Test Seat León TGI: From Madrid to Frankfurt for 80 euros thanks to CNG

When we talk about alternative fuels, the first thing that probably comes to mind is an electric car or one running on LPG. However, today there is another real alternative that we rarely consider, and which, besides being more ecological, offers huge savings: we are talking about cars running on CNG (compressed natural gas).

One of the brands that is betting most heavily on CNG is SEAT, so, taking advantage of the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, we decided to put the SEAT León CNG to the road test to see how much we save with gas and how it performs in all kinds of situations over 4,435 km.

On a complete route from Madrid > Frankfurt > Madrid, driving on all kinds of roads, motorways and even urban environments, we will tell you in detail how this SEAT León performs with the 1.5 TGI EVO 130 CV DSG petrol/CNG engine on an existing test. If you like road trips, keep reading, because we also show you a very interesting route through France on the way to Germany.

Madrid > Frankfurt via Luxembourg: a road trip enjoying the open road

Landscape between Navarre and France

The route we designed to test this SEAT León CNG runs over five days from Madrid to Frankfurt and another five days back to Madrid. To optimise consumption, we planned our stops at places with CNG stations, which are more numerous outside our borders (although a good number will open in Spain in the short term).

The first day is more monotonous as we make the journey between Madrid and Navarre, covering motorways and dual carriageways with the León CNG, seeing how it behaves on fast roads and obtaining the first CNG consumption figures, around 4 kg/100 km. Its 130 CV engine moves this León with ease on the motorway, despite the boot being loaded and two people on board.

It runs on gas until the tank runs out — roughly 17.5 kg — and at that point it switches to petrol (9-litre tank), giving a range of more than 500 km — 400 km on CNG. On our first day the range met expectations, and we covered 400 km on gas, although the biggest surprise was filling the gas tank for 15.60 euros.

Roncesvalles road

The route from Navarre continues along a very recommendable road if we want to cross into France through a different place, I mean the Roncesvalles pass (in these summer months full of walkers heading to Santiago de Compostela). The road between the Navarrese valley and the French side is full of bends, making it the ideal place to test the León’s dynamic behaviour. Our unit featured FR suspension, slightly firmer than the conventional one, which performed perfectly on a road like this. That said, road irregularities did not agree with it, and it felt harsh, which is entirely logical.

Once we descend the mountain pass, the first French village worth a stop is Saint Jean Pied de Port. From there we continue our route by road to the end of the stage in the city of Agen. Part of the journey was done at night, which allowed us to check the good performance of the full-LED lights of this León TGI, and the CNG tank ran out, so we had to drive almost 120 km on petrol alone, with an average consumption of 7 litres per 100 km (a figure that, when driving more economically and calmly, drops to as low as 6.4 litres per 100 km).

Rocamadour

On the next day of the route we covered the distance between Agen and Bourges, ending the stage right in the interior of France. On this stretch the roads become more enjoyable, and as we go deeper into inland France, traffic disappears and there are more and more fields. A must-stop whenever you are in central France (near Limoges) is Rocamadour. This medieval village with great charm was once a place of pilgrimage.

The roads leading to Rocamadour are rural, with excellent tarmac, but full of bends, where we once again tested the great dynamism of this León, with a noble, firm line, being predictable and stable through corners. The seven-speed DSG gearbox, besides being very comfortable, is ideal for use in sequential mode on roads like this one, and with just a touch of the lever or the paddles, the gearbox responds quickly. In fact, if we get sporty, the engine sound still manages to bring a smile to our face despite running on gas.

CNG consumption on the road drops to record savings figures, reaching an average consumption of 3.6 kg/100 km of CNG over a distance of more than 400 km. On our route there was one section we could not complete on gas, so when the gas tank empties automatically, petrol kicks in (nothing is felt, only the green CNG indicator goes out), and we were surprised by the average petrol consumption: 6.5 litres per 100 km.

Mennetou Sur Cher

Our third stage takes us from Mennetou Sur Cher (near Bourges) to Luxembourg. The region around Reims is quite rural; a good part of the neighbouring country’s champagne is produced in this area, and the landscape is one of open fields and great tranquillity. The next stop on the trip is Luxembourg, the heart of Europe and an interesting country to visit for its small size and the forests surrounding the city. Moreover, filling up with petrol or CNG is cheaper than in any other EU country thanks to its extremely low taxes.

