how peoples views have changed...

[Gerry 16v]

Interesting read though

Here is a thread from long ago debating the 'New Leon'... people seemed to HATE it when it first arrived... are there any converts lurking here that toasted it at the time???

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=36663

 

[andycupra]

well they have grown on me.
well up until the point i get in one.

but then to be fair, if i drive one it seems they are an improvement

 

[Guinness]

think everyone needs time to adjust to new models, will be intresting to see the take on the new ibiza

 

[Jonny]

I really didn't like it when it first came out. But now having seen a few FR's and Cupra's out on the road, I've found myself turning to look, thinking "ooh, that's nice!" - specially in the darker colours & oddly enough, red! Never been much of a fan of red cars

It's the interior I'm still not to fond of though. The seats look good, and the dials & controls appear well placed, but whether it's the overall design or plastics / materials (or both!) I dunno... just something about it...

 

[Gerry 16v]

Peoples views on the interior are interesting... with no disrespect intended to Mk1 owners, both my missus and I thought that the interior on the MK2 was far superior to that of the MK1, the older one in our opinion looked very out of date and compared strongly to the feel of our 97 Ibiza! I would agree that some of the plastics used in the new one have a slightly 'budget' feel to them but then again the old one wasn't made from top quality stuff either. It was this fact that made us choose a MK2 over the MK1 (we viewed both). If we all liked the same sh1t life would be very boring though

 

[Alfredog4]

It's just the case with the new BMW M3, people will need time to get used to it's less-muscleyness =P

 

[MatthewB]

I'll admit to being one of the "haters" when I first saw it, but here I am with a Mk2 FR. I still think there are some lines that don't quite sit right, and it can be easily confused with the Altea, but there's a certain Alfa/Audi/Peugeot look to it that I really like.

Park it next to practically any other car in the same price bracket and the rest just look so dated.

 

[DanGB]

I was one of the early people on here to order one (Feb 2006). I never really liked the shape alot (before FR/Cupra was even shown), but saw a couple of pictures of a modded one, looked beatiful. so in standard form, I still dont like it, but modded.. mmmmmm.

 

[ZBOYD]

Cupra was even later than I expected, i said 2006. It actually arrived this year, in the UK of course.

Funny looking back in time.

Once i got to see a Mk2 Leon for the first time in the flesh so to speak, I was pretty much sold. I just had to wait years for the Cupra.

 

[alx_chung]

It was something that grew on me. At first it was a love/hate thing but when I saw a couple in the flesh it looked a lot better and then I saw the BTCC kit and I was taken by the look of it. I know it does not fit everyone's eye but I love it.
Alex

 

[ZBOYD]

I describe it as a Marmite car to people. For self explanatory reasons.

I love it, but then I know people who dislike them. Doesn't stop me loving it.

 

[Gerry 16v]

I describe it as a Marmite car to people. For self explanatory reasons.

I love it, but then I know people who dislike them. Doesn't stop me loving it.

I like your analogy! I have to say that I haven't spoken to many people who dislike the car though... might be something to do with the fact that I own one though

 

[andycupra]

I think the MKII would be very receptive to a conservative body kit / or exterior mods.

 

[si-mate]

Sadly I've never grown to like it. I really wanted to as once upon a time I would have changed my LCR to a MKII if it did the same for me as the LCR did.

It's funny really as I hated the new discovery and megane when they came out and now really like them both, but it just hasn't happened with the MKII Leon.

 

[alx_chung]

I like your analogy! I have to say that I haven't spoken to many people who dislike the car though... might be something to do with the fact that I own one though

I get the same thing too!
Alex

 

[cuprascott]

Yeah wasnt impressed until the FR/Cupra came along. I had a reference sport as a demo car which i thought was alright then i drove the FR TDI and was sold!

I had only gone in to the dealer for a "look" and ended up buying one!! Brand new car for less than i was paying for the old one with full warrenty. I even got a £40 refund on my insurance!!

 

[Xe]

I liked the MK2 Leon the first time I saw it (around Jan 2006), and I was like wow! Its a unique design, and still quite a rare car. 4 months later I was the proud owner of a new MK2.
Until the MK2 Leon came out, Seat was not one of the car makes that I was interested in. I'm not sure why people dont like the dash, as I consider it to be one of if not the best it its class range. Only the other day I spent 1 hour in a show room looking and everything from a 1 series BMW to The Vauxhall Astra (most of them being 2007 models). And I still think the Seat Leon MK2 is better. Having never considered a MK1 Leon, and some on these forums saying the interior was better on these. So I have stopped and looked inside a few over the last few months. TBH I can't see what the fuss is about, as the MK1 interior looks very dated.

But then I'm a bit of a car snob (so take my views with a pinch of salt). Seat's next model Leon MK3 maybe utter dreadful, and I will never buy a Seat again - who knows
But I do know a lot of people like the MK2 as I get asked quite often at the office "...what's the car you drive?" So people might not know what it is, but they seem to like it.

Enough waffle from me...

 

[225]

It has grown on me but it still no where near has the "I want one" factor that the LCR did when I first thought about buying one.
SEAT didn't do them selves any favours releasing the altea first I reckon as the leon just looked too much like it and everyone had MPV stuck in their mind.

The interior is also a big let down it looks very cheap for this day and age if you ask me.

Saying that though a white cupra with side skirts and lowered with black alloys is nice, while one with the btcc kit and black alloys is very nice!

 

[jimbo_FRDSG]

I liked the Leon Mk2 styling as soon as I saw it but like another of the posters had never considered buying a SEAT, being a top of the range Honda Accord (prev style) driver I had got used to the quality, ride and superb engine.
I had a need to go back to a hatchback style (HWMBO stipulation ) and being an automatic driver there was nothing on the market that really excited me in that size of hatchback. I would have stuck with Honda and gone for a new style Civic however a lack of auto models and a doubt about the reliability of the new i-drive auto box they had fitted put me off.
I heard/read about and researched the VAG DSG gearbox and wanted one. Early this year I test drove an Audi A3 2.0T S-line in DSG but the silly 19.5k for a 2 year old car made me choke. The local VW dealer was a joke and not even interested in getting me a Golf DSG to test drive….in fact the salesman looked at me in a puzzled way when I mentioned DSG .
To cut a long story short we finally got a SEAT dealer back in our area again and after a long wait I finally was able to take an FR DSG for a 24 hr test drive. Now I have to be honest and admit that being an older fella this wasn’t the model I was after, I was set on a Stylance 2.0TDI with DSG but after having the FR I was smitten and bought it.

Now as for my opinions on it having had it for several months here goes.
Interior is a bit of a cheaper plastic look about it and is very hard with no soft touches but I’m getting used to it. (Ford Focus is much better standard)
The dash is, well, can’t quite make up my mind but it’s a lot better than when I first saw it.
There are one or two small quirky design flaws and annoyances:
The mirror adjustments …….. just place them on the drivers door like other cars and have a switch to the left for left adj and a switch to the right for right adj…simple.
Interior rear view mirror ….I find it too large and in your face and it restricts my view to the left considerably having me duck and dive to see in that direction.
Why oh why did they leave out the Boot Open warning light on my model….penny pinching!
Instrument binnacle reflection onto windscreen is horrendous even on less sunny days and with night street lights….. why the oh so silver coating of the binnacle top.
Interior storage is abysmal, lack of cubbies and the glove box is of little use. Surely a bit more thought could have gone into this and even an armrest with storage would have been better (once again see the Ford Focus on this)
Ride quality is a lot harder and jarring than I have been used to along with road noise but I’m slowly getting used to it, however the car is remarkably solid with no squeeks and creaks.
Full marks there.

BUT and is a humungus BUT I bought the car for the gearbox and engine and it doesn’t disappoint in fact its knocked me out. This car is oh so much fun …. which is the point of it and I still have the FR grin when I get in and out of the car. I’m like a wee boy again and its easy to forget the quirks the car has and more importantly it drives like go-kart and the response is awesome. It is just sooooo easy to drive.
I still love the exterior design and can’t stop looking back at it when I walk away.
If they could just get the interior to say even the Focus standard this would be a 10/10 car.
So there you go….sorry for rambling but that’s my views on it.
Its FUN with a big F and that’s why I love it.

 

[P0LKR]

I more or less agree with you except for the dash. There is quite a bit of soft touch plastic there and in my opinion the Ford Focus interior was really awful, a lot worse than the Leon.

I was torn between the FR DSG and the cupra. I went for the cupra in the end for three reasons.

1. I have always wanted the top dog Leon (I really regretted not getting and LCR over the Mk1 Cupra last time)

2. Softer suspension in the Cupra (yes that sounds Irish but true)

3. That extra 40bhp

On the downside I really LOVED the DSG box but in the end all the above took over. I wish the cupra had DSG or I had both cars.

The cupra is bonkers but totally love it. If you think your car is fun now, think about a remap and it will be in another league again.