Hot version of the
Seat Leon ST is a worthy rival to the best from
Ford and
Volkswagen. The Seat Leon ST marks the third and final body shape that the latest Leon is going to take. Yes, its an estate, which Seat is calling ST (presumably denoting that its a sports tourer), but when you first set eyes on this more practical Leon it doesnt strike you as a load lugger – this lengthened Leon's stylish lines disguise its extra 272mm well. The other numbers are fairly impressive, with 587 litres of cargo space and 1470 litres with the seats down – load-lugging capacity that trumps the now-discontinued Seat Exeo ST. What the Leon ST doesnt beat on space, though, is the Volkswagen Golf estate. The Seat's German sibling offers 605 litres of boot volume, expanding to 1620 litres. Presumably the VW Group is positioning the Leon as the stylish, sporty-looking choice next to the more utilitarian Golf. You can choose between four diesel engines on the new ST, which comprise two 1. 6-litre cars with either 104bhp or 108bhp, or two 2. 0-litre TDIs, in two states of tune – 148bhp or 181bhp. Here were testing the most powerful petrol car, the 1. 8-litre TSI with a power output of 178bhp. It also comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. If you want a petrol-powered Leon ST but you're not after a swift warm estate, then go for either the 1. 2 or 1. 4-litre TSI with 104bhp and 138bhp respectively.