SEAT Leon Estate driven: brilliant bargain or a budget Volkswagen Golf?
April 09, 2025 by Mario Christou
Car changing is a big deal
The SEAT Leon Estate is a stylish, roomy and comfortable family wagon, but it’s not very fun to drive and it doesn’t excel at anything in particular
The SEAT Leon Estate is essentially a Volkswagen Golf Estate in a flamenco dress. Sharing much of its underpinnings with the sensible Golf, the Leon spices things up with aggressive headlights, angular styling, and triangular LED daytime running lights; it’s a bit more exciting on the eyes. Despite its extra boot length, it’s still a sleek-looking machine, with sharp creases down its flanks and a stylish full-width rear light bar.
Inside, SEAT has applied a minimalist look. The dashboard features trapezoidal vents echoing the front grille design, and a central touchscreen that’s intuitive enough – though the onscreen climate controls are fiddly to use. Higher trims come with a crisp 12.9-inch infotainment display, well worth the upgrade over the entry-level 10.4-inch unit. Overall, cabin quality is solid, comfortable, and feels premium enough.
With 620 litres of boot space, the Leon Estate easily beats rivals like the Ford Focus Estate, though it’s a bit smaller than the Skoda Octavia Estate. The plug-in hybrid version sacrifices some practicality with a 475 litre boot capacity, but it’s still plenty roomy. There’s ample legroom and headroom for adults in the back, along with handy cubbies and storage spaces throughout.
A variety of engine options are available to choose from. The entry-level petrol options are decent, and the mild-hybrid models offer good economy for mixed use. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is the quickest option, and fuel efficient, but its advertised 81-mile range is optimistic in reality – with 55 miles more likely in real-world use. There’s also a frugal 2.0-litre diesel available, ideal for motorway journeys.
Driving the Leon Estate is smooth and stress-free, particularly around town, thanks to its tight turning circle and comfortable suspension – even on sporty FR trims. Motorway cruising is equally relaxing, with minimal wind and road noise, and standard lane-keeping assist that’s genuinely helpful. It lacks thrills on winding roads – the handling is composed but uninvolving – with steering that’s a touch too light and numb.
Priced between cheaper rivals and more upmarket estates, the Leon Estate delivers excellent value, especially in SE Dynamic trim. While not as plush as its Golf cousin nor as stylish as a Peugeot 308 SW, it comfortably ticks every box you’d want from a practical family car.
The SEAT Leon Estate blends sporty aesthetics, practicality, comfort, and value impressively well – making it a good choice if you want style and substance without breaking the bank.
Car change? Carwow!
Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.
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