SEAT Leon Hatchback (2005 - 2012) 1.6 Stylance 5d (2007/57) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

I'm not too sure what I can write here and may be this should be asked to someone watching me drive it haha. I'm hoping the car says I like a luxury, smooth, relaxed drive.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

My family like the SEAT range, the cars have all genuine VW parts and come fully equipped for a cheaper price than VW.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I wouldn't buy this car again, purely because I think it lacks power. There have been times when I've wanted that little quick start and its a little sluggish. I suppose due to this the fuel consumption is very high too.

What are you likely to buy next?

I would like to buy the newest model of the SEAT Leon but would like to trial other cars too, such as VW Passat, Skoda Octavia, something along these lines.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£7,000

When did you buy the car?

November 2011

Did you get a good deal and why?

I got a reasonably good deal as they were all around the similar price range. It was difficult to find one with a good specification, ie loaded with a few nice gadgets.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

Bought this car as wanted an upgrade but was after something stylish and loaded with gadgets.

What was the dealer like?

They were like all dealers, pushy. They wanted to apply all these added extras which I was clever enough to get them to explain and declined them as I saw fit. After working very hard with them, I think I left with a very good deal.

What's it like to drive?

Its relatively smooth to drive, but it can judder on pick up sometimes, from a set of lights. The steering is very light but very responsive on bends. I like the foot rests for long journeys too.

What's it like to park?

It can be a little difficult to park as the rear view mirror can trick you, the distance between you and the car behind. There have been a number of times where I have thought I'm very very close and gotten out to see there's tons of space behind still. However the fold in wing mirrors help for tight spaces.

Have you had any problems with the car?

It had a failure soon after buying it, the ESP light lit up and wouldn't go off. When contacting the seller they brushed me off. I then contacted SEAT directly, who were much better with support and resolved it for free. Yes free from the direct manufacturer, I was surprised too. It was classed as a braking system failure which was a common fault. However I have also found that a lot of stones can get caught in the brake system (between the disc and pad) as I've had to take it to a garage twice for this issue.

What's most practical about your car?

I haven't really found something practical that stands out, but the controls on the steering wheel are very helpful and in easy reach. I like how you can dim the internal lights, ie for the speedometer.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

I like a few of the gadgets in this car, especially the cruise control. Its nice to use in speed control areas however seems to drain the fuel very quickly. I also like the Climate Control but the car loses a lot of power when this is on. I suppose to use something luxurious you have to give up something also.