Review: Seat Leon SC 1.4 TSI ACT 150PS

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Author: | Updated: 09 Apr 2015 17:41

The Leon has been a runaway success for Seat, recently credited for carving out the biggest chunk of UK car sales the brand has ever seen (2.16% market share in 2014).

Since its arrival early in 2013, the C-segment hatchback has spawned several offshoots from the ST estate to the GTI-rivalling Cupra to the soft-roading horribly-named X-Perience.

One of those sub-variants is this: the ACT (or Active Cylinder Technology), which uses the same fuel saving technology as VW and Audi’s cylinder-on-demand engines (CoD).

SEAT Leon 1.4 TSI ACT 150 PS FR (28)

The idea is that the engine’s four cylinders don’t need to be working all the time and once the car reaches a steady speed, two of the four can be rested until they’re needed again. Half the work, half the fuel used. It’s a simple idea and it works a treat.

In this case, that engine is a 150PS 1.4-litre petrol, planted in the three-door SC Leon in range-topping FR trim.

Search for Leon leasing deals: business / personal

SEAT Leon 1.4 TSI ACT 150 PS FR (32)

Conspicuous operations

It looks, drives, feels, smells, and tastes (probably, didn’t check) like any other third-gen Leon and for 99% of the time, you won’t even know that the Active Cylinder Technology is even there, and that’s the point.

Much like how hybrid vehicles aim to conceal their transition from electric to petrol propulsion, pinpointing the moment where the Leon rests half of its cylinder relies on a keen ear.

About town and in slow traffic, you’ll struggle to take full advantage, although there is engine stop/start so you won’t be burning fuel going nowhere.

SEAT Leon 1.4 TSI ACT 150 PS FR (24)It’s only out on the M roads that you enjoy the benefit. Get up to a steady 55-60mph for a few hundred metres and that’s when the ACT works its magic. As long as there’s no hasty acceleration, you’ll happily freewheel for miles and boost your chances of achieving the 58.9 combined mpg. The system worked great in the Ibiza and it has been seamlessly implemented here too.

CO2 emissions are locked in the B VED Band at 109g/km, a carbon output many diesels this size would report, and that means £20 annual road tax, yet despite these fleet friendly figures, it can still shift with a sub-eight second 0-62mph sprint and 134mph top speed.

It’s not quite hot hatch territory but it does mean that you can reap lots of joy from behind the wheel should the mood take you.

Interior

Features-wise, there’s the usual bells-and-whistles approach typically found with any modern Seat range-topper.

All the switches and surfaces look and feel classy and although VW-badged equivalents still have the edge, a refined, well-styled, well-built interior is a given with most any Seat these days.

At time of writing, the Technology Pack (worth £1075) was being chucked in for free. That means LED headlights, digital radio and navigation system absolutely gratis.

The regular stereo in the Leon is decent enough but for £355, the 135W ten-speaker system with sub-woofer in the boot included in our test model seems like a box worth ticking when speccing your Leon. That said, we’d probably keep the £155 over having dark-sensing headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and auto dimming rear view mirror; it just feels lazy y’know.

SEAT Leon 1.4 TSI ACT 150 PS FR (8)

Verdict

The Leon is an easy car to love anyway but planting it with an engine which strikes a balance between fuel efficiency and performance at under £20k with the level of refinement is the kind of approach that’ll keep Seat’s share of the UK market blossoming for some time yet.

Leon at a glance:

Length: 4236mm
Width: 1810mm
Height: 1431mm
Wheelbase: 2599mm
Boot space: 380 litres
Engine: 1.4 TSI ACT 150PS
0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 134mph
Fuel economy: 58.9mpg
CO2: 109g/km - £20 road tax
List price: £19,700
Price as tested: £22,120
Lowest leasing rate: £189.82 (business) - £227.78 (personal)
Available: Now

All figures correct at time of publishing

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