New Leon - Top 5 - Good/Could do Better Thread

[Starbank]

As there a few of us out there now thought it would be useful to have a thread with a list of what's good and bad about the new Leon.

I've had a 2.0l FSi and now own a 2.0TDi so I'll start :-

Good:-
1. Styling - You love it or hate it. I love it especially details such as the rear door handles, windscreen wipers, 'dynamic' curve and rear lights.

2. Handling - Firm suspension but sticks to the road nicely thanks.

3. Seats - Reference Sport/Sports Seats together with low slung driving position together with range of adjustability are very comfortable. FR seats look even more supportive.

4. VW engines, mechanicals and brakes - both FSi and TDi are bombproof - TFSi and TDi hugely tunable. 6 speed box.

5. Underated cabin interior - Well put together and there is soft touch plastic on the dash! Leather steering wheel is great to hold.

Could do better:-

1. Standard 16" wheels too small.

2. Slightly lacking in 'special' touches - cheap bonnet strut, lack of damped grab handles, no engine cover etc.

3. Blind spot from A-pillars - they are there!

4. Boot is smaller than it looks and has awkward opening - I managed to get a washing machine in to a Ka but would not fit into Leon, even with seats down!

5. Glovebox not lockable.

 

[DanGB]

good..
1. cheapest car with 2.0T FSI engine
2. interesting unique looks.
3. great value for money.
4. neat winscreen wipers
5. and the rest..

bad..
1. absolutely tiny useless glovebox.
2. Sport no longer exists!
3. fat a-pillar
4. restrictive boot opening.
5. no bonnet gas strut

 

[JK1]

Good
1. The price for what you get
2. The look - I still look out the window at it sitting in the driveway!
3. The attention to detail like the spray wipe-wash, the unique position of the wipers, auto rear screen wipe in reverse, the pure white dash LEDs, the red down-lights from the rear-view mirror, as well as all the optional extras I bought like bluetooth and reverse parking sensors
4. The MP3 player, now I can keep all my favourite music on one CDRW
5. The engine, ok the 140 TDI isn't the fastest anymore but it still puts a smile on my face when I put my foot down.

Bad
1. Lack of attention to detail like no gas struts for the bonnet, no door lights like on the old lean and a manual fuel filler cap!
2. Glovebox is too small and doesn't lock
3. Putting the cigarette lighter socket so far away that it can't realistically be used for charging GPS devices while on the move
4. Part of me wishes I had gone for the body kit and split exhaust, even if it would have crippled me on the insurance
5. I thought 1st gear on my old Leon was short, in the new one it's even shorter you barely start moving before you need to go to 2nd

 

[wurzel]

Had my TFSI FR for a couple of days so here goes: (It took me a long time to thing of 5 bad points!)

Good
1) The exterior looks
2) The VW under pinnings at a sensible price
3) The peformance
4) The bluetooth kit, how cool is the voice commands etc?!
5) The rear door handles

Bad
1) Lack of gas strut on bonnet
2) (I'm struggling....) Only one 12 volt socket
3) the cost for optional xenons.
4) Lack of lockable glovebox
5) Lack of rubbing strips on the side to prevent a holes from denting it in carparks.

 

[Greytop]

Good in no particular order:-

1) handling
2) Drop dead looks (in the flesh), some photos don't seem to do it justice
3) Pilot's seat (i.e. driving position, steering wheel, instruments)
4) FR TDI grunt
5) Excellent VAG value for money

Bad, likewise......

1) Comedy glovebox
2) 'A' pillar position and size, helps the good looks though
3) SatNav price (applies to pretty much all new cars)
4) Space saver spare (my A4 had a full sized alloy)
5) An annoying dash rattle over 85

 

[225]

Good
Usual SEAT stuff, looks, price, perfromance etc ect

Bad
Cupra looks.......

 

[cmc]

Good

1. Cruise control standard on Stylance.
2. One touch indicator giving you 3 flashes (great for changing lanes).
3. Good planted feel (handling in general)
4. Great value compared to mk5 golf equivalent.
5. Stereo controls on steering wheel.

Bad
1. Boot requires a bit of a thump to close properly.
2. Interior cost cutting in general (cheap glove box, non damped grab handles, no puddle lights on doors etc.)
3. Fog lights aren't as bright as mk1 Leon (don't quite know why).
4. The said A pillar visibility problem.
5. Cigar lighter/ 12v power output in awkward place.

