Sporty Leon a family-friendly option

But there is much more to it, their cars are economical and family friendly and are great all-rounders offered at competitive prices.

The FR model is a great example of this with sharp angles and creases, sporty bumpers, dual exhaust pipes and matched with eye-catching lighting designs,

Now in its fourth generation, the interior is particularly roomy, especially in the rear, with excellent head and legroom, It feels a pleasant environment aided by ambient lighting.

Stowage space is also excellent with plenty of storage areas and pockets to complement a decent boot area of 380 litres. Like all hatchbacks, this can be extended by folding the rear seats for a total of

The layout is minimalist and largely dark plastic with the main focus a high-resolution 10.25-inch configurable driver instrument cluster and 10-inch infotainment system

This includes Full Link which cloud-based functions and services like smartphone connectivity, which allows occupants to connect their mobile devices to the vehicle’s infotainment system.

This is complemented by a wraparound dashboard light that covers its entire width and continues through the doors. It’s not only an ambient decorative light, but it also provides a number of key functions such as blind spot detection.

The Leon is available in six trim levels – SE, SE Dynamic, FR, FR Sport, Xcellence, Xcellence Lux/

Even the entry-level SE provides keyless start, LED headlight technology with automatic high beam, electric and heated side mirrors, electronic parking brake, cloth upholstery, leather steering wheel and gear stick, and SEAT Connect technology as standard.

This model adds goodies like 17-inch alloy wheels, upholstery stitching that matches the exterior colour, a leather multifunction steering wheel, three-zone air conditioning, wireless charging tray in the front and two USB points in the rear. In addition to the front two.

On the road, the 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine produces plenty of grunt, hitting 60mph in just under 10 seconds, but also delivering plenty of torque, so power is always on tap.

It is a refined unit, that mated with a six-speed manual box, provides a pleasant driving experience. The DSG automatic transmission version is designed so that the gear selector is no longer mechanically connected to the gearbox, instead using electronic signals to indicate a shift. In FR and FR Sport models, in addition to the driving mode presets – Eco, Normal and Sport – drivers can use a sliding scale of changes to adapt the car to their exact requirements, offering a very wide number of possibilities.

Sitting 15mm lower to the ground the suspension set-up ensures the FR not only looks sportier, but delivers excellent handling characteristics with plenty of grip when leaning into corners. It really is a fun car to drive. The downside is that it can feel unsettled on some lesser road surfaces.

Economy is excellent with the mid-40s mpg comfortably achievable.

All SEATs are safe and the Leon offers the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are designed to see more of its surroundings and react to obstacles on the road or sudden movements by other drivers. This includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Emergency Assist braking system, in addition to a full complement of airbags and other measures like traffic-sign recognition to automatically set the car’s speed depending on the conditions ahead.

Factfile

• SEAT Leon FR 130PS

• Price: £25,545

• Mechanical: 130PS, 1498cc four-cylinder turbo petrol engine driving front wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox

• Max speed: 129mph0-62mph: 9.4 seconds

• Combined mpg: 46  (WLTP combined cycle)

• Insurance group: 16

• CO2 emissions: 130g/km

• BiK rating: 29%

• Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles