SEAT Leon is a front- or all-wheel-drive five-door hatchback of the compact segment (aka “C-class” by European standards), which boasts a bold appearance, a modern and productive technical component, as well as a rich set of options ...
The company itself positions its "brainchild" as the "youngest" model in the "golf" class, focused on active young people, for whom it is important both how the car looks and how it drives ...
The official premiere of the fourth generation SEAT Leon hatchback took place on January 28, 2020 at a special event organized in Spanish Martorell. Compared to its predecessor, the five-door, which SEAT calls "almost an independent product" (more than 1.1 billion euros were invested in its development and putting on the conveyor), has changed in all directions - it has noticeably added in external aggression, tried on a new interior, slightly enlarged in size, acquired a modernized platform and received a wide range of engines.
Outside, the "fourth" SEAT Leon "flaunts" a beautiful, sporty fit, modern and emotional appearance - an aggressive "physiognomy" with a predatory look of LED headlights, a honeycomb "hexagon" of the radiator grille and a raised bumper, a dynamic silhouette with an extended and lowered hood, complex plastic sidewalls and a sloping roof line, graceful stern with stylish lamps, united by an LED strip, and a "blown" bumper with a pair of trapezoidal exhaust pipes.
"Leon" of the fourth generation is a typical representative of the compact segment: the hatchback measures 4368 mm in length, of which the wheelbase extends to 2686 mm, reaches 1456 mm in height and does not exceed 1800 mm in width.
Interior
Inside, the five-door looks attractive and progressive, but European-style laconic, and a bit of sportiness is extolled in it by a three-spoke multi-steering wheel with a raised rim, slightly filed in the lower part, and a center console turned towards the driver, carrying a sticking 8.25- or 10- an inch touchscreen of the infotainment complex, which controls most of the functions, and a pair of pentagonal ventilation deflectors.
Well, the “inner world” is complemented by a fully digital “toolkit” with a 10.25-inch passive display (regardless of the configuration).
The salon of the "Leon" of the fourth incarnation is a five-seater, and a sufficient supply of free space is promised here on both rows of seats. At the front, there are ergonomically profiled armchairs with distinct lateral bolsters, dense padding and wide adjustment ranges, while at the rear there is a welcoming sofa with a folding center armrest.
The trunk of a compact hatchback in its normal state can "absorb" 380 liters of luggage. The back of the "gallery" is folded in two asymmetric parts in the ratio "60:40", increasing the capacity of the "hold" almost threefold. In the niche under the raised floor there is a small "spare wheel" and the main tool.
Specifications
For the fourth generation SEAT Leon, the widest range of power plants is announced:
- The basic versions are based on a 1.0-liter TSI three-cylinder turbo engine with direct injection and variable valve timing, available in two power levels:
- 90 horsepower and 160 Nm of torque;
- 110 h.p. and 200 Nm of peak thrust.
- More efficient options are supplied with a petrol 1.5-liter "four" TSI with turbocharging, direct injection and phase shifters at the inlet and outlet, which is also provided in two versions:
- 130 h.p. and 200 Nm of torque;
- 150 h.p. and 250 Nm of maximum recoil.
- "Top" modifications can boast a 2.0-liter TSI gasoline unit with a turbocharger, direct injection and a 16-valve timing, producing 190 hp. and 320 Nm.
- Under the hood of the diesel versions is a 2.0-liter TDI turbodiesel with Common Rail battery power and a urea neutralization system, offered in two levels of “pumping”:
- 115 h.p. and 250 Nm of peak thrust;
- 150 h.p. and 360 Nm of torque.
- An alternative option is a full-fledged hybrid eHybrid with the possibility of recharging from an outlet, equipped with a 1.4-liter TSI "turbo four", a 6-band "robot" with an integrated electric motor and a traction battery with a capacity of 13 kW * h, the total power of which is 204 hp.
"Traditional" engines are combined with 6-speed "mechanics" or 7-speed "robot" DSG with two clutches and drive wheels on the front axle.
In addition, the 110 and 150 hp versions are available. can be supplemented with a "soft hybrid" system with a 48-volt starter-generator and a compact lithium-ion battery, and for the 150-horsepower turbodiesel, an all-wheel drive 4Drive transmission with a multi-plate clutch is offered, which connects the wheels of the rear axle.
Design features
The fourth "release" of SEAT Leon is built on a modular "bogie" MQB Evo with a transverse engine and a monocoque body, the power structure of which is abundantly composed of high-strength steel grades.
Independent suspensions with passive shock absorbers and anti-roll bars are installed on both axles of the car: MacPherson struts at the front, and multi-link architecture at the rear. As an option, the "Spaniard" can be equipped with an adaptive electronic chassis DCC.
In the "base" the hatchback is equipped with rack and pinion steering and an active electromechanical amplifier. All wheels of the five-door are equipped with disc brakes (ventilated on the front axle), performing their duties together with ABS, EBD and BAS.
Options and prices
Sales of the fourth generation SEAT Leon in the countries of the Old World will begin in the second quarter of 2020, and trim levels with prices will be announced closer to that moment. In the Russian market, a hatchback is not expected, since the Spanish brand left our country in the summer of 2014.
A large number of options will be offered for the five-door: front and side airbags, full LED optics, dual-zone climate control, virtual instrument cluster, media center with 8.25- or 10-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, premium audio system and much more. ...
