Used Seat Leon 2013-2020 review

Chances are that if you asked people to name a medium-sized family car, the Seat Leon would be quite a way down their list. They might easily be able to roll off the names of cars such as the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Vauxhall Astra, but the Leon tends to be on the outer reaches of the public’s radar. Considering how good it’s always been and how much it undercuts its rivals on price when buying used, this is a real travesty of justice.

This third-generation version ran from 2013 to 2020 and is based, like those before it, on the underpinnings of the Mk7 Volkswagen Golf, and that alone has been enough to make it a very good car. It was not only shorter, lighter and roomier than the impressive 2005-2012 Seat Leon but also more efficient and much better to drive.

Engines & Performance: There’s an excellent range of engines to choose from, kicking off with a 1.2-litre petrol engine and working up to a 296bhp 2.0-litre flyer in the Cupra. In the middle sits the 148bhp 1.4-litre EcoTSI, which is smooth, powerful and extremely economical thanks to cylinder deactivation technology. In 2017, this engine was replaced by a 1.5 TSI Evo unit with either 130 (128bhp) or 150 (148bhp) outputs. At the same time, a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine was introduced, and this we would also recommend, for its flexibility and economy.

Diesel versions start with an astonishingly economical 1.6-litre engine, good for 70.6mpg in some models, then through the punchier 148bhp 2.0-litre and up to a noticeably swift 181bhp 2.0-litre unit.

Ride & Handling: The Leon feels sprightly, with distinctly sporty handling. Quick steering teams up with suspension that controls body movements well.

There's also plenty of grip to make it a confidence-inspiring thing to drive fast, even if it isn't quite as involving as the Focus. And despite a ride that errs on the firm side, the Leon is comfortable, too.

Interior & Practicality: Inside, there’s plenty of space for a family and all its paraphernalia, whether in the front or in the rear. The boot is a good size, too, although its high lip means the Leon isn't the most practical family car out there.

You get a smart, stylish dashboard, which, while lacking the ultimate quality of the Golf's, still feels better built than many other rivals.

Trims & Equipment: Even the entry-level S getting a few neat toys, such as an infotainment touchscreen and air conditioning. The range moves up through SE and FR versions, adding cruise control and sportier styling respectively, both of which are also available with a popular Technology pack that includes LED headlights, a DAB radio and sat-nav. The Cupra hot hatch version sits at the top of the range, while, later in life, the luxurious Xcellence version was added to sit above the FR.

The Leon received a light facelift in 2017, during which it gained a smattering of styling changes, as well as a new 1.0-litre and 1.5 petrol and updated 1.6-litre diesel engines. Other changes included a larger, more modern touchscreen infotainment system, higher-quality plastics inside and an electronic handbrake in place of the old manual one.

Interested in buying a used Seat Leon? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.

You can pick up a good Leon from as little as £5000. This will net you a 2013 or 2014 car with a mileage of around 100,000 miles from a trade or private seller.

Up the ante to between £6000 and £9000 and you begin to get some real bargains. Again, take your pick of petrol or diesel models and you’ll find a 2014 or 2015 car with a below-average mileage and a full history from an independent dealer, or a 2016 or 2017 car in the same condition from a private seller. This is a price that substantially undercuts the amount you’d pay for the equivalent Golf or Focus, so for those on a tight budget, the Leon is well worth seeking out.

Moving up further to around the £10,000 to £15,000 mark buys a 2018 or 2019 facelifted model in excellent condition and low mileage from an independent dealer. You can actually pick up 2020 cars for similar money, too.

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MPG: On the whole, the Leon is one of the more efficient cars in its class. The most economical version, the 1.6-litre diesel, can get as much as 70.6mpg, according to official NEDC figures. Under the newer, more realistic WLTP figures this averages 57.6mpg. The mid-range 2.0-litre diesel, meanwhile, gets around 64mpg (56mpg under the WLTP), depending on which age and variant you go for.

