Looks like SEAT have finally got their act together for the forthcoming Leon. The interior now looks like a decent one and the performance figures for the FR diesel look cracking.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/seat/leon/first-drives/first-drive-review-2013-seat-leon-fr-20-tdi

Thats looking very nice IMO and as you say - finally a half decent quality interior. Also available in estate format later on, which is appealing for me. :-) 280lb/ft torque and 7.5 to sixty from a two litre diesel - that's more like it also. :-)

now, if only Skoda could put a tuned down version o that lump, say 150, into a Fabia,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, :yes:

My leon fr tdi is bang tidy! Original model! And interior is nice for the era

Ooh, nice. I liked the mk1 interior but the mk2 looked cheap. This seems spot on.

I really like that, the interior has come on leaps and bounds, and the outside looks very sharp too. Shame they ditched the hidden rear door handles though, but at least they kept the wipers. And no mandatory DSG nonsense neither (hoorah)! Rear quarter visibility might not very good with those C-pillars though :-S

Edited 8 November, 201213 yr by ckyliu

Or rather than de-tuning it... just drop the same engine in the Ibiza and call it the Cupra.

Win.

Like that a lot!

Cracking figures, and as said, the interior is a massive improvement on the bland previous generation's offering

Very nice indeed

Cheers

Damo

now, if only Skoda could put a tuned down version o that lump, say 150, into a Fabia,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, :yes:

Or rather than de-tuning it... just drop the same engine in the Ibiza and call it the Cupra.

Win.

When the Ibiza (new one) first came out they done the 2.0 TDI 140bhp didnt they? Badged as a FR? So they should have wacked the 170 into the fabia/ibiza as a Cupra/vrs. Jobs a good un!

Hmmmm, me like :yes:

Yup, manual FR 2.0TDi is the 140 unit.

Not sure if you could get it in the Fabia II?

If the SEAT brand is the sporty brand then this engine at this tune needs to go into the Ibiza IMHO.

Hell, the Ibiza MK4 had 160bhp in a derv wagon next to the Leon with only 150bhp.

So I vote 200bhp 2.0TDi Ibiza Cupra and the Leon can keep its 180bhp :p 

Na, the fabia never got that engine. Totally agree though, shoehorn the engines in the little cars! 180bhp tdi Mii/Citygo?

Another boring car from VAG, the interior is very nice but the exterior is just the same as any of the other VAG group.

Another boring car from VAG, the interior is very nice but the exterior is just the same as any of the other VAG group.

It's very, very black though!

Otherwise I agree. I can't tell an A4 from and A6/8 except when they're next to each other so I can compare size. I get the need for a design language, but just increasing one design by a scale factor is cheating!

Not a fan tbh the 181 bhp is an improvement but looks likes a 15year old astra... Old shape was much better looking...., I hope vag don't start to ruin seat skoda with it's plain paper looks like the Jetta and passat have or the gold and the polo.... That's what let's em down... What would you rather have on looks that or an Alfa Romeo Julietta cloverleaf?

Another boring car from VAG, the interior is very nice but the exterior is just the same as any of the other VAG group.

+1 I thought Seat was supposed to be the mental side of VAG. Very conservative & Inoffensive but I don't see anything that would make me want to buy that over anything else.

Agree that outside looks a bit bland compared to the outgoing shape (which was a revelation when it first came out).

I owned a '57 plate Seat Leon Cupra for 4 years. The interior was just plain awful. Seats made up for it though. So I am glad the interior looks better.

Interior reminds me of a SAAB for some reason. No bad thing as i like SAAB's. Definately an improvement on the current Leon, its interior is awful, the biggest expanse of flat plastic i have ever seen. Cracking enging in it too. I would definately consider one of these in a few years unless skoda have a VRS for less money.

Yeah, my wife wants one for xmas....