When refuelling CNG in Luxembourg we notice another practical detail of CNG: it doesn’t matter which country or pump we use to refuel, as we can do so without any kind of adapter (something that does happen with LPG, where there are several adapters depending on the country).

Village in Germany

Once we leave Luxembourg, in just a few kilometres we enter Germany, with stretches of the route on its famous autobahn. This is where we realise that, dynamically, this SEAT León FR performs well at high speeds, being stable and with enough power to exceed 180 km/h without complications. In fact, its power delivery, once it passes 3,500 rpm, is forceful and gains speed quickly (loaded with luggage and two adults). CNG consumption, which had hit a low of 3.6 kg/100 km on the road, rises to 4.5 kg/100 km on the autobahn, as is to be expected.

Arriving in Frankfurt, one detail worth highlighting is the enormous comfort of its seats. Despite the more than 2,000 km we have covered these days, it is a comfortable car, and so far neither our back nor our lower back have suffered. In addition, the rear seats have air vents and two USB sockets, very practical for charging our mobile devices.

And once at the final destination, it’s time to take stock of the costs, and after adding up the different receipts — and on one occasion having to refuel with petrol because there was no CNG charging point nearby — even so, after just over 2,000 km we have spent 81.40 euros between Madrid and Frankfurt, an unbeatable figure.

Frankfurt > Madrid: heading home via Mont Saint Michel

Mont Saint Michel

Taking advantage of the very low cost per kilometre of CNG, on the way back we made a slight detour from the fastest route to visit a place that deserves a stop whenever you pass nearby: the Mont Saint Michel. This tourist site has undeniable charm, and it sits in a very peculiar location thanks to the tides, which at certain times do not even allow visits (for example, during spring tides when the access causeway floods). A couple of hours is enough to see the main sights, and if you arrive after seven in the evening you will enjoy the sunset (and save on parking, since they have a special rate for visits from 7 pm onwards).

French Basque Country

The route continues along the Atlantic coast, with places such as Rennes (in Brittany) or the area of La Rochelle, highlighting islands such as the Île d’Oléron with Fort Boyard from the Napoleonic era. And finally the region of Bordeaux and, as we approach the border, the French Basque Country, where the greenery stands out along with its perfect villages with much to see. Finally we arrived in Madrid with a total of 4,435 km covered and a total spend (CNG and petrol) of 178.47 euros, a record figure.

Is a CNG car worth it? Review of this SEAT León TGI

The adjectives that best define this León TGI are versatile and economical; it is a true devourer of kilometres, in every sense. The low cost of CNG and its range of at least 400 km per refuel allow a cost per 100 km far lower than a diesel or a hybrid vehicle, with an average figure of 4 kg/100 km at €0.92/kg, which comes to 3.68 euros to cover 100 km.

CNG filling station in Bordeaux (France)

On the other hand, driving a CNG car does not imply any kind of limitation in how you drive: the 1.5 petrol engine with 130 CV has enough power to move this SEAT with ease, and the whole CNG operation is automatic, switching to petrol when we run out of gas, with a range of close to 100 km on petrol.

Nor does it sacrifice dynamic behaviour; proof of this is this unit in FR trim, which not only projected sportiness on the outside, but whose suspension allowed certain sporty liberties when the road became more demanding.

The same goes for the equipment: despite being a mid-range compact, it incorporates all kinds of safety assistants such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.

On the downside, today there are hardly any CNG charging points, although if you have one nearby or decide to travel, it is as simple as planning ahead, and if you do, the savings compared with a diesel will be considerable. CNG is an alternative fuel which, besides carrying an ECO label, delivers immediate savings without the need to amortise an investment (as happens with an electric vehicle).

In short, if you do a lot of kilometres or need a vehicle with an ECO label that is genuinely very economical, and you have a CNG station nearby, don’t hesitate, because the savings are immediate and the price difference compared with a diesel or petrol SEAT León is minimal.

The SEAT León TGI is available from 24,670 euros (without discounts or special offers), while the unit we tested had a final price of 28,090 euros (without discounts or special offers) with a full standard equipment list.

Photos | Test team

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackSEAT Leon68 versions · from 27,822 €