overall quality, question to current owners

[red line fun]

if i asked you to consider the overall quality of your new model leon (both exterior and interior) how would you rate your car?

1. worse than outgoing leon?
2. on a par with outgoing leon?
3. better than outgoing leon?
4. easily on a par with Audi and/or VW?

interested in your views.

 

[stuarttunstall]

if i asked you to consider the overall quality of your new model leon (both exterior and interior) how would you rate your car?

1. worse than outgoing leon?
2. on a par with outgoing leon?
3. better than outgoing leon?
4. easily on a par with Audi and/or VW?

interested in your views.

Having had mine for 3 weeks, I would say options 3 & 4 apply

It seems to be a lt bigger inside, more comfortable to drive, quieter, and on the whole a lot nicer to drive. Only thing that I have noticed that "bugged" me a little, was the exhaust tailpipes twin steel coloured tail pipes out the back, soon rectified for £10 from a local shop, make the exhaust look bigger as well see this picture http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v156/stuarttunstall/Leon TFSi/LeonTFSi2.jpg

 

[dchbrown]

i would love to be able to answer that question but i still have to wait for my new leon to arrive :-(

 

[stuarttunstall]

i would love to be able to answer that question but i still have to wait for my new leon to arrive :-(

You will not be disappointed

 

[red line fun]

are you saying that interior material qualities (fabric, plastics, switch quality etc) is on a par with Audi and VW?

 

[stuarttunstall]

I would say so! If you think about it, VAG own Seat, you will proberbly find most of the components are made by compaines used for all the VAG marques.

I have had the same thought since my first Seat, a Y reg Ibiza 1.4 chill, why pay for a VAG Badge? keep the money instead. for example,

my first Seat spec:

1.4 Engine
Alloys
Remote locking
Air Con
Power Sterring
CD Changer

Cost around £8K on road

Relatives Polo purchased same time

1.0 engine
Non of the above extra's

£8500 on the road

He likes the VW name!

 

[carlt69]

You will not be disappointed

Just a quick one. on the LeonTFSi4.jpg, what do the buttons do on the centre console? the ones next to the seat and behind the gear leaver??

Cheers

 

[stuarttunstall]

Just a quick one. on the LeonTFSi4.jpg, what do the buttons do on the centre console? the ones next to the seat and behind the gear leaver??

Cheers

From the gear lever back...

Mirror switch
l
Cigar Lighter
l
ESP on/off button / Tyre pressure setting (to set low pressure warning)
l
Door lock/unlock

 

[carlt69]

From the gear lever back...

Mirror switch
l
Cigar Lighter
l
ESP on/off button / Tyre pressure setting (to set low pressure warning)
l
Door lock/unlock

Ahhhhh so they've moved some of the controls off the door card to the center?? So the passangers have something to do while there bored I presume hehehe

Cheers for that

 

[THE BIG GAS MAN]

are you saying that interior material qualities (fabric, plastics, switch quality etc) is on a par with Audi and VW?

Hi, had mine for 2 months now and done 6500m. Had a 1.8t gti golf before and most of the switch gear is exactly the same. The quality is definetly as good as if not better than VW.

I used to get a sore back with the driving position in the golf but not in the Leon . The model I have is a 2.0 tdi sport and it is just as fast as the golf was. The good thing about it is I get paid to drive about in mine all day

You will not be disappointed with the car when you get it. What colour are you getting? Mine is Black which looks brilliant when clean but is a bitch to keep that way.

 

[leonlad]

Hi, had mine for 2 months now and done 6500m. Had a 1.8t gti golf before and most of the switch gear is exactly the same. The quality is definetly as good as if not better than VW.

I used to get a sore back with the driving position in the golf but not in the Leon . The model I have is a 2.0 tdi sport and it is just as fast as the golf was. The good thing about it is I get paid to drive about in mine all day

You will not be disappointed with the car when you get it. What colour are you getting? Mine is Black which looks brilliant when clean but is a bitch to keep that way.

any rattles etc ?

 

[THE BIG GAS MAN]

any rattles etc ?

No. Heard other people talking about a rattle coming from behind the dashboard but not heard anything from mine yet.

 

[DanGB]

Won't be picking up mine for another 5 weeks yet..

 

[DanGB]

Oops ignore that last comment!

 

[Richard S]

I'm surprised at some of the comments suggesting that the quality is up there with other VAG motors. I can only compare to Audi (A4 & A6) and the build & material quality of the internal parts/switches are miles apart.

The TFSI is very low rent inside but I'm more than happy to except this as I've spent £16k rather than 20 (golf) or 23 (A3).

