This week we have both been on a course to experience the brand new Leon FR (which can be ordered now but will not be in the UK until April 2013) and the new Toledo (in the UK now!)
Having read some impressive 5* reviews about the Leon my expectations were already quite high. They only got higher.
The first time I caught sight of the Leon was on my way into the car park when I arrived. It was outside the front of the hotel parked among its competitors yet it stood out a long way with its striking and piercing LED daytime running lights. The headlights on the new model are much more like the Ibiza in style with an angular edge.
The cars had been brought over from Spain and so were all left hand drive. Although I have had a tiny bit of experience with a ‘foreign car’ it made me laugh watching my left hand smack the door trying to find the gear stick!
I can’t mention the drive without talking about the mind blowing sound system.
The UK models will all come with a sub woofer as standard in the boots (replacing the spare wheel unfortunately) and TEN speakers. The compromise is that you can have your own party while you wait for the AA guy to show up! It is brilliant. The additional touch was the touch screen feature: move your finger around the screen and you can control which speaker projects the most.
It just feels like the design team have thought about all the tiny little details to make the Leon more about the experience. Take the mood lighting for example. The driver can decide on a ‘mode’ for his drive, either Normal, Sport, ECO or Individual. The latter enables the driver to personalise their driving experience and adjust the steering, acceleration, etc. When the Leon’s mode is changed, the lighting in the car changes. A simple yet satisfying addition to the model. Although I must add that that lighting wasn’t all that effective when in a well lit gazebo, I anticipate that it would have more impact at night.
The dash was laid out beautifully. I could feel and see the Audi influence. The dials were neat, silver and round and fitted in well with the 5inch touch screen which was simple and satisfying to use. For the multimedia fanatics (like me) you have the options off Bluetooth, Aux plug or SD cards to play your music, it even brings the album covers up on the screen. It’s the impressive little details that just bring this car up a level.
The drive itself was so satisfying. It felt powerful but still felt light, manageable and safe.
At 5ft 1 I don’t often find cars overly comfortable to drive due to seat positioning. Many models such as the new Ford Ka’s, the Hyundai i30 and the Vauxhall Astra are particularly bad at not considering the ‘smaller driver.’ I either cannot fully press the clutch down or the seat has moved too far forward and as a result the gear box is nearly behind me.
This is, again, where the Leon stood out for me. Along with the optional personalisation of the driving mode, I felt like I could make this car my own.
The drivers knee airbag, seatbelt warnings for the rear 3 seats, tiredness recognition, lane assist and high beam assist are just a few more safety features that made me content on my drive.
I hadn’t expected to be this excited about a new car, but this Leon is certainly something SEAT can be proud of.
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