SEAT Leon SC (2013 – 2018) Review

SEAT Leon SC (2013 – 2018) Verdict

Shorter and sharper looking version of Leon. Impressive combination of ride and handling. Good value for money.

Pitched as a coupe so not quite as spacious as the five-door Leon. High boot lip makes loading awkward.

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SEAT Leon SC (2013 – 2018) handling and engines

• Engines range from 1.2 TSI 105 to 2.0 TDI 184 DSG
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 29–67 mpg

With a fantastically low and adjustable driving position, a sharp turn-in and a real sense of what's happening beneath the wheels during cornering, the Leon SC is a joy to drive.

Some might criticise the steering for being over-light, but then again, that’s part of what makes the car feel so relaxing most of the time. That and the ride quality, which has all the nuance you'd expect of something developed from Volkswagen's multi-brand, multi-national engineering department.

Whereas the preceding Leon was a sledgehammer in its approach to sportiness – it simply had a rock hard ride – this generation’s Leon glides nicely over most surfaces, yet boasts impressive body control.

The technically minded might bemoan the more simplistic rear suspension setup of lower powered Leon SC models, which don’t get the full multi-link treatment, but honestly, you’d have to be either a) cornering unnecessarily fast, or b) The Stig's pedantic cousin to notice.

The Leon SC is available with outputs ranging from 110PS to 290PS, so there’s variation in the way the chassis is setup and, therefore, in the driving experience. The fundamentals are spot on, though. You’ll get near enough as much satisfaction in a basic 1.2-litre TSI Leon SC as you will a Cupra 290.

All the engines are lessons in smoothness and noise suppression, with the possible exception of the slightly chattering 1.6-litre diesel, but even then it’s no big deal when the engine is under light load. The same goes for the 2.0 TDI that you’re most likely to pick, which is available with either 150PS or 184PS, the latter genuinely rapid at low revs, owing to 380Nm torque at just 1750rpm. It’s a catwalk Golf GTD, basically.

Although fuel economy or company car tax implications might point you towards a diesel, the best Leon SC models are petrol powered. Even the 1.2-litre TSI base point is good, with a fizzy character that suits the Leon SC’s fundamental sense of dynamism.

But the 150PS 1.4-litre TSI is the sweet spot. It’s quick (0-62mph in 7.9 seconds), yet because of features like cylinder shutdown, which sends fuel to just two of the four-cylinders at gentle pace, its official economy rating exceeds 60mpg. You can occasionally feel a mild judder when the cylinders are reactivating, but it’s not too often or irritating.

All engines are available with a DSG automatic gearbox (six- or seven-speed depending on engine), which is as win-win here as it is when it’s called S tronic and in an Audi. Quick to shift, smooth and beneficial to fuel economy, it enhances the Leon SC rather than stifling it, regardless of engine.

SEAT Leon SC (2013 – 2018) interior

• Boot space is 380–1150 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

Call it a coupe or a three-door hatchback, but either way the Leon SC is a very stylish, very good value and well considered car, inside and out. The SC is 35mm shorter at the wheelbase than the five-door Leon, which means legroom is a down a little, this is still very suitable for family motoring.

The boot is the same size as the five-door model and although the missing rear doors will probably preclude those with very small children, there’s only very marginal loss of headroom front and back.

The only criticism of the load space is the same that you could level at the five-door Leon – that while it’s relatively big on capacity for a family hatch, the loading lip is really high. That means you’re dropping bags down into the space (or stooping down to retrieve them), and it makes loading bulkier or heavier items more awkward.

Total boot space with the rear bench folded down (60/40 split as standard) is 1150 litres, which is 60 litres less than the five-door’s, although another slightly awkward feature is that the rear seat backs don’t fold quite flush with the boot floor. 

Everything about the SEAT Leon SC is pretty much identical to the five-door from the side pillars forward, which applies inside and out. That means you’re sitting behind a dashboard that’s mostly great quality, and certainly miles ahead of anything SEAT has ever done before, with the possible exception of the Exeo – though that, you may know, was in fact a re-badged Audi A4, so it doesn’t really count.

The beauty of the SC cabin is simplicity. All the dashtop stuff is squishy and quality, so although there’s cost cutting at the lower levels, the switchgear is solid and clear. The cabin’s party piece is the upgraded touchscreen that’s a highly recommended option. It cleverly features a movement sensor that adds functions to the screen when it senses a hand approaching, so it's uncluttered most of the time. It’s as simple to operate as a decent mobile phone plus it comes with Apple CarPlay or Android Link.

Oddment space is okay in the cabin too, with decent sized door pockets, a sizeable box inside the centre armrest and a reasonable glove box. It’s certainly a cabin more accommodating to the detritus of life than, say, the Volkswagen Scirocco. 

SEAT Leon SC (2013 – 2018) models and specs

On sale until July 2019

On sale until September 2017

On sale until April 2017

On sale until July 2015

On sale until June 2014