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SEAT SUV Prototype Looks Like a Leon on Stilts

The Spanish carmaker previously claimed that a crossover SUV is in the making and it'll arrive in dealerships by 2016. But 'til then, there's a lot of development work still to go. Though it's two years away from production reality, an early test mule has been spotted by our spy photographers team.
SEAT SUV prototype 26 photos
Photo: CarPix
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Yes, the prototype is so camouflaged it reminds us of those black burqa garments that cover everything except a woman's eyes. In the SEAT SUV's case, the eyes are camouflaged as well, but the taillights are remarkably similar to those of the Leon Typ 5F, LED accents and all. And if you look closer, even the side mirrors and rearview mirror appear to be lifted from the VW Golf-based C-segment hatchback.

And if we're to be frank, the body shell appears to be a Leon as well. However, the cobbled road, jacked up ride height and those sensors in the wheels hint that this is prototype is all-wheel drive, probably the fifth generation Haldex coupling. In this regard, the chassis is without question related to the MQB modular platform family, while the oily bits will come in the form of four-cylinder petrol and diesels mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed DSG.

Size-wise, this mysterious SEAT crossover SUV is smaller than the Volkswagen Tiguan, but that little bit larger than the Skoda Yeti. As for direct rivals, the upcoming model will go head to head with the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Kuga. Voices in the industry hint that the SEAT SUV will be unveiled in the flesh at next year's Frankfurt Motor Show. In related news, the next-gen SEAT Ibiza supermini is expected to arrive in European showrooms in 2016 as well.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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