Seat Leon plug-in hybrid long-term test: report 3
The Seat Leon is our favourite family hatchback and it's now available as a plug-in hybrid. We're living with one to find out if it's the pick of the range...
The car Seat Leon e-Hybrid FR | Run by Claire Evans, consumer editor
Why it’s here The petrol-engined Seat Leon fended off some serious rivals to become our Family Car of the Year 2021, but how good is the plug-in hybrid version? We’re living with one to find out
Needs to Prove itself comfortable and well appointed, but more importantly put up a convincing argument for plug-in hybrid technology
Mileage 2581 List price £32,835 Target price £30,442 Price as tested £31,115 Test economy 56.9mpg Official economy 235.4mpg
26 March 2021 – Time for some fun...
I’ve been out and about recently, exploring one reason the Seat Leon is our Family Car of the Year by trying out its different driving modes.
They’re activated via the car’s touchscreen and range from Eco to Sport. The latter heightens the responses of the accelerator, steering and suspension, making the Leon great fun to drive along winding country roads.
In spite of the added weight of the e-Hybrid’s battery pack, my FR trim Leon comes with sports suspension as standard, which gives it superb handling, even in Normal mode. It turns neatly into bends, hugging the road, and its well-weighted steering gives you the confidence to push on when it’s safe to do so.
I also like the fact that the steering can be made lighter via the touchscreen to take the effort out of parking in tight spaces.
The downside of all this fun is that fuel economy has taken a dive down to 57mpg. However, a couple of weeks of pure electric shorter drives will doubtless take it back up.
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