Review of the new SEAT Leon FR 2.0T FSI

We were told a while back that SEAT were being groomed as the sporting arm of the sprawling VW Group empire. The phrase 'Iberian Alfa Romeo' was being bandied about in the press and the Salsa concept car of 2002 had whetted the appetites of red-blooded enthusiasts. Then the new models started to arrive and something seemed to have gone awry.

The Toledo, once a straightforward sporty saloon car, had come over a bit practical and family-orientated. The Altea MPV towed a similar line. These were decent products but where was the SEAT sparkiness, the 'auto emocion' buyers had been led to expect? The Leon makes a much better job of delivering exactly that and with the 2.0-litre Turbo FSI petrol engine installed, it has the qualities to help propel the brand in a more dynamic direction.

The 2.0T FSI engine can also be found in the Volkswagen Golf GTi and various Audi models so it comes with a good pedigree. It uses Fuel Stratified Injection technology and a turbocharger to produce 198bhp in the FR model we feature here. The range-topping Cupra models are also equipped with this powerplant but they utilise a more powerful version of it. The Leon 2.0T FSI FR still feels pretty feisty, however, with the engine's impressive characteristics helping to offer-up and involving drive.

"It's quite hard to establish that there's a turbocharger in operation at all from your seat behind the wheel"

Turbochargers mated to petrol engines traditionally produce peaky performance and a narrow power band but the 2.0T FSI is different. It's quite hard to establish that there's a turbocharger in operation at all from your seat behind the wheel as the Leon pulls smoothly and purposefully through the rev-range. The engineers behind it have managed to give the powerplant a hefty torque output of 280Nm but, more significantly, this pulling power is available through a broad span of the rev-range from 1,750 to 5,000rpm.

The result is the kind of in-gear flexibility that is more often associated with diesel powerplants. The standard gauge of automotive pace - 0-62mph acceleration - is suitably lively with the 198bhp Leon. The car will accomplish the feat in 7.3s before running on to a 142mph maximum speed. Average fuel economy of 35.8mpg is about what you'd expect from a hatchback with this kind of performance, as is the 190g/km emissions figure.

SEAT are obviously keen that the Leon should maintain a sporty persona. It uses independent suspension all round with MacPherson struts at the front and a multilink set-up for the rear. There are anti-roll bars fore and aft while the springs and shocks are adjusted according to the engine that's installed. The 2.0T FSI FR feels like its suspension has been stiffened right up and while the resulting ride may be a tad firm for some tastes, it creates a highly involving driving experience. SEAT have even gone to the trouble of installing the 'SEAT Sound' system. This actually serves to amplify the noise being generated at low engine speeds for a robust, aggressive sound but it gradually tones down its activities as the revs rise for quiet cruising.

The Leon's 2.0T FSI petrol engine is available with the FR trim level at prices starting around £18,000 and there's the option of the outstanding DSG gearbox for £900 more. On top of the standard specification, buyers at this level benefit from features such as two-zone climate control, one-touch electric windows, steering wheel controls for the CD stereo, heated electric door mirror, front fog lamps, various body-colouring for the external fixtures and fittings, a honeycomb front grille ringed in chrome, twin stainless steel exhaust pipes, revised bumpers and 17" alloy wheels.

The Leon is a good deal bigger than its predecessor and this extra space is particularly noticeable in the rear. The old car was pretty tight in the back but the addition of 12cm to the latest models' length is felt particularly in the rear, where there's now knee room for six-footers. Although there's no armrest in the back and the bench is a little flat, you wouldn't feel hard done by undertaking a longer journey here. The rear tailgate opens wide to reveal a load bay that's a little awkwardly shaped for bulky items but is otherwise perfectly adequate for this class of car. Weight has gone up by a mere 8kg, helped in no small part to innovative panel stamping procedures and an acrylic rear side window that incorporates the door handle.

Both the front seat and the steering wheel are multi-adjustable and there's plenty of headroom up front even for taller drivers. The nose curves rapidly out of view and shorter drivers may want to specify parking sensors. The windscreen pillars are annoyingly chunky which means that you'll probably be doing a fair bit of see-sawing in your seat as you negotiate roundabouts. One can almost excuse this feature due to the fact that the windscreen wipers park vertically into the pillars - a rather neat trick that helps with the vital showroom wow factor. All-round visibility isn't a Leon strong point, the three-quarter view being hampered by thick pillars and the rearward view consisting of a number of headrests.

The SEAT Leon certainly has the styling to excite and the 2.0-litre FSI Turbo engine gives it performance to match. Rear visibility is a bugbear but otherwise, SEAT have come up with a polished package that is virtually guaranteed to make a big impact in the family hatch marketplace.