Younger brother: testing the new Leon

Is it possible to finally seriously compare the Spanish model with the Volkswagen Golf? 

It's not good to be a younger brother in an aristocratic family. The big one inherits the kingdom or at least the family castle. The kids are left to pack their bags and look for luck elsewhere, so as not to accidentally challenge the inheritance. But not only with aristocrats.

There is no greater challenge in the automotive world than that of the people at Seat and perhaps Skoda. They are expected to create interesting, high-quality, and most importantly - profitable cars. But do not overdo it, otherwise they would have reached for the Batkov bowl from Volkswagen.

Leon is exactly like that.
He tries to stand out in several places, but somehow quietly, without much attention. And in many ways it succeeds.

The Seat Leon compact hatchback has been around for 22 years. With more than two million sales, it's not exactly a market failure - but it is infinitely far from the success of its cousin Golf, the absolute leader in this segment. But won't the new fourth generation change the ratio?

At first glance, it seems to us that he could.
There are many changes compared to the previous car. Even as dimensions. Leon has become a little narrower and a little shorter - but 9 centimeters longer. And 5 of those 9 come in a wheelbase, which gives you a lot more room in the back seat.

The design also took a few steps forward: with the diamond-shaped grille that we already know from Tarraco, and with much more dynamic and clear lines. Despite being made by a Spaniard, this design looks even more German than the Golf.

The rear change is also interesting, where all the lights, including the emergency brake, are assembled into one single unit and extend across the entire width of the car. Higher versions also get dynamic turn signals like the most expensive Audi.

But all this is trifles compared to the revolution inside. It was an interior in which a Spanish relative was forcibly kept in a cold closet - with much cheaper materials and more mediocre ergonomics than the Golf. It's already in the past. The new Leon received exactly the same interior concept as its German uncle: touch screens and surfaces, as well as the most clean dashboard.

Nowadays, the buttons on the dashboard have suddenly become as uncomfortable as pimples on the face. It's a pity, because the touch-screen is not the most convenient thing to do while driving. However, here you have gesture control, albeit limited. At least he says so, because he treated most of our teams with aristocratic contempt.

All but the most basic Leon variants get a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, as well as an 8- or 10-inch media screen, just like the Golf. However, the Spaniards were given the right to organize this screen as they saw fit. It is unlikely that anything like this has been said before, but here the Spanish organization is much better than the German one.

This vertical scrolling of various functions resembles your smartphone and is much, much more intuitive than the Golf version. It seems to us that the system itself responds faster.

The screen is integrated into the dashboard in a style that probably has some fancy name in the design profession. We call it "just stick on top". But it has nice graphics, can be seen in bright sunlight, and includes full smartphone integration. It also comes with a mobile app with which you can remotely unlock and lock doors, turn on the heating and even turn on the horn - to the delight of the neighbors.

Interior quality is also very good. Only a few places, such as door handles, bear the memory of former thrift. The seats are comfortable and hide some little quirks, like a seatbelt hanger on the rear seats that tries not to get in the way of lowering the seats. The trunk holds 380 liters. under normal conditions - the same as in the case of the Golf.

We've gotten so used to talking about mobile apps and touchscreens in our reviews that we've almost forgotten about driving behavior. Not surprisingly, Leon manages to be both literate and unobtrusive at the same time. It rides one shade heavier than the new Golf, which we would rather define as a plus. Only the most expensive versions have independent rear suspension, but the torsion bar provides passengers with decent comfort.

The choice of the drive is not small. The budget versions have a three-cylinder liter turbo engine and 110 horsepower. Then comes the 1.5 TSI, which can have 130 or 150 horsepower, and can also be a 48-volt hybrid system. There is also a full-fledged plug-in hybrid with a battery, but we will talk about that separately. There is also a two-liter diesel with 150 horsepower, and even a version with a factory methane system.

Of course, the most important thing about a budget alternative to the Golf is whether it really stays budget. The answer is yes, although inflation is raging here in the automotive world. A base Leon with 110 horses starts at BGN 35, which is almost BGN 000 less than a Golf and about BGN XNUMX more than a Skoda Octavia.

And it's not that simple: it has all the electronic systems, power windows front and rear, smartphone integration, 8-inch multimedia, two USB ports, contactless access and even climate control.

The top tier with 130 horsepower and a manual transmission - in fact the car you see - starts at BGN 39. Diesel - 500, and at the highest level - 42. The methane version with a 000-speed automatic will cost 49, but wait for it no earlier than February.

In general, this is Leon - Golf, but with a more interesting design and a lower price. True, in terms of residual value, it will not be similar to Volkswagen. However, it seems to us that in this case the youngest son will not die in his lifetime.