SEAT Leon SC Review

A few moments ago, we were quite pleased with the slim exterior mirrors, since their design constantly reminds you just how sexy this Leon SC is on the outside. Well, right now we’ve been hit by a traffic shower and we wish those mirrors were larger.

Nevertheless, they are mounted on the doors and the small side windows in front of them offers good visibility. The A-pillar windscreen wipers are gone. While we loved their layout, their absence does boost visibility even further. However, don’t expect that stylish rear window to offer the same. You’d better specify the sensors and perhaps the rear view camera if you want to be a parking ace.

The 140 HP 1.4-liter TSI petrol we drive feels quite nimble through the city. Actually, it’s not that far off from the sensations of a warm hatch. Official figures show an 8.1-second 0 to 100 km/h sprint, but it feels a bit faster than that.

The torque is the dominant figure here. While 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) may not sound like all that much, these arrive between 1,500 and 3,500 rpm. In the real world, you’ll feel happy from a tad under 2,000 rpm up to almost 4,000 rpm. That’s perfect, since this is the area where you’ll be keeping the car most often anyway.

However, you can feel the efficiency-boosting measures too. These are led by the gear ratios of the six speed manuals. Put the thing in fourth and you’ll have time to make coffee before reaching the end of the rev band. It’s a miracle how the 1.4 TSI manages to make the car feel poky with such ratios.

This is proper downsizing, with an engine that doesn’t sacrifice feel to reduce fuel consumption. By the way, we registered an average of 8.6 l/100 km (27 mpg) during our drive. This engine is also available with cylinder deactivation, but not on the SEAT Leon.

It’s also a unit with a wide torque band. Thus, you’re not always an acrobat on the edge of falling off the aforementioned band, like in the case of Renault’s 0.9 TCe, for example. Relaxation is the word here.

As for the gear changes, the process is like a meeting an old friend - the precision the VW Group has accustomed us with is there to serve you.

Of course, the 1,211 kg (2,670 lbs) of the car also contribute to the nice feeling we experienced.