New SEAT León: this is the fourth generation of the Spanish compact

At long last, the day has come when SEAT has unveiled the fourth generation of the León, a model that has been keeping us waiting for quite some time. After having been witness to numerous teasers, having seen it leak, and having spotted it dressed up to pay tribute to its hometown, the Spanish brand has let us in on the new León, a model set to revolutionise the compact segment with a fresh design and a technological arsenal more befitting of a full-size saloon.

And SEAT has made sure to keep its favourite son at the top of the segment through major new features. The Spanish compact now boasts not only a fresh, daring look, but also a series of solutions that make this new generation of the León much more committed to caring for the environment.

A more dynamic and harmonious design

SEAT’s designers and engineers have worked shoulder to shoulder to develop a vehicle that stays true to the brand’s principles while introducing features that usher it into a new era. Thanks to much crisper, sharper lines, the new León conveys greater aggressiveness and sportiness, two traits we perceive on all four sides.

The rear is perhaps the area with the most novelties, a sensation it creates through the new light signature that was previewed a few days ago. It is defined by two slim long taillights joined by a horizontal strip running across the entire tailgate. The rear bumper, in addition to adopting the new patterns seen across the rest of the vehicle, is finished with trim pieces on the FR variant designed to mimic a dual exhaust outlet.

The front, by contrast, is more conservative, showing a more continuous look while still bringing freshness and dynamism to the whole. The same crisp, sharp lines appear in the headlights, which are now more angular than before. The grille conveys the same impression, now more aggressive thanks to the new design language the Martorell-based brand will adopt from now on.

An interior with the latest technology

With this new León, SEAT set out to bring a revolution to the compact segment, and it has succeeded. The fourth generation of its flagship model now shows new ways thanks to a cabin that is not only roomier but also more technological. To achieve this, the engineers at the Spanish brand have opted for new hardware that is far more advanced and modern.

At first glance, there is a new-look multifunction steering wheel housing the new digital instrument cluster, displayed on a 10.25-inch screen. However, the real star is the central screen, which controls the dashboard and conceals numerous functions that have eliminated most of the physical buttons found in the previous generation.

As standard, it comes with a not-inconsiderable 8-inch display, but as an option you can opt for a much more impressive 10-inch screen. If you choose the latter, you will enjoy gesture control, a feature complemented by retina technology and a new touch bar designed to manage climate control in a much faster and more intuitive way.

Another important innovation is connectivity with your smartphone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Now, the Spanish compact will allow its users to use this technology wirelessly, meaning no cables are needed, along with inductive charging—optional with the Connectivity Box.

A range of engines far more committed to the environment

SEAT has made a bold statement with this new generation of the León, which relies not only on combustion engines as in the past, but also on powertrains supported by an electric system. On this basis, customers can choose between TSI (petrol), TDI (diesel), TGI (Compressed Natural Gas), eTSI (mild-hybrid) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid) variants.

For the traditional petrol versions, there are three groups to distinguish: one represented by the three-cylinder 1.0 TSI engine, another by the well-known four-cylinder 1.5 TSI, and a final one under the most powerful 2.0 TSI. The first will offer two powertrains with 90 and 110 hp; while the second will let users choose between a 130 hp variant and a 150 hp one—both with cylinder deactivation.

Topping things off is the 190 hp 2.0 TSI, the most powerful variant without the assistance of an electric motor for now. It is paired with the DSG gearbox, a transmission that now incorporates cable-shift technology, a system designed so the gear selector is no longer mechanically linked to the gearbox, but instead operates through electronic management.

Although many feared the end of diesel, SEAT continues to back this fuel for its new León. Now, there are two options that use diesel via a 2.0-litre engine offering outputs of 115 and 150 hp, with the latter paired with the DSG gearbox. A novelty is the dual AdBlue injection to significantly reduce NOx emissions.

CNG was the undisputed star of the generation now leaving the market, and SEAT wanted it to remain so in this fourth generation. The 1.5-litre, 130 hp engine has been chosen to run on both petrol and Compressed Natural Gas. Three CNG tanks have been installed in the new León, offering a maximum capacity of 17.3 kg, which translates into a gas-only range of 440 kilometres.

However, the TGI variant will not be the only one allowing the SEAT León to display the ECO label, as this task now also falls to the eTSI versions. To achieve this, the Spanish brand has turned to mild-hybrid technology, which will be present in the 110 hp 1.0 and 150 hp 1.5 engines.

This technology uses a belt starter generator and a 48 V lithium-ion battery, and allows the new León to coast at idle with the engine switched off in certain driving scenarios, recover energy when braking, and support the engine with electric assistance, achieving a level of efficiency never seen in previous generations.

Last but not least, we must highlight the PHEV variant, a true novelty in this new SEAT León. It combines a 1.4-litre petrol combustion engine with an electric motor capable of pushing total output up to 204 hp. Thanks to an EV driving mode, the new León can cover a total of 60 kilometres in 100% electric mode.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackSEAT Leon68 versions · from 27,822 €