El Seat Leon FR 2013 returns to become one of the most desired options for young drivers who want to a sports car without committing to the "disadvantages" of more extreme cars (price, fuel consumption, day-to-day versatility, etc.)
The Seat León FR is a very reasonable compact that offers a impressive leap in perceived quality over the previous generation. It has lost part of its sportiness by having an engine with less kick and a softer suspension, but it has gained refinement, comfort and pleasure of use. The Collado Seat dealership in Palencia has invited us to try it and we are going to tell you what we thought.
Exterior design
The rear of the Seat Leon 2013 is muscular
The body lines break with the rounded shapes of the previous generation in favor of the new brand image, with more defined and straight lines. The front loses some personality, resembling other SEAT models more closely, while the rear has more distinctive features. Unlike the previous model, the rear door handles are no longer concealed within the bodywork. Naturally, the FR trim offers sporty touches to distinguish it from other versions, such as 18-inch wheels and silver side mirrors that elegantly integrate the turn signals. The exhaust is finished with a dual outlet (although it's actually a single pipe) that emits a somewhat characteristic sound as the exhaust gases exit. The FR badges on the front and rear grilles are also present.
Interior
The leap in quality inside is impressive. Much of the plastic is now padded, and most of the surfaces nearby have a pleasant, rubberized finish. The interior lighting is much more striking, with white lettering (the color changes depending on the driving mode) and a multifunction display on the dashboard, combined with more traditional instruments like the fuel and temperature gauges, which use light bars.
The interior lighting of the new Leon provides a touch of quality
All these details inevitably lead us to compare it with its "expensive" cousins, namely Audi . In my opinion, in terms of perceived interior quality, it's almost on par with an Audi A3 . Of course, it's not the same, but the vast difference that existed between the previous generations of both models is no longer there. If we take a closer look at all its interior finishes, we'll see that the car is actually very understated , with hardly any decorative touches. The black plastic has a very worn look, and apart from the instrument cluster and the center console frame, the rest is rather monotonous. The parts are very well assembled (as I was able to verify while driving on a bumpy road), and despite its understated nature, it achieves a feeling of quality.
The front seats are comfortable and support the body well.
All the controls are very well located and also the console is facing the driver. The 5,8-inch screen with GPS navigator is very well placed and since it is touchscreen and located near the steering wheel, it can be used without being too distracting (not like in the Lexus CT200h, For example).
FR version seats look good and they accommodate the body well, they are very comfortable and do not complicate the maneuver of getting in and out like other sports seats. The feel of the leather (or whatever) on the outside of the seats has not convinced me too much, as it seems very artificial. I like that the seat can be positioned very low so that the derailleur appears to be raised and the steering wheel almost perpendicular to the body, a very “racing” position.
The rear seats are spacious for two people.
I don't like that the seatbelt isn't height-adjustable , as it feels somewhat misaligned depending on the person's build and sitting position. I also don't like that the rear seat is configured almost as a two-seater, leaving a hard, flat gap between them for an occasional third passenger, although this is becoming increasingly common.
Another advantage of the 2013 Leon is that the interior is brighter than before, with better visibility from the driver's seat and a greater sense of spaciousness, especially in the rear seats, provided there are two instead of three.
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