The Seat León is, without a doubt, one of the three most important cars in the history of Seat. The Seat 600 put Spain on wheels, the Seat Ibiza was key in the resurgence of the brand but this compact, with a daring design, the work of great designers and a sporty touch (especially in some versions) at a reasonable price, was vital in internationalization. of the brand.
With four generations behind it, the Seat León has cemented the financial results of the brand, which until then was supported by the Ibiza. At the same time, the perception of the Spanish firm, which until then focused on small cars, greatly improved. Let’s review its evolution:
Seat León I (1999-2006). 534,800 units
The first generation of the SEAT León stood out for the robust and sporty design given by the team led by Giorgetto Giugiaro. It was designed, developed and manufactured in the Martorell facilities, like the rest of subsequent generations. The rear stood out above all, with a large surface of exposed sheet metal and a verticality that contributed a lot of robustness to its image, since the front was similar to that of the second generation Seat Toledo, whose bodywork was cut by 26 cm.
With it, Seat returned to segment C, where it had not been since the Ronda had stopped being sold. Inside, it stood out for having the same dashboard that the previous Audi A3 had had, which made it very clear that the brand was taking a step forward in quality.
It quickly gained the public’s favor, especially for its mechanical range. In gasoline, since the launch there were versions from 75 HP to 180 HP (the first car manufactured in Spain to offer so much power) and diesel from 68 HP to 110 HP. But it would also bring all-wheel drive to the compact segment and, along with the Toledo, a six-speed manual gearbox.
In 2001 the long-awaited engine was launched 1.9 TDI 150 HP associated with the FR finish, the first SEAT with the “Formula Racing” finish. In gasoline, the same year the version was launched 2.8 VR6 Cupra 4which introduced the atmospheric V6 aluminum block with 204 HP, the second V6 engine to be offered in the Spanish market, Dodge Dart in 1977. The maximum power reached by the first generation León was 225 HP with the version CUPRA R and its 1.8 T 20V engine from 2004. With this generation the Leon Super Cup was created.
Seat León II (2006-2012). 675,900 units
This model introduced a more aerodynamic and daring design, led by Walter Silva. It had design resources that gave it a distinctive touch and were functional.
The most recognizable, the rear door handles recessed at the end of the window, which generates a compact two-door feeling, but also the rear-view mirrors mounted on the sheet metal of the front doors instead of in the corners of the windows, since the front window was arranged in a very inclined position, no less than 29º with respect to the horizontal line, to improve its aerodynamics, requiring the position of the mirrors to be moved back. Furthermore, this retro touch combined perfectly with the marked wheel arches that also contributed in this sense.
Its design was combined with advanced technologies, such as the VW Group platform that implemented a four-link independent rear suspension (when many rivals opted for the torsional axle), electromechanical power steering, direct injection in gasoline engines, or common rail. in diesels (replacing injection with pump-injector). It had a minivan version, in two sizes, the Seat Altea.
The mechanical variety was notable, both in gasoline engines and in the TDI, always with a sporty touch… which reached its peak with the brand’s two most special ranges: FR and CUPRA. This generation of the León was offered with up to 265 HP of power in the SEAT León 2.0 TSI CUPRA R version.
With this generation, the SEAT León won the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in 2008 and 2009, both in the drivers’ section, with Yvan Müller and Gabriele Tarquini, and in the constructors’ classification. It was the first car with a diesel engine to win this competition.
Seat León III (2012-2020). 1,056,600 units
Designed by Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, it combined elegant design with advanced technology, which resulted in a real success: in 2014 it surpassed the Ibiza in sales for the first time. Its new front offered much cleaner lines and with greater tension on the shoulders, thanks to high-precision work on the blister packs.
It was the first generation to include connectivity technologies, Full LED lighting or innovative infotainment systems and safety assistants typical of the MQB platform. But undoubtedly part of its success in the market was due to the fact that it brought under its arm up to three different types of bodies (the three-door León SC, the five-door and the familiar León ST.
The engine offering was very complete and the range for the first time had a country version called X-Perience with 4Drive all-wheel drive. The CUPRA versions reached up to 310 HP of power in the penultimate SEAT León CUPRA R version… the last was this same version associated with the family variant, with 300 HP (see test).
Furthermore, in 2014 the 5-door León CUPRA achieved the lap record at the Nürburgring, becoming the fastest front-wheel drive production vehicle, with a time of 7:58 min. A year later, the León ST CUPRA became the fastest family car on the same track. In 2017 the model was updated, which affected all bodies.
Seat Leon IV. (2020-today). More than 250,000 units
Designed again by Alejandro Mesonero Romanos and presented in 2020, it also arrived with a family body, the León ST 2020. The evolution of its image was enormous, but even greater in technology, with many more connectivity functions and more driving assistants.
It also improved its lighting technology with great functional advances and, in the mechanical section, it was offered with up to five different propulsion technologies with C, Eco and Zero emissions labels (the TGI variants that ran on CNG soon stopped being sold). Although it was the generation in which the CUPRA León separated from Seat, it still has that touch of sportiness even in the entry-level variants. From 2025 the most powerful version is the eHybrid, with 131 km of electric range.
One of the most outstanding aspects that demonstrate the León also gained with this generation in habitability. The space in the rear seats is very outstanding and the trunk reaches 620 liters in the case of the Sportstourer family.
