Third-generation Seat Leon revealed

Seat has released pictures of the all-new Leon, which the company hopes will take the fight to its fast-advancing rivals. At 5 cm shorter than the outgoing model but with a wheelbase almost 6 cm longer, the wheels are noticeably closer to the corners of the car to provide a more purposeful stance. The architecture is the Volkswagen Group’s lightweight MQB platform.

It shares the frontal design of the reshaped Ibiza that was released some months ago, but the Seat badge is new and the third-generation Leon is the first of the company’s cars to wear it.

One of the selling points will be the amount of available technology the Leon line will carry, including optional full-LED headlights for the first time on a car in this sector.

Despite its shorter proportions, more intelligent packaging means that there is more rear legroom and around 40 litres more boot space than before. At the same time, the car’s overall weight is claimed to be 90 kg less.

Early indications suggest that the Leon will be launched towards the end of the year with a choice of 1.6- and 2.0-litre diesel engines, with the range expanding into 1.2-, 1.4- and 1.8-litre turbocharged TSI petrol engines in early 2013.

Power outputs will range from 85 bhp to 178 bhp, with fuel economy of up to 74 mpg according to the standard European test cycle.

Five- and six-speed manual gearboxes will feature according to model, with six- and seven-speed twin-clutch DSG gearboxes either optional or standard according to model and engine choice.

Seat’s Easy Connect infotainment system will manage the car’s interactive systems, and will be available in three formats with an increasing number of speakers and breadth of functionality.

Among the tech highlights is a forward-facing camera mounted behind the rear-view mirror, which manages the Full Beam Assistant and switches automatically between full and dipped beam.

It also handles the Heading Control lane-keeping assistant, which makes slight corrections to the electro-mechanical power steering to prevent the driver from crossing over lane markings.