New Leon mk4 thoughts

[Proy]

Can’t take to it personally. In some respects I can see it’s a leon, it’s on the same frame. Then from others I see an i30. I see an Astra. I see a Mazda.

Non of those are necessarily bad cars, but they are generic and look the same. It feels like the identity has been lost and the MK4 is the same.

I also don’t like the way the industry is heading with tech. I think it has a place and the MK3 gives a nice balance. The potential issues have been raised and I’m full agreement.

As a traditional type of driver, I must have a proper hand break. So many companies are opting for electric as standard and that is going to represent an issue for me and many as we move through the next generation.

I’ll certainly stand back on this one for a year minimum and see how I feel.

 

[Glosphil]

Can’t take to it personally. In some respects I can see it’s a leon, it’s on the same frame. Then from others I see an i30. I see an Astra. I see a Mazda.

Non of those are necessarily bad cars, but they are generic and look the same. It feels like the identity has been lost and the MK4 is the same.

I also don’t like the way the industry is heading with tech. I think it has a place and the MK3 gives a nice balance. The potential issues have been raised and I’m full agreement.

As a traditional type of driver, I must have a proper hand break. So many companies are opting for electric as standard and that is going to represent an issue for me and many as we move through the next generation.

I’ll certainly stand back on this one for a year minimum and see how I feel.

Why must you have a manual hand brake?
My 2018 Leon is my first car with an Electronic Handbrake + Auto Hold and both work perfectly. I can see no advantage in having a manual handbrake.

 

[BigJase88]

Why must you have a manual hand brake?
My 2018 Leon is my first car with an Electronic Handbrake + Auto Hold and both work perfectly. I can see no advantage in having a manual handbrake.

Auto handbrakes are class. No idea why any1 would prefer a manual handbrake.

 

[martin j.]

Tried replacing rear pads at home or not at the correct dealer? And much less to F up.

 

[BigJase88]

Tried replacing rear pads at home or not at the correct dealer? And much less to F up.

I changed rear pads on my pals golf mk7, no harder than with a manual handbrake.

all you need is a caliper rewind tool as per old way with manual handbrake

 

[martin j.]

Many cars with electric handbrake have electronic rear callipers, these require winding back in via car electronics.

 

[CupraGeezer]

Electric handbrakes strike me as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

Much less reliable than a manual handbrake (ask any of the recovery services how many call outs they get now) and much more expensive to fix when they do go wrong.

Having said that, I suspect my next car will have an electric handbrake along with an iPad-style infotainment until through lack of choice.

 

[BigJase88]

Electric handbrakes strike me as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

Much less reliable than a manual handbrake (ask any of the recovery services how many call outs they get now) and much more expensive to fix when they do go wrong.

Having said that, I suspect my next car will have an electric handbrake along with an iPad-style infotainment until through lack of choice.

I was dead set against them thought they were rubbish but i wouldn’t want to go back to a manual handbrake now. I guess it was probably the little boy inside of me thinking “ whaaat no handbrake turns”

 

[martin j.]

I guess it was probably the little boy inside of me thinking “ whaaat no handbrake turns”

That’s best reason yet for saying NO!

 

[Seriously?]

 

[markm49uk]

Having all the controls on the screen is a big mistake - I have this in my other car a Citroen Grand Picasso - trying to change the climate control settings is just plain dangerous - impossible to do without looking at the screen and flipping though screens. Plus it turns off CarPlay and then you have to go back to media/sources and select CarPlay again.

Stupid.

 

[BigJase88]

Having all the controls on the screen is a big mistake - I have this in my other car a Citroen Grand Picasso - trying to change the climate control settings is just plain dangerous - impossible to do without looking at the screen and flipping though screens. Plus it turns off CarPlay and then you have to go back to media/sources and select CarPlay again.

Stupid.

What does integrating them into the infotainment add though? A better looking buttonless dash? Whats the point in that when they will still use cheap crap easy to scratch plastics and poor quality carpet in the car.

just put some bloody dials for the heating controls in for gods sakes. Aint nobody wanting to navigate 5 menu’s to turn the heating up.

absolute bonkers. Add whatever you want to the infotainment but leave my heater dials alone

 

[Yern]

Technology features giving a "Smoother more comfortable driving experience"...it still relies on the numpty behind the wheel

 

[iScoTT29]

The biggest issue I see personally with the infortainment screen is the failure to move the 'home' icon from the left side of the screen to the right for the UK right hand drive model. Its a stretch on the MK3 leon to hit the physical home button just now for me, nevermind trying to stretch further because its a wider screen to tap a screen that has no responsive feedback. Only interesting note is the future uodate for an overtake assistance system, sounds interesting.

 

[CupraGeezer]

Having all the controls on the screen is a big mistake - I have this in my other car a Citroen Grand Picasso - trying to change the climate control settings is just plain dangerous - impossible to do without looking at the screen and flipping though screens.

In general, I agree with you - touchscreens are not really a suitable means for changing settings on the move. However, I think the real intention is that these are done via voice control (SEAT have already said that). How well this system works in practice currently remains to be seen.

 

[martin j.]

Have Seat met people from all over GB, some accents may not work well

 

[Seriously?]

Have Seat met people from all over GB, some accents may not work well

To use voice activation, you apparently have to wake the system up by saying "Hola Hola" to it. Now that's not a stupid marketing gimmick at all.....

 

[Vag8]

Technology features giving a "Smoother more comfortable driving experience"...it still relies on the numpty behind the wheel

“smoother more comfortable driving experience”

meaning, they have fixed the 1.5 130 evo engine as per my mk3 that still jumps down the road every morning and replaced it with a newer smooth non kangaroo version whilst never actually fixing the ones we have paid for?

 

[Seriously?]

“smoother more comfortable driving experience”

Presumably relying on the front assist/ACC to ensure you don't splatter yourself against the HGV in front whilst trying to change the A/C temperature

 

[markm49uk]

To use voice activation, you apparently have to wake the system up by saying "Hola Hola" to it. Now that's not a stupid marketing gimmick at all.....

Not even sure if you are joking or not?