To our American readers, did you know the Golf has two in-group siblings? Volkswagen is also responsible for the underpinnings and drivetrains of the Skoda Scala and SEAT Leon, two nameplates that are familiar to European customers yet irrelevant to North America because neither brand is available there.
Now that Skoda and Volkswagen have updated their compact models, it’s high time for SEAT to follow suit with the fourth generation of the Leon. As a member of the Volkswagen Group, don’t expect any surprises under the skin, though.
SEAT will take the covers off the newcomer on January 28th, confirming the world premiere in the first video teaser of the Leon. From it, we’re also aware that LED lighting will be available on higher trim levels for both the front and rear fascias. The big news, however, is the design of the high-tech cabin and cockpit.
A large instrument cluster devoid of analog gauges is joined by an even larger center touchscreen for the infotainment system, featuring over-the-air updates and smartphone mirroring for both iOS and Android devices. In the case of DSG-equipped models, the gear selector is a carbon copy of the Volkswagen Golf, itself inspired by higher-end sports cars such as the Porsche 911 with the PDK.
Dynamic turn lights, light projectors reading “Hola!” onto the ground, and much more trickery is coming to the Leon as long as you’re prepared to pay the price for all this technological brouhaha. Needless to say, family-oriented customers will also be treated to the station wagon body style known as the SEAT Leon ST.
An equivalent to the Golf Alltrack all-roader is also certain to happen, namely the Leon X-Perience. We’ve tested one back in 2015, complete with 4Drive and a dual-clutch transmission for effortless driving even in precarious conditions.
Turning our attention back to the dashboard of the Gen 4, the wraparound ambient light that extends onto the door panels certainly sets the mood for driving at night. SEAT claims that pretty much everything that has to do with lighting – inside and out – has been designed and developed at the Spanish automaker’s technical center in Martorell.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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