First Drive Review: Seat Leon ST estate 2014

We’ve lost count of how many press cars have passed through the ContractHireAndLeasing car park over the years, but none will be remembered quite as fondly as the Seat Leon ST.

Some fairly ordinary cars stay with you purely on sentimental grounds. For me, it's the Volvo XC90, my first ever test car; and the Toyota Prius+, my first international launch.

But this Seat Leon ST 2.0 TDI 184PS FR will forever be remembered for being the steed which ferried home my first born.

Little was known about Oliver James Simpson before he emerged on Monday 10 February 2014, weighing 7lb 1oz, besides the fact that he was a healthy tiny human.

However the exterior colour of this Arctic Blue Leon estate, booked in weeks in advance, suggests the team at Seat may have had an inkling regarding our Oli's gender. More likely, it just looks good in blue.

Filling the gap

The Leon ST is special for more than sentimental reasons though. It's the first time in 15 years that Seat's C-segment hatch has been offered as an estate, going some way to filling the gap left behind by the discontinued A4-based Exeo, and signifies the third take on the third generation Leon, following the five-door hatch and three-door SC.

The latest Leon was met with high praise following its March 2013 launch, hence Seat and VW Group’s decision to investigate offshoots with this estate and the reintroduction of the performance focused Cupra, a move which sees Seat hark back to its hot hatch traditions, considered all but lost until recently.

These Leon variants are mirrored by the VW-badged Golf Estate and GTI already on sale, which all sit on the much-lauded MQB platform.

Last place luggage space

Stretching for 4,535mm, the Leon ST (Sports Tourer) is 264mm longer than the standard five-door car and the same length as Honda’s Civic Tourer.

However, at 1439mm tall, it is the shortest in the segment height wise, while its width is typical at 1816mm.

This extra length allows 207 extra litres of boot space on the five door Leon, boosted to 587, only 23 litres less than in the Skoda Octavia Estate. For parenting newbies such as myself, a twin-level boot floor aided the loading of awkward items such as pushchair much less embarrassing too.

Collapse the rear seats and this luggage area opens up to 1470 litres, which is the tightest boot space of its rivals by some margin, especially when the narrower Civic Tourer offers nearly 200 more at 1668 litres.

The Honda also boasts the largest standard boot space in its segment with 624 litres, 19 more than the Golf Estate and 37 more than the Leon ST, while Peugeot’s forthcoming 308 SW (due spring 2014) promises to outdo the competition with a class-leading 660 litres.

The higher-powered 184PS 2.0L diesel unit in our test model may not be the most economical option it makes the Leon estate certainly makes it the most enjoyable C-segment estate on the market with the smooth and sure six-speed manual transmission ensuring a confident drive.

It’s the eagerest estate of its rivals too, with a 7.8 second 0-62mph time outstripping the next fastest rival by more than a second (Golf Estate 2.0 TDI 150PS – 8.9s). There’s also the 142mph top speed, 7mph higher than the VW, while Toyota’s Auris Touring Sports tops out at 109mph.

The Leon handles just as authoritatively in estate form as it does as a standard five door. That longer rear doesn’t kick up much fuss either with only the marginally noisier cabin giving the game away.

Trims

The most basic Leon estate – S 1.2 TSI (£16,675) - comes on 15” steel wheels, 5” colour touchscreen infotainment system with MP3-compatible CD player, FM/AM radio, USB/Bluetooth/Aux-in/SD card connectivity, six speakers, and steering wheel controls, electric front windows, seven airbags, tinted windows, black roof rails, illuminated glove box, rear armrest, air con, and 12V power supply in the boot.

SE models (£17,795) sit on 16” alloys with chrome roof rails, front armrest, ambient lighting, leather trim on the handbrake, steering wheel, and gear knob, hill hold control.

The range-topping FR trim (£20,390) throws in 17” alloys, electric folding door mirrors, dark-tinted rear windows, front sports seats, dual-zone climate control, four driving profiles (sport/eco/comfort/custom), parking sensors front and back, and eight speakers.

Our test car came in this top grade, backed by the typically sturdy build quality many will have come to expect from recent Seats and a superbly comfortable drive.

Lovable

We mentioned that the 2.0L isn’t the cheapest runner in the range but a 65.7 combined mpg and £30 annual tax disc (VED Band C) as well that sub 8-second 0-62mph dash makes it very attractive and hardly pocket-crippling.

Its £23,380 list price doesn’t aid that appeal however, and for £1,320 extra, some may be tempted by the lure of the VW badge and the Golf Estate 2L TDI 150PS.

That VW is the only direct rival with a superior price tag, and if practicality is a high priority, Peugeot’s next 308 SW could be worth holding out for.

All the cars mentioned so far are available as VED-exempt, sub-100g/km models but the Leon ST offers the most environmentally-sound option.

Ordered in mid-trim SE with the 1.6 TDI Ecomotive engine (£20,485), the Leon emits 87g/km CO2 and can return 85.6mpg combined, which is 11.3mpg better and £1,390 cheaper than the next best (Civic Tourer).

The Leon ST is also the most affordable estate currently available, starting from £16,675 in entry S trim with 1.2 TSI engine, second only to Toyota’s sluggish Auris Touring Sports (£15,795).

By bulking out the back, Seat has managed to retain everything lovable about the standard Leon and it may fall short in the luggage space department but Seat’s ability to deliver a competent estate car is obvious.

Seat Leon ST at a glance:

Length: 4535mm
Width: 1816mm
Height: 1439mm
Wheelbase: 2634mm
Boot space: 587 / 1470 litres
Petrol engines: 1.2 TSI 105PS, 1.4 TSI 140PS, 1.8 TSI 180PS
Diesel engines: 1.6 TDI 105/110PS, 2.0 TDI 150/184PS
Trims: S, SE, FR
Most fuel efficient: 1.6 TDI SE Ecomotive – 85.6mpg, 87g/km CO2, £20,485
Cheapest: 1.2 TSI S - £16,675
Priciest: 2.0 TDI 150PS FR - £23,640
Key rivals: Honda Civic Tourer, Ford Focus Estate, Volkswagen Golf Estate
On sale: Now