SEAT’s third member of the new Leon family has been revealed and the new Sports Tourer will give an exciting new dimension to the range with a new versatile estate model following on from the 5-door and SC Sports Coupé variants. Set for release here in Ireland at the tail-end of 2013, the car will be available in time for the 141 plate.
The new SEAT Leon Sports Tourer combines the youthful, dynamic design and sporty characteristics of its siblings with exceptional utility. The third member of the Leon family makes a compelling argument that thrilling sporting character and exceptional everyday usability do not have to be mutually exclusive. Its luggage space offers an impressive level of versatility, superb functionality down to the tiniest detail and, like the rest of the Leon, excellent workmanship and premium materials.
It has a capacity of 587 litres, rising to as much as 1470 litres with the rear seat backrests folded – meaning that even the big items of everyday life are best accommodated in the Leon Sports Tourer.
The design of the Leon Sports Tourer continues the emotional SEAT design language, as well as its high level of quality in materials and workmanship. The handling is as precise and dynamic as the Leon and Leon SC. The extensive line-up of hi-tech options such the full-LED headlamps is expanded by ACC proximity radar and DCC variable damper adjustment. The optional Dynamic Pack including DCC and Progressive Steering enables a high degree of control under sporty driving conditions.
Alongside the distinctly sporty look, exceptional efficiency was very high up the list of priorities in the development of the SEAT Leon Sports Tourer. The fuel-efficient TDI and TSI engines, with displacements ranging from 1.2 to 2.0 litres and output from 63 kW (86 PS) to 135 kW (184 PS), all run with direct injection and turbocharging.
Systematic Lightweight Design
The impressive fuel economy figures are also a result of systematic lightweight design. In the base version, the Leon Sports Tourer weighs in at just 1,233 kilograms, making it a mere 45 kilograms heavier than the five-door Leon and the lightest estate in its class. Nevertheless, the Sports Tourer offers a host of functional equipment details that significantly benefit everyday usability. The rear seat backrests are extremely easy to fold down from the luggage compartment, while the double floor brings order and makes it very easy to load and unload. The passenger-seat backrest can be folded over to accommodate especially long items.
Unique Design Language
The much applauded design language of the Leon range has been further accentuated for the Sports Tourer. Here, too, sculpted lines along the sides deliver a thrilling interplay of light and shade. The estate also features the same sharp lines and precise edges that communicate energy and vitality. The rear end, extended by 27 centimetres, provides an indication of the generous load space, while the angled rear windscreen, gently rounded roofline and muscular shoulders emphasize the dynamic driving pleasure. The technical elegance of the Leon Sports Tourer is further accentuated by the optional full-LED headlamps in combination with LED rear lights.
Dynamic and Efficient Engines
The technology package in the new Sport Tourer is largely similar to that of the Leon and Leon SC. The selection of petrol engines is wide and varied. For the Irish market, SEAT Ireland will focus on the1.2 TSI is available in two versions with 86 bhp and 105 bhp. With start/stop and brake energy regeneration, the 105 bhp engine consumes just 4.9 litres per 100 km (CO2: 114 g/km). At the top of the petrol line-up is the FR, with the 1.8 TSI delivering 180 bhp and 250 Nm of torque.
The broad TDI range for the new Leon Sports Tourer extends from 90 bhp to 184 bhp. The entry model is the 1.6 TDI with 90 bhp and a respectable 230 Nm of torque. The 2.0 TDI with 150 bhp and 320 Nm of torque provides powerful propulsion for the SEAT Leon Sports Tourer. Yet, with the start/stop and regeneration system, it manages to make an average of just 4.1 litres of fuel per 100 km (CO2: 106 g/km). A sporty highlight is the 2.0 TDI with 184 bhp and 380 Nm of torque, which features exclusively in the FR and boasts fuel consumption of a mere 4.3 litres per 100 km (CO2: 112 g/km).
