New 2020 Seat Leon: Long Story Short, A Golf Mk8 With Personality


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 172 inches (4,368 mm) long, 70.9 inches (1,800 mm) wide and 57.3 inches (1,456 mm) tall with a wheelbase that spans 105.7 inches (2,686 mm). This means the model is 3.4 inches (86 mm) longer than its predecessor and has a wheelbase that has grown 2 inches (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 21.8 cubic feet (617 liters) which is an improvement of 1 cubic foot (30 liters).  However, the hatchback retains it’s capacity of 13.4 cubic feet (380 liters).

Engine options carryover from the Golf and include a 1.0-liter TSI three-cylinder petrol with outputs of 89 hp (66 kW / 90 PS) and 108 hp (81 kW / 110 PS). Customers can also opt for a 1.5-liter engine that has outputs of 128 hp (96 kW / 130 PS) and 148 hp (110 kW / 150 PS). Lastly, there’s a 2.0-liter TSI four-cylinder with 187 hp (140 kW / 190 PS).


On the diesel side, there’s a 2.0-liter TDI which is available with outputs of 113 hp (85 kW / 115 PS) and 148 hp (110 kW / 150 PS).

There will also be a CNG variant with a 1.5-liter engine that produces 128 hp (96 kW / 130 PS).  That particular model will have three CNG tanks which give the car a range of 273 miles (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 (150 kW / 204 PS) and an electric-only range of approximately 37 miles (60 km).

There will also be mild hybrid variants based on the 108 hp (81 kW / 110 PS) 1.0-liter TSI engine as well as the 1.5-liter TSI with 148 hp (110 kW / 150 PS).  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.

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