Seat León 2020 vs Volkswagen Golf 2020: Which is better?

Alvaro Avilés 29 January 2020 6 min.

Seat León 2020 vs Volkswagen Golf 2020: Which is better?

We compare the Seat León 2020 with its cousin/sibling, the Volkswagen Golf 2020: Do you want to know which one is the best?

The Seat León 2020 has just been presented, a launch with great responsibility, since the previous one closed 2019 as the sales leader in the Spanish market.

A few months earlier, we got to know what is already the eighth generation of its cousin/sibling, the Volkswagen Golf 2020. It seems clear that, although they belong to the same family, both models are going to continue their particular duel, so we are going to pit them against each other to find out which of the two is better.

The Seat León 2020 has a wider range of body styles

Before we start talking about design, you should know that both models are based on the same platform. It is the MQB Evo structure, a base that has also been used to develop some models of the Volkswagen group, such as the Skoda Octavia or the Audi A3.

Starting with the Seat León 2020, the first thing we must say is that its length is now 8 centimeters greater, so it reaches 4.36 meters. However, its width has been reduced by 17 mm -1.80 meters- and its height has followed the same path, so it is 3 mm lower than the model it succeeds -1.45 meters-. Thanks to this, we have a spacious cabin and a boot that remains exactly the same as in the previous one, with a capacity of 380 litres.

The Volkswagen Golf 2020 is smaller, since its length is 4.28 meters -8 less than the Seat León-. However, the compact from Wolfsburg is exactly as wide as the Spanish model and its height increases by one centimeter -1.46 meters-. Furthermore, there are no differences in the boot, so it also has a capacity of 380 litres.

The Seat León 2020 already has an estate body

One of the differences in the launch of the Seat León 2020 compared to the Volkswagen Golf 2020 is that the former has already presented its estate configuration. This has changed its commercial name, so it has dropped the ST suffix in favour of Seat León Sportstourer.

In this case, the length increases to 4.64 metres and its boot increases its capacity by 30 litres compared to the previous generation, so it stands at a huge 617 litres. There will be an estate version of the Volkswagen Golf called Variant, but we will have to wait to learn its dimensions.

Sobriety vs. Spectacle: a matter of taste

The cabin of the Seat León 2020 has a more classic design than that of the Volkswagen Golf 2020, although this is only about aesthetics, and both have taken a giant step forward in terms of their technological equipment.

In the new compact from Seat, we will find elements such as the 8-inch touchscreen which can grow up to 10 inches depending on the equipment level chosen. In addition, the entire central console of physical buttons has been cleared, so the climate control or the radio can be operated via a touch panel on which the floating screen sits. We can also have the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.

The dashboard design of the Volkswagen Golf is much more spectacular. However, the available functions are the same, so we will also have the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster -the brand calls it Innovation Cockpit- and a touchscreen with the same dimensions as its rival. It also shares with the Seat León the operation of most elements through touchscreens.

Two very technological models, although the Volkswagen Golf wins the game

A central axis in the development of both models has been the available technology, and the Seat León 2020 comes fully connected to the network. For this reason, it can provide real-time information on traffic, parking areas, price comparison at petrol stations, etc.

It also offers a high dose of connectivity thanks to the Seat Connect app, through which we can check some data such as the battery status, tyre pressure and even configure the climate control system via our smartphone.

The technological offering on the Volkswagen Golf 2020 will also be very broad, so it will also be connected to online services and we will be able to connect our smartphone through the “Volkswagen We” app.

However, one of the elements that tips the balance in favour of the Volkswagen Golf is the Car2X vehicle-to-vehicle communication system. This allows cars to share information about traffic within an area of 800 metres.

In addition, we can highlight the Travel Assist assistant, which combines adaptive cruise control with lane keeping to guide the car at speeds of up to 210 km/h.

More mechanical variety in the Volkswagen Golf 2020

Within the range of engines, we will have petrol, diesel, gas, Mild Hybrid and PHEV versions. Therefore, both models have versions with C, ECO and 0 DGT labels.

Petrol

Within the range of petrol engines, both the Volkswagen Golf and the Seat León share exactly the same engines. Therefore, in both models we will have the 1.0 TSI EVO engine in 90 and 110 CV and the 1.5 TSI EVO with two power levels: 130 and 150 CV. All of them will feature cylinder deactivation technology to reduce consumption.

Diesel

The two contenders of today will also offer diesel engines and the offering will be identical. Therefore, we will have two alternatives based on the 2.0 TDI block, although one will offer 115 CV and the more powerful one 150 CV.

CNG

Finally, both models will have CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) options in their range. The chosen engine is the 1.5 TGI of 135 CV, so they will carry the DGT Eco label.

Mild Hybrid

Here are the first differences between the Volkswagen Golf 2020 and the Seat León 2020 in this respect. Both models will feature 48-volt Mild Hybrid technologies, so both will be called eTSI and will be paired with the 7-speed DSG automatic transmission.

However, the offering on the Volkswagen Golf will be wider, since we will have three options: 110, 130 and 150 CV. Meanwhile, in the Seat León range the intermediate engine is removed, so we will have the 110 and 150 CV versions. What both versions will share are the benefits of the DGT ECO label.

PHEV

Here is the second difference between both models. It is true that both will share the 204 CV version with 67 km of range, although the Volkswagen Golf keeps an ace up its sleeve: another plug-in hybrid powertrain with 245 CV and 71 km of electric range, which will presumably be fitted to the GTE version. Thanks to this, they will carry the DGT 0 label.

We will have to wait to learn about the most powerful versions in the range, namely the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Volkswagen Golf R and, in the case of the Seat León, what will officially be the first Ateca León.