The fact that the facia moves on the lights panel and the window switches are paper thin is acceptable because when I put my foot down and throw it into a bend it copes very well. I was however shocked to see that the bonnet had a prop to hold it up and the bonnet itself felt light and flimsy.

It's a cheap sporty hatchback that will hopefully be reliable for many years due to the VAG Gp backing and mechanical build quality.

 

[LeakyTurnip]

The fact that the facia moves on the lights panel and the window switches are paper thin is acceptable because when I put my foot down and throw it into a bend it copes very well. I was however shocked to see that the bonnet had a prop to hold it up and the bonnet itself felt light and flimsy.

My dash doesn't move around the light panel and the window switches are the same as in most VW motors at the moment! I drove the Golf when I was trying to decide what car I was going to get and the quality is pretty even. Infact in the Golf there is a little cubby hole by the drivers right knee that felt like it was going drop off when I opened it. As for the bonnet being light and flimsy, i think they have to be nowadays...something to do with the euro ncap pedestrian protection ratings.

I do agree that you get a lot of car for not a lot of cash though!

 

[Tam]

As for the bonnet being light and flimsy, i think they have to be nowadays...something to do with the euro ncap pedestrian protection ratings.

Yep - most new designed cars have a very lightweight bonnets (some are plastic even). All to do with cushioning and bouncing off the pedestrian you've just hit.

You'll probably find that the front wings are exactly the same lightweight bouncy material (I’ve not checked on a Leon - but I’d guess so).

 

[cmc]

I was however shocked to see that the bonnet had a prop to hold it up

This surprised me a bit as well along with the absence of an engine cover. Cost cutting by the looks of it. But as you say, it's a value for money car.

I get mine on Friday so I'll reserve full judgement until then.

cmc

 

[THE BIG GAS MAN]

My dash doesn't move around the light panel and the window switches are the same as in most VW motors at the moment! I drove the Golf when I was trying to decide what car I was going to get and the quality is pretty even. Infact in the Golf there is a little cubby hole by the drivers right knee that felt like it was going drop off when I opened it. As for the bonnet being light and flimsy, i think they have to be nowadays...something to do with the euro ncap pedestrian protection ratings.

I do agree that you get a lot of car for not a lot of cash though!

I have to agree with Leaky, no squeaks or rattles and no movement on the dash. I had a Golf turbo for a year and almost all the switch gear is the same. The center console could have been made out of a better quality material. The bonnets are all pretty much light nowadays I had a Laguna 52 plate and the bonnet was made of aluminnium and was less weight than the leon's, the wings were plastic as well.

But you do get a great car for not a great deal of money as you say.

 

[Starbank]

Well I've now done 3,500 miles and so far so good!

I have however got one rattle....well squeak, which only shows itself on Edinburgh's very bad cobbled streets. It's as quiet as a mouse other than that. The squeak comes from the parcel shelf and it stops when I apply very light pressure to it - something that can easily be sorted out within minutes.

As far as interior quality is concerned, there are some hard plastics on the doors and around the handbrake but it doesn't put me off because everything is so well put togther. You will inevitably get better plastics in an Audi - they will always make sure this is the case so they can justify the price premium. However, the Golf's interior is only marginally better than the Leon and certainly not worth the extra £4k I would have had to pay for a GT equivalent to the 2.0 FSi Reference Sport.

The things that have so far really stood out for me are:-

1. The leather steering wheel - it's chunky, perfectly sized and excellent to grip!
2. The heated sports seats - hugely supportive, comfortable and a bonus in this weather!
3. The 6 speed gearbox - very smooth and feels as solid as a rock.
4. The huge windscreen wipers - no annoying squeaks even though they are the Aero type - might be something to do with the flat-ish screen.
5. The solid 'thunk' of the doors when closing. Just gives you that quality feel.
6. Last but not least, everyone raves about the 2.0TDi (and rightly so) but this 150BHP 2.0 FSi is really loosening up nicely - particularly noticeable is the top end urge, there is plenty of it in third, fourth and fifth and pulls very nicely upto 5,500-6,000 revs. Plus, I've not exactly been light on the accelerator and I'm still averaging 34MPG on a good run which is more than I was expecting!

Only downside so far and it's nothing to do with SEAT, I was passed by a gritter on the Snake's Pass last weekend and one of the foglights has been smashed! Car's going into Arnold Clark Saturday for replacement - they've quoted £110 to supply and fit.

Finally, since I have had the car I've only used a lambswool mitt to wash it with and there are so far no swirl marks in the Black Magic paint - amazing difference from the Halfrauds sponge I used on the black Loop GTi!

All in all, I'm well chuffed with the new machine.