Seat Leon FR TDI six month test

Aug. 16, 2010 - PRLog -- The task was to take four adults – including the driver – for a long weekend to Edinburgh with a trip north west to see the finest sights the country has to offer. But is a sporty hatch the right car for the job?

Model: Seat Leon FR TDI CR
Mileage: 12,318
Fuel consumption: 48.2mpg
Insurance: 28E
Price: £18,900 on the road
Options: 18-inch Orion wheels in black (£500), Technology and Convenience Pack (£1,565), Bi-xenon headlights (£730)

Likes

Space: It might not be an estate, but the Leon’s boot is big enough for a weekend away for four adults

Cruise control: Some don’t understand why cruise control is an essential – a 400 mile motorway jaunt convinces otherwise

Park sensors: Tight car spaces and low walls make parking in Britain a pain, but the Leon’s visual park sensors are a valuable option

Dislikes

Tiny glovebox: A pair of gloves and a couple of CDs is about all the glovebox will take

No hidden cabin storage: With a small glovebox it’s good to hide things away elsewhere, but all the Leon offers are some cupholders and CD storage

Door mirrors: The door mirrors are small and don’t lower automatically when in reverse, which makes it tricky to avoid kerbing the wheels

A journey around Scotland sounds like a petrolhead’s dream, with endless winding roads and breathtaking scenery, but with my soon-to-be wife in the passenger seat and my parents in the back, the focus was on smoothness, more than hard-edged driving thrills.

So the trip from Edinburgh, across the Forth Road Bridge and on to the east coast of Loch Lomond was more a sedate cruise than something which could exploit the Leon’s impressive chassis.

This wasn’t too much of a concern along the dual carriageways outside of Scotland’s capital. But once on the A83 climbing to the Rest and Be Thankful – a part of the country which can rival anywhere in Europe for awe-inspiring views – and then on to the other-worldly beauty of Glencoe, I longed to be alone at the wheel. Maybe another trip is in order before Seat ask for the Leon back.

No long distance backache

One concern I had was how the Leon FR’s firm ride would be received after hours on the move. Only on the roughest surfaces at speed did the ride elicit negative comments.

After a non-stop hack from Essex to Harrogate, we emerged free from aches and pains, despite four adults travelling in what is still a fairly small car.

The boot managed to swallow enough luggage for the four of us for our four-day adventure, although it was tight and a case of shoving some smaller, soft bags wherever they would fit. But not having to leave luggage on show at motorway service stops was a relief.

A careless van driver scraping the door (a bottle of polish and some elbow grease will see to that) and a bird repeatedly dive-bombing the car leaving it in serious need of a wash were the only two low points.

Back-to-back with a Cupra R

To compare the FR to the even faster models in the range, I took to the road – and the race track – in a Leon Cupra R. The FR TDI’s biggest, badest brother proved to be an excellent steer, but even after hacking around in a 265bhp super hatch, the FR still felt quick and engaging.

It is interesting to note the Cupra R – and the Cupra on which it is based – both offer superior ride comfort to the FR due, to different bushes and lightweight suspension components.

Still, the FR is still the only hot Leon to be offered with the super-frugal diesel engine. You pay your money, you take your choice.

One reason for pressing the Leon into service on the Scottish Job was to see how its fuel consumption was affected by a considerably heavier load than usual.

With a driver and a single passenger, it’s easy to get 51-52mpg on a motorway run, but the added weight saw this fall to around 48mpg; still pretty good by anyone’s standards. The endless motorway mileage meant the overall average consumption figure improved from 46 to 48mpg.

Seat(http://www.autotrader.co.uk/carmakes/seat) can add an impressive family car to the list of the Leon’s talents.