Car review: SEAT Leon ST SE Business 1.6TDI – what a mover

WHEN it comes to cars, I belong to the “drive them into the ground until they’re dead” school.

That means I’ve never bought a new car and, unless I’m suddenly adorned with great wealth via a mechanism like the National Lottery, I never will.

But I’m still a petrol head, and it’s always a joy to try out a new car. It’s fascinating and uplifting to sample how the different manufacturers are vying for supremacy in what is a highly competitive sector.

And if I was ever to weaken and break my never-buy-new rule, then this SEAT Leon hunk of metal might just be the baby to tempt me.

That’s because this is a truly fabulous car to drive. Comfortable and surefooted on the A roads and that 1.6TDI has loads of poke.

It has a five-speed gear box – I’m used to six on my VW, a close relative of the SEAT – but it is geared so low cruising at decent speed is no bother, aided by a highly user-friendly cruise control.

As is the growing trend with modern cars, warnings come on when you get too close to a vehicle in front as part of a package of driver aids and there’s that very useful warning when reversing sound to help avoid minor prangs when reversing into parking spaces.

Hitherto, I’ve been quite scornful of gadgetry on cars, but this car really scores with its infotainment system.

From my home in Bolton I satnav-ed my way to Hurst Green in Lancashire – a nice combination of motorway (M6) and A roads.

All was going well until I decided to return. This was the point the car’s infotainment system informed me of major congestion at the M6 junction with the M65 and advised us of an alternative route through the back-roads of Preston and home via Hoghton. Fantastic. Bring on the gadgets.

Ialso took the in-laws on a jaunt to Cartmel and even with four people in the car, its performance was mightily impressive.

For those interested in the stats, average fuel economy for this vehicle is a creditable 68.9mpg and it gets from 0-60 in 10.9 seconds – I could’ve sworn it was quicker than that – and it’s top speed is 121mph.

This price of this vehicle with all bells and whistles is £21,375.