we are around 5,7 l/100 km approximately, while wandering around it depends a lot on driving and the type of city due to traffic lights, orography and traffic, but more or less we will be between 6,5 and 7 l/ 100 km; which is not bad at all.

Finally, let's talk about rivals. The C segment is very broad, and among its main adversaries we can mention the famous Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Peugeot 308 or Mazda3 among others.

It is true that the Leon has improved in many aspects, especially safety, space and ride quality, but has also raised its price. Now it's up to you to decide...

Equipment Seat Leon 5 doors

References

Hubcaps
Single zone air conditioner
XDS electronic differential lock
Fatigue detector
Lane departure warning
Emergency call
LED main headlights
push button start
Heated exterior mirrors
8,25-inch center screen

Style (add)

16-inch wheels
Parking sensors
Electrochromic interior mirror
Speed governor and limiter
Front fog lamps
Wireless charger
Leather multifunction steering wheel

Xcellence (adds to Style)

Interior and exterior cosmetic package
17-inch wheels
Front center armrest
Tri-zone air conditioner
Later moons obscured
Full LED headlights

FR (add)

Sportier interior and exterior aesthetic package
progressive steering
More dynamic tuning

Prices of the Seat León 5 doors

Depending on the configurator SeatThese are their prices:

Motor	Change	Finish	Price
Motor	Change	Finish	Price
1.0 TSI 90 HP	Manual	References	17.890 €
1.0 TSI 110 HP	Manual	References	18.500 €
2.0 TDI 115 HP	Manual	Reference	21.650 €
1.0 TSI 110 HP	Manual	Style	20.070 €
1.5 TSI 130 HP	Manual	Style	20.690 €
2.0 TDI 115 HP	Manual	Style	23.220 €
2.0 TDI 150 HP	DSG	Style	25.850 €
1.5 TSI 130 HP	Manual	xcellence	22.480 €
1.5 TSI 150 HP	Manual	xcellence	23.050 €
1.5 TSI 150 HP	DSG	xcellence	25.350 €
2.0 TDI 150 HP	DSG	xcellence	27.640 €
1.5 TSI 150 HP	Manual	FR	24.350 €
1.5 eTSI 150 hp	DSG	FR	26.650 €
2.0 TDI 150 HP	DSG	FR	28.940 €
1.4 e-Hybrid 204 hp	DSG	xcellence	30.980 €
1.4 e-Hybrid 204 hp	DSG	FR	31.800 €