As someone who currently lives with both the mk1 and mk2 I think in general some pluses and minuses over the mk1 Leon but overall a better car I think.

 

[k4ith]

could do better-
2nd key fob or lack of it, why not the proper transponder key fob?
door facias a bit cheap looking.
plastic wallet to hold the manuals etc, cheap no thought at all.
no mats as standard?

good
the rest of it

 

[Zooneycat]

Good:
* The looks
* Value for money
* Cruise control
* Stereo steering controls
* Seats are better than in my old Leon Cupra

Bad:
* No lights on doors
* No strips along body work to prevent dents (my first Ibiza was covered in dents from ignorant bankers)
* No gas strut supports on bonnet
* A Pillars (just as bad on the A4 too)
* Cheap looking manual holder. My first ever car had better!

 

[xJib]

The Good

* Brilliant seating position
* The way the rear suspension works properly over the old mk1 Leon
* The aero kit is such a head turner
* Bluetooth kit
* The read door handles that are always foxing passengers.

The Bad

* The plastic on the drivers door where you rest your elbow is really hard and hurts my elbow when I' wearing short sleeves. (Though it could just be me and my boney elbows)
* The wipers are the wrong way round and so leave a streak on the drivers side. Perfect for LHD Leons but a bugbear for me.
* You need parking sensors to get it into tight spaces because of the lack of rear visibility. Though I don't really mind that much as I like the way it cossets you with the high waist line.

Emm that's all really.

 

[Dexter]

The Bad

* The wipers are the wrong way round and so leave a streak on the drivers side. Perfect for LHD Leons but a bugbear for me.

I really can't work out why this is. In my mind it just a software or wiring change to have them work the "right" way round, they look the same length to me but I have not checked. Does anyone know why they come with a left hand drive set up?

 

[Sharp]

mine here in Hungary is fine with the left hand drive setup

 

[Steve_B]

I really can't work out why this is. In my mind it just a software or wiring change to have them work the "right" way round, they look the same length to me but I have not checked. Does anyone know why they come with a left hand drive set up?

I'd guess it's a little more than a software or wiring change. If you look at the drivers side wiper it is at the bottom of the right A pillar on RHD cars and near the left A pillar on LHD cars, so they'd need to swap the motor over to the right on the car by the sounds of it.

I'd guess they come with a LHD set up because it's easier / cheaper to make all cars with the LHD setup than some with LHD and some with RHD setups.

 

[Rokerlad]

I'd guess it's a little more than a software or wiring change. If you look at the drivers side wiper it is at the bottom of the right A pillar on RHD cars and near the left A pillar on LHD cars, so they'd need to swap the motor over to the right on the car by the sounds of it.

I'd guess they come with a LHD set up because it's easier / cheaper to make all cars with the LHD setup than some with LHD and some with RHD setups.

My old Clio 172 Cup used to have LHD wipers and it bugged the out of me . Looks like this and the lack of gas bonnet struts are a couple of cost saving things I wouldn't have expected. Ho hum.

 

[Stealthdave]

** No strips along body work to prevent dents (my first Ibiza was covered in dents from ignorant bankers)

We currently have a clio with strips...and its still had two detns from tesco, etc.....saw someone park his ford probe in b and q today and open his door right into a porker, if it was mine I'd of had to break his neck...

 

[leon1p]

Good
1. Real Head Turner
2. Solid Handling
3. 2 Door Look
4. I like the dash compared to most new cars
5. Auto Locking Doors

Bad
1. Fogged Lights
2. Blind Spot
3. Not great night vision (also poor reverse light)
4. No Spare Wheel
5. Fuel cap hangs on body work when filling up

 

[DanGB]

Good

5. Fuel cap hangs on body work when filling up

The fuel cap has some ruts which enable it to sit on the fuel door.

 

[leon1p]

Really? I've looked.. I always hang it over the top of the flap.. I may feel mighty stupid later tonight.

 

[leon1p]

Had a look and there are grooves on the cap (in my defense they are not obvious) which allow it to sit on the top of the flap.. not too keen on using it though as the plastic cable makes it awkward and the cap is then resting on the paintwork.

 

[FR*Man1984]

this is a great thread, very interesting reading...my dad says he can't wait to collect it now!