The most economical petrol model is the 1.0-litre, which, impressively, gets similar fuel economy to the 2.0-litre diesel at 52.3mpg under the WLTP. If you want to upgrade to the 1.4-litre petrol, expect fuel economy figures in the region of 54mpg, or 51.4mpg for the 1.5 130 and 47.9mpg for the 1.5 150 Evo. As you might expect, the least economical version is the Cupra R hot hatch, with an official average consumption figure of 39mpg.

Road tax: Tax costs on cars registered before 1 April 2017 are generally pretty reasonable. The efficiency of the 1.6-litre diesel models means they'll cost you £20 per year to tax, while you'll pay £30 per year for a 2.0-litre diesel in 148bhp form. It's a similar story with petrol models: the 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre versions cost £30 a year and the 1.0-litre sneaks in at £20 a year. The most you'll pay to tax a Leon registered before April 2017 is £220, that for the Cupra R.

After that date, all Leons will cost you a flat road tax rate of £190 per year, unless you choose a high-end version with enough options fitted to have lifted its price to over £40,000 when it was new. If that's the case, expect to pay a surcharge of £410 per year from years two to six.

Insurance and servicing: Insurance groups waver quite a bit based on your chosen engine and trim, with most being reasonable and on average for the class.

Seat servicing costs are very reasonable, and roughly on a par with those of Ford and Vauxhall. Franchised dealers offer a transparent fixed-price servicing scheme, with cars more than three years old eligible for slightly discounted prices. You can also opt for a pre-paid service plan on cars up to eight years old, which is worth taking out if you want to service your car at a Seat dealership.

Reliability

The Seat Leon has earned a good reputation for reliability, with many owners reporting satisfactory experiences and few problems. Nonetheless, a small number of owners have encountered electrical and mechanical issues, though these have been relatively rare.

Dealer service experiences vary. While some owners commend the quick, effective repairs and excellent customer service, others are less satisfied, pointing to high repair costs and disappointing service encounters.

Discover more about used Seat Leon reliability and common problems on our dedicated reliability page.

Make no mistake, the Leon is a fine car with nearly any of its various engine options, but we prefer the petrol models for their smoothness and flexibility.

The 1.0 TSI three-cylinder is reasonably lively and very economical, as well as being quite fun to drive, so makes plenty of sense if you're on a budget. However, it can’t quite compete with the 1.4 TSI engine, preferably in 148bhp EcoTSI form, which is responsive, powerful enough for most people and economical. If you're buying a Leon from 2017 onwards, then the 1.5 TSI Evo is a great engine, too, in either 130 or 150 form.

The diesels are even more economical, unsurprisingly, but there’s always a hint of gruffness to them. Unless your mileages are likely to be high, err towards a petrol car.

The SE version will be fine if you're on a budget, but if you can stretch to it, we'd go for the FR, because it gets more toys and a more sporty suspension set-up that makes a noticeable difference to the way the Leon handles. Look out for a car with the Technology Pack fitted, too, as it's worth having.

Our favourite Seat Leon 1.4 EcoTSI 150 FR Technology

The most obvious rival might be the car on which so much of the Seat Leon is based, the VW Golf, especially in Mk7 form. It’s the archetypal small family car. The Leon has an advantage here, though, in offering nearly everything the Golf does but at a greatly reduced premium. True, the Golf is better finished inside and has a slightly better ride and handling compromise, but there’s little in it in everyday motoring, and the Leon has a distinct price advantage, both when new and used. The Leon may not have the cachet of the Golf, but that's a small sacrifice to make.

The Ford Focus has always impressed us for its practicality nearly as much as it has for its driver appeal. That said, the most recent versions haven’t impressed us quite as much as the earlier ones did, and the Leon and the Golf are both nicer cars to sit in and at least as nice to drive.

The other cars that share the Leon’s underpinnings are the Audi A3 and Skoda Octavia. The A3 is a premium car that has a nicer interior and generally feels more classy. It's also significantly pricier than the Leon, so is perhaps not as much of a rival for the Leon as the Octavia. Although the Octavia is longer and more spacious than any of the other cars mentioned here, it is in more direct competition with its relation. It's good to drive and wonderfully spacious. However, it has to be said that, model for model and age for age, the Octavia isn't quite as good value as the Leon.

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Interested in buying a used Seat Leon? Visit our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at great prices.