Although the Leon might be starting to get a little long in the tooth, the VW Golf-based hatchback still stands out from the hatchback crowd as having a little verve and something distinctive. It fits Seat's recent way of doing things, that is to take a Volkswagen product and inject it with a little Spanish flair. Its current styling themes might not be universally appreciated, but it can't be denied that they are memorably different.
The Spanish car maker's attempts at being the 'sporty' one in the VW portfolio continue, with some funky lines etched in the side of the car and hidden rear door handles that are supposed to evoke the silhouette of a classic coupe. The effect is closer to a Dad in trainers than elite athlete sportiness, but it's definitely edgier than its Golf sibling.
It's a shame then that from the beginning of your driving time in the Leon you can tell that there is limited feel from the steering. This does improve a little with some of the top of the range sporting models, but although the Leon does have plenty of grip and clings on through the corners, the steering does detract from the overall experience somewhat.
There is a sporting feel to the car's ride, too, which means that the suspension is set a little too firm. This is fine if you are driving on mostly smooth Spanish roads, but UK streets are notoriously poor quality, and every bump is transmitted to the cabin. Space is bigger than average for the sector, the Leon able to fit in a good number of people and a decent amount of luggage.
Seat might be VW's sporting brand, but it's also a budget brand, and you won't find any of the Golf's classy materials on the Leon's dashboard. The plastics feel disappointingly cheap, but at least the car is priced to match. There is a good level of standard equipment and in general the car represents good value. Even the top-spec FR versions that are intended to challenge the Golf GTI undercut the VW by some considerable margin.
All of the engines that power the Leon are good units, so you can really take your pick based on whatever preferences you might have. We particularly enjoyed the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in the barnstorming Cupra range-topper, but we didn't have to pay for the fuel, so a 1.6 diesel is probably a better all-round bet. All-in-all, the Leon is a reasonably stylish and good value alternative to the default-choice